Sound Transit is pulling the plug on 2 Line light rail across Lake Washington on Sunday, July 26, shutting down trains between International District/Chinatown and South Bellevue and rolling out shuttle buses to cover the gap. Trains will keep running between South Bellevue and Downtown Redmond, but anyone trying to cross the lake by rail will have to switch to a bus bridge. Expect slower trips and a bit of extra planning for weekend errands or work shifts.
According to Sound Transit, Link shuttle buses will come about every 10 to 15 minutes between South Bellevue and International District/Chinatown while 2 Line trains continue every 10 minutes between Downtown Redmond and South Bellevue. The agency adds that 1 Line trains will run more frequently, about every eight minutes, to give riders another way around the lake and to soak up some of the demand.
Sound Transit told The Seattle Times the Sunday shutdown is pre-planned maintenance and not a reaction to the May 4 stall near Mercer Island that froze trains in both directions for about 45 minutes. That earlier mess was blamed on an electrical grounding problem that started on a train near Federal Way, the paper reported.
What riders should expect Sunday
Shuttle buses will stop at South Bellevue, Mercer Island, Judkins Park and International District/Chinatown stations and will make all local stops along the closed segment, according to Sound Transit service alerts. Riders crossing the lake should build in extra time to switch between trains and buses and keep an eye on station signs that point to the correct shuttle boarding bays. Transit staff will be out at busy stations to help direct people during the heaviest travel windows…