Full Breakdown
Pinehurst Light Rail Station Opens in North Seattle
By Drooid · · How we work
New Infill Stop Begins Service
Sound Transit launched its 39th light-rail station, Pinehurst, in the I-5/Northeast 130th Street interchange. The elevated stop opened early on a Wednesday, with the first southbound train departing at 5:12 a.m. Commuters such as Anne Kang, who walks from her assisted-living job near International District/Chinatown Station, immediately began using the facility, citing relief from the crowded Northgate parking garage.
Context and Planning
The $240 million infill station was added to the Sound Transit 3 ballot measure in 2016 after community pressure and a push from Seattle Councilmember Debora Juarez. It opened five years ahead of the 2031 timeline promised to voters, thanks to engineers constructing the platform within a narrow I-5 corridor. The stop follows a recent expansion that added six extensions in the 2020s and will be the last new station until at least the early 2030s, when Graham Street in South Seattle is slated to open.
Ridership Projections and Facilities
Sound Transit forecasted about 1,100 daily boardings for Pinehurst, with a longer-term target of 2,600 to 4,200 boardings if surrounding density increases. The station adds roughly 40–45 seconds of travel time for existing riders. Amenities include 30 bike lockers, additional outdoor racks, and tile art by Romson Bustillo reflecting his Filipino heritage. Metro’s Route 77, launched a month earlier, provides an east-west bus link along 130th Street.
Official Statements & Responses
U.S. Rep. King County Metro lead service planner Yingying Huang Fernandes highlighted the new travel time of 17 minutes between Aurora Avenue and Lake City Way, a reduction from previous trips of over 45 minutes that required a transfer at Northgate.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Whenever I take the light rail, north or south, the fact that I’ll be able to just walk quickly to the station, or take a 77 bus for a couple minutes, to get on the train, is a huge plus for me,” — Daigoro Toyama, president of the Pinehurst Community Council.
- “I don’t have to be at work until 8,” — Perry Tapper.
- “The Sound Transit board has never really resolved that debate,” — Charles Prestrud, transportation analyst at the Washington Policy Center.
