On Saturday morning (Dec. 19th) at 10am, Sound Transit opened its Link light rail service to SeaTac with lots of ceremony, local dignitaries, curious passengers, and of course, functioning trains that now link the airport to downtown Seattle.

The first 14 miles of light rail opened from downtown Seattle to Tukwila in July. This final segment from Tukwila to SeaTac / Airport Station, built under a close partnership with the Port of Seattle, connects the airport from downtown with 13 stops serving the SeaTac, Tukwila, Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, SODO to the final stop at Westlake.

“It’s been a heck of a journey, but we delivered on what we promised: light rail from downtown Seattle to the airport in 2009,” said Seattle Mayor and Sound Transit Board Chair Greg Nickels. “This opens an entirely new option for travelers and commuters, and represents the first steps of a truly regional network.”

Service on the 1.7-mile extension line kicked off with an inaugural ribbon cutting at the SeaTac / Airport Station before the station and trains opened for regular passenger service at 10am, and Photographer Michael Brunk was there to capture this Photo Slideshow:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

“Opening the doors to Sound Transit’s airport line in time for the holidays is great gift to residents of the Puget Sound region,” said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. “This new line will provide fast and easy connections to downtown Seattle and a low-cost way to get around. This is just the latest in environmentally friendly transportation that will help ensure our region’s long-term economic growth.”

Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle collaborated on the Airport Link project which included the new light rail station, pedestrian bridges connecting the station to the airport parking garage and a pick-up and drop-off area to the east serving the city of SeaTac. The Port also relocated and upgraded the Airport Expressway and the Return-to-Terminal roadway loop.

“With more than 30 million passengers through Sea-Tac every year, and 15,000 airport employees, we anticipate light rail will be a welcome “green” alternative for travel to and from the airport,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton. “Using light rail will reduce air emissions and traffic congestion. It’s good for the airport and it’s good for our region.”

The next light rail extension is scheduled to open in 2016 with service from downtown Seattle to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington. Construction is underway on that segment while Sound Transit plans for 36 more miles of light rail extensions to Lynnwood, Bellevue, Redmond, Mercer Island and Federal Way by 2023.

Link’s normal Saturday schedule will be from 5 a.m. – 1 a.m. with regular fares required. On weekdays, the first train from the airport to downtown will depart at 5:16 a.m. and the last one to downtown will leave at 12:07 a.m. The last train to Mt. Baker Station in the Rainier Valley departs at 12:46 a.m.

More detailed schedule and fare information is here: http://www.soundtransit.org/x11204.xml.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• PHOTOS: Scenes From Sound Transit’s Airport Station Sneak Peek Ride
• Sound Transit’s New Airport Station To Open Dec. 19th
• I Rode Link Light Rail & Lived To Write About It. Have You?
• Ride Sound Transit’s New Link Light Rail All Weekend For FREE
• First It Was The Third Runway – Now Sound Transit’s Light Link Rail Is Too Loud? Take Our Poll…
• Sound Transit Begins Intensive Testing Of Light Rail
• Tukwila Link Light Rail Station To Open July 18th
• It’s Going To Cost $2.50 To Take Link Rail Downtown

According to the story, some local residents are complaining that the new Light Link rail system is just too noisy.

One resident even bought a decibel meter and measured the noise level near his house, with measurements reaching as high as 88 decibels. An average vacuum cleaner runs between 75 to 80 decibels and airplanes on an airport tarmac around 120 decibels.

Sound Transit has apparently insulated a number of homes in the Rainier Valley, and has also installed air conditioning units in others where it was determined that noise might disrupt residents during summer’s open-window months.

We’re not sure if a class action lawsuit lies in Sound Transit’s future, so keep your ears open.

Read the full story here, and please take our poll:

Sound Transit is offering a special sneak-peek “Ride The Lunch Bus” tour of their new Link light rail system on Friday, Jan. 16th starting at 11:30am and ending at 3pm.

Here are the details:

WHAT: “Ride The Lunch Bus” Link light rail lunch tour

WHEN: Friday, Jan. 16 starting at 11:30am and ending at 3pm

WHERE: Tours depart and return at the southwest corner of 5th Avenue & South King Street in the International District. A Sound Transit bus marked “SPECIAL” will be waiting. Lunch location: Thai Recipe Restaurant.

COST: Cost of lunch is $10 (cash only) which includes a meal, drink, and tax. RSVP by Jan. 15 to Paige Johnson at 206-398-5300 or email at: Linkconstruction@soundtransit.org

DETAILS: Here’s more info from their website:

View the newly completed SODO and Stadium light rail stations and the Operations and Maintenance facility. Catch a glimpse of the Beacon Hill Station area where miners have excavated the underground station. See the elevated Mount Baker Station and guideway. Come see Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. get a facelift with new light rail, street improvements, sidewalks, lighting and landscaping. In Tukwila, see the nearly five miles of elevated trackway that was put together by the huge overhead gantry. Finally at Sea-Tac Airport take a look at the 1.7 miles of elevated and surface trackway that will connect the Tukwila International Blvd Station to the airport. Train testing is underway — you may see the first light rail vehicle!

Sound Transit Link light rail would like to invite you to tour the entire initial segment construction. The tour is part of Link light rail’s on-going effort to mitigate construction impacts on local businesses. This is a guided bus tour that will take you to and along the current construction sites. At any time during the tour, please feel free to ask questions. The tour is then followed by lunch at a local eating establishment. You are responsible for buying your own lunch.

Tours depart and return at the southwest corner of 5th Avenue & South King Street in the International District. A Sound Transit bus marked “SPECIAL” will be waiting. Tours depart at 11:30 a.m. and return by 3 p.m.

Cost of lunch is $10 (cash only) which includes a meal, drink, and tax.

We are sorry, but due to restrictions in our insurance policies, children under 18 are not permitted on the lunch bus tour.

To RSVP, or for more information, please contact Paige Johnson at 206-398-5300 or email at: Linkconstruction@soundtransit.org. In your response, please include your name, organization, telephone number and request for accommodations.