Link light rail

The three stations of the eight-mile Federal Way Link light rail extension open December 6. Here's your guide to the new line and the opening day festivities.

With three “downtown” stations and counting, Sound Transit must overhaul its station naming policy and name its stations less confusingly so that riders can easily navigate a growing system.

Homebuilding activity is anemic near the three Sound Transit light rail stations opening this month in South King County. The Urbanist reviews the 3,000-plus homes in the development pipeline, and explores the obstacles standing in the way.

Sound Transit's four new members join other reappointments and board members whose terms are not up for renewal. This new freshman class will not have much time to get adjusted before being faced with major decisions around the future of the region's transit system.

Sound Transit gave reporters a sneak peak at the three new light rail stations set to open in Kent Des Moines, Star Lake, and Downtown Federal Way. Check out the station designs and their custom artwork ahead of the grand opening Saturday at 11am.

Light rail riders will see out-of-service trains running between International District-Chinatown and Lynnwood as the next major milestone for testing on the full 2 Line.

Long promised and approved by voters in 2016, the cost to build two deferred light rail stations in Seattle and Tukwila has jumped by more than two-thirds in just a few short years. The two projects are likely to be put under a microscope along with the big-ticket ST3 rail extensions.

As the Sound Transit board approaches the point of grappling with how to rebalance the entire Sound Transit 3 package, transit advocates are urging them to look for new solutions outside of project delays or cancellations.