Seattle’s Floating Light Rail Bridge to Open March 28

The new East Link segment of King County’s light rail system crosses Lake Washington on a first-of-its-kind floating bridge.

1 minute read

January 27, 2026, 8:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Sound Transit light rail train traveling across floating bridge.

A Sound Transit train crossing the new floating bridge. | Sound Transit / The Platform

Sound Transit’s Crosslake Connection, which completes the East Link project, will open to passengers on March 28, increasing the light rail system from 55 to 63 miles. According to an article in Mass Transit, the final segment includes two new stations and creates a “fully integrated light-rail system for the region.” 

The article adds, “Trains are set to run approximately every eight minutes during peak times at the new stations and between 10 to 15 minutes the rest of the day. Combined 1 Line and 2 Line headways between Lynnwood and International District/Chinatown will be every four minutes, providing additional capacity through the system’s busy core.”

The segment uses the world’s first floating bridge equipped for light rail. “This achievement was made possible by innovative engineering to address the unique challenges of running electric trains across a moving body of water.” 

Monday, January 26, 2026 in Mass Transit

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