What happens when the tunnel reopens

What happens when the tunnel re-opens?

The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel closed in September 2005 to be retrofitted and upgraded for use by both bus and rail. It will be closed for up to two years. Its reopening will be timed to coincide with a regularly scheduled Metro and Sound Transit service change. Service changes happen three times each year in February, June and September. These service changes occur to improve service and keep up with the changing needs of transit passengers.

When the tunnel reopens, many of the tunnel buses that have been operating on the surface during the temporary closure will return to the tunnel. This will occur no later than September 2007.

The tunnel will look very similar to the way it does now, with the exception that the catenary wires that buses currently use will be replaced with new wires that will only be used by light rail vehicles. Tunnel buses will be wireless, and operate on a hybrid diesel-electric system. In addition, the roadbeds at each station will have been lowered to accommodate low-floor buses and trains.

Light rail will begin operating in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel in 2009. At that time, the tunnel hours will increase significantly to being open seven days a week, and between 18-21 hours a day.

Between the time when the tunnel reopens to buses in 2007, and when light rail begins operating in 2009, the rest of the light rail alignment?s construction will be completed, the new light rail vehicles will be tested, and operators will be trained.

Would you like to receive Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel's project updates? E-mail Brooke Belman , Sound Transit Community Outreach Specialist.