West Seattle Link construction is scheduled for 2027 through 2035, with train service targeted to begin in 2035. The current design has three stations—SODO, Delridge and Alaska Junction—after Sound Transit removed the planned Avalon Station and moved more of the alignment into a tunnel. The agency says the revisions identify more than $2 billion in savings and reduce property and community impacts.
Residents should not rely on old maps or online discussions for block-by-block closure information. Sound Transit has not yet published a final street-closure calendar, noise-hour schedule, parking plan or parcel-specific detour map in its current public materials. Those details are expected as final design, permits and construction planning advance.
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What is the West Seattle Link Extension?
The West Seattle Link Extension is a 3.9-mile light-rail project connecting SODO with West Seattle across the Duwamish Waterway. It is part of the voter-approved 2016 Sound Transit 3 program. The current station plan is:
| Station | Status in current plan | What residents should know |
|---|---|---|
| SODO | Included | The extension begins in the SODO area and connects with the existing regional light-rail system. |
| Delridge | Included | The station remains part of the revised alignment and will require construction planning for access and surrounding streets. |
| Alaska Junction | Included | This is the West Seattle terminus in the current plan. |
| Avalon | Removed | Sound Transit’s revised design shifts more of the route into a tunnel and no longer includes an Avalon Station. |
The project is still in final design, so station entrances, nearby access improvements and construction staging can change before contracts are let.
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When will construction start and when will trains run?
Sound Transit’s schedule places final design and major construction in separate phases. The agency’s current dates are:
| Phase | Schedule | Resident-facing activity |
|---|---|---|
| Final design | 2025–2027 | Route and station design, permits, property acquisition and relocation, utility relocation, early-work contracts and site preparation. |
| Construction | 2027–2035 | Major civil, bridge, tunnel, track, systems and station work is scheduled during this period. |
| Start of service | Targeted for 2035 | Passenger service is planned to begin after testing, commissioning and safety approvals. |
Sound Transit says the 2035 target reflects cost-saving revisions, a projected $35 billion funding gap over the next quarter century identified by the agency in 2026, and the additional time needed for a new light-rail-only Duwamish crossing. The agency says those factors add approximately two to three years to the previous schedule and describes the date as “a realistic delivery timeline that the agency can confidently stand behind.”
A target is not the same as a guaranteed opening date. Utility conflicts, permitting, property work, construction conditions, testing or funding decisions could affect the sequence. Residents should use the agency’s latest schedule updates rather than older project pages when planning around the work.
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Why was Avalon Station removed?
Avalon Station is no longer in the current West Seattle Link plan. Sound Transit says eliminating the station allows more of the alignment to move into a tunnel, reduces the number of properties needed for construction and helps limit community impacts. The agency reports more than $2 billion in identified savings from the revised approach while retaining SODO, Delridge and Alaska Junction.
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Removing Avalon means the closest future station for some Avalon-area residents will be Delridge or Alaska Junction, depending on the final access design and each rider’s origin. Sound Transit has not published a final walk, bike or bus-access plan that would allow a parcel-by-parcel travel-time comparison. Earlier maps showing an Avalon platform should therefore be treated as historical, not as a promise that the station will be built.
Could my property, tenancy or business be affected?
Possibly, but the agency has not published a final list of every parcel. Sound Transit says acquisition needs will be confirmed as final design progresses. Acquisitions will occur in phases based on construction requirements, which can include permanent purchases, temporary construction easements, access rights or sites needed for utilities and staging.
How owners are contacted
Sound Transit says it will contact affected owners, tenants and businesses directly as needs are identified. The agency describes individualized support, relocation assistance and benefits for people whose property interests are acquired or displaced. A general project map is not a substitute for a written notice about your particular parcel.
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What to do if you receive notice
- Read the notice carefully and record the contact person, parcel information and response deadline.
- Keep copies of leases, title documents, business records, inventories, photographs and correspondence that establish your occupancy or property interest.
- Ask whether the proposed action is a permanent acquisition, temporary easement, construction access arrangement or utility-related requirement.
- Request an explanation of valuation, relocation eligibility, moving expenses and appeal or review procedures that apply to your situation.
- Do not sign an agreement you do not understand; seek independent legal, real-estate or relocation advice when appropriate.
Property-rights drop-in sessions
The project news page lists October 2026 real-property drop-in sessions for owners and tenants whose properties may be affected by acquisitions, easements or other property-rights needs. Bring your parcel address and any notice you have received. Session dates and locations can change, so confirm them with Sound Transit before attending.
Which streets will close, and when?
No final street-by-street closure schedule has been published in the official materials reviewed for this update. The same is true for a complete noise-hour calendar, parking-removal plan and parcel-specific detour map. Construction phasing, utility relocation and contractor traffic plans must be developed before those details can be stated reliably.
That means a street shown as open on an older map may later have short-term lane restrictions, night work, sidewalk shifts or full closures. Conversely, a conceptual construction area may not require a continuous closure. Treat social-media posts, neighborhood speculation and superseded maps as provisional until Sound Transit or the City of Seattle issues a dated construction notice.
What a future closure notice should contain
- The exact block limits, intersection or address affected.
- Start and expected end dates, including whether work is continuous or intermittent.
- Hours of lane, sidewalk or trail restrictions and any overnight work.
- Pedestrian, bicycle, freight, driveway and emergency-access arrangements.
- Bus-stop relocations, route changes and the agency responsible for updates.
- A contact for construction complaints and a method for reporting unsafe conditions.
How will walking and biking work during construction?
The Final Environmental Impact Statement establishes a minimum framework: construction-related pedestrian and bicycle effects are to be addressed with clearly marked detours that comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. The obligation is a standard for planning, not a promise that every route will be direct or unchanged.
What to check before a trip
- Look for current field signs and barricades; they supersede an older online map.
- Check whether the detour preserves a usable sidewalk, curb ramp, crossing signal and accessible surface.
- Allow extra time for crossings around fenced work zones, especially near schools, transit stops and station approaches.
- Report blocked or inaccessible paths to the contact listed on the active construction notice.
People using mobility devices, pushing strollers or transporting goods should photograph recurring barriers and include the intersection, direction of travel and time of day in a report. That information helps the project team distinguish a planned detour from a field condition that needs correction.
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What will happen to buses and other transit?
The Final EIS says potential transit-service effects—including pathway or busway closures—will be coordinated with King County Metro, the City of Seattle and other providers. Coordination does not mean service will be unaffected. A bus stop can move, a route can use a temporary detour or a busway can close for a defined work window.
Before traveling through an active work area, check the latest notice from the transit provider serving your route and look for temporary stop signs at the curb. Riders who depend on an accessible stop should verify the replacement stop’s path, curb ramp and boarding conditions rather than assuming the nearest stop is equivalent.
What early construction work is planned?
Early site preparation and property-acquisition activities are expected before the largest construction contracts begin. A June 2026 project bulletin identifies planned work on the south end of Harbor Island: drilling a test bridge shaft approximately 10 feet in diameter and 250 feet deep to study ground conditions for the future Duwamish light-rail bridge.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11A test shaft is investigative work, not the completed bridge foundation. It can involve heavy equipment, truck movements, fenced work areas, vibration and temporary access changes. The bulletin does not establish a full neighborhood closure schedule or the final operating hours for that activity, so nearby residents and businesses should rely on the posted notice for dates and access instructions.
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How should residents, landlords and businesses prepare?
Residents and tenants
- Save the project contact information and sign up for official construction notifications when enrollment is offered.
- Photograph the condition of driveways, sidewalks, retaining walls and other features before work reaches your block.
- Ask your landlord how construction access, deliveries, parking and building inspections will be handled.
- Plan an alternate walking, biking or bus route before a closure begins, including an accessible option if needed.
Property owners
- Keep title, lease, easement and utility records together and make sure Sound Transit has a current mailing address.
- Respond to acquisition representatives in writing and retain copies of all plans and offers.
- Ask whether temporary construction rights could affect landscaping, parking, signs, loading areas or business visibility.
Businesses and organizations
- Document customer, delivery, employee and emergency access requirements.
- Request advance information about loading-zone changes, sidewalk detours and truck routes.
- Tell the project team about time-sensitive operations, disability access and events that could be disrupted by a planned closure.
Where can I get an official detour map or ask about an impact?
Detailed detour maps and closure dates are expected to be issued as construction packages and traffic-control plans are finalized. Until then, use dated notices from Sound Transit, the City of Seattle and the relevant transit provider. Do not treat an undated screenshot or an old environmental-review map as a current commitment.
Sound Transit lists the West Seattle Link project team at [email protected] and (206) 903-7229. When contacting the team, include the nearest intersection or parcel address, your travel mode, the type of impact and the date or notice that prompted your question. Owners and tenants with a possible property-rights issue should specifically request the property-acquisition contact or attend an announced real-property drop-in session.
What is known—and not yet known—about construction impacts?
| Question | Current answer |
|---|---|
| When does major construction start? | Scheduled for 2027, following final design and early work. |
| When will trains open? | Service is targeted for 2035. |
| Which stations are planned? | SODO, Delridge and Alaska Junction. |
| Will Avalon Station be built? | No. It was removed from the current plan. |
| Will every affected parcel be acquired? | Not stated. Needs are being confirmed during final design and acquisitions will be phased. |
| What streets will close? | A final block-level schedule is not yet published. |
| What are the work hours and noise limits? | A complete project-wide calendar is not yet published. |
| Will pedestrian and bicycle routes remain accessible? | The EIS requires marked detours meeting ADA requirements, with exact routes to be provided in construction notices. |
| How will transit changes be handled? | Potential pathway and busway effects are to be coordinated with King County Metro, Seattle and other providers. |
How should residents evaluate future construction alternatives?
The current official materials do not present two resident-selectable construction options. If Sound Transit later publishes alternatives, compare them on the impacts that affect daily life rather than on schedule alone:
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- Duration of full and partial street, sidewalk, trail and busway closures.
- Pedestrian, bicycle and ADA access during each phase.
- Noise, vibration, night work and truck traffic.
- Business loading, customer access and visibility.
- Environmental effects on the Duwamish crossing and surrounding areas.
- Cost, funding exposure and the effect on the promised opening date.
- Reliability of the final service plan after construction.
For now, the practical rule is simple: plan around the 2027–2035 construction window, use the three-station plan as the current baseline, and wait for dated official notices before making decisions about a particular block, route or property.
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