Well after years of construction and traffic congestion the University of Washington and Capitol Hill stations for the Sound Transit Light rail were opened yesterday as the next step to expansion throughout the city with The Roosevelt and Northgate stations predicted to open in the fall. Naturally the city made a huge event out of it.
There have been some controversies about it, for example the lack of parking in the two areas (apparently the numbers say that if a station is closer to housing people are more likely to use the service rather then drive elsewhere.
There were also people from the transit riders union protesting the fact that sound transit does not use the cheaper metro tickets and the March 26 restructure of Metro’s service will make the tickets even harder to use.
I couldn’t resist and spent a few hours checking it out riding it to the two locations… I took pictures.
People wait outside the Information booth
Light Rail Train coming into the station.
Some of the many performers at the festivities.
Entering Capitol Hill
One of Local Cartoonist Ellen Forney’s pieces decorating the Capitol Hill Station.
Outside of the Capitol Hill Station