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An aerial shot of the I-90 East Channel Bridge between Mercer Island and Bellevue. Cars and a Link light rail train cross the bridge on a sunny day.
Media Caption
If you've traveled between Bellevue and Mercer Island lately, you may have seen some train testing!

Fresh pics: Milestones reached on Eastside light rail projects

By Katie Metzger
Publish Date

Crews have been hard at work on the Link light rail extensions that will further connect the Eastside with the rest of the region via transit. 

There was so much excitement when the 2 Line opened in April of this year, bringing neighborhoods in Bellevue and Redmond closer together with fast and reliable service. 

And with train testing commencing on the rest of the East Link Extension and the Downtown Redmond Link Extension, the excitement is continuing! 

Two stations will open in Redmond next year, and live wire testing started last month. 

There's still a lot of work to be done, but this milestone means that we are in the final phases and getting close to opening. 

Check out the fresh pics:

An operator's POV of the Marymoor Village Station and parking garage.
An operator's POV of the Marymoor Village Station and parking garage.
A train pulls into a station in Redmond at night
A train pulls into Marymoor Village Station, one of two stations opening as part of the Downtown Redmond Link Extension.
A construction worker in an orange jacket walks along train tracks in front of an orange fence
This fence at Redmond Technology Station marks the border between the East Link Extension and Downtown Redmond Link Extension.
A view from behind a train operator's head of the Marymoor Village Station and parking garage
Coming into Downtown Redmond Station on the elevated guideway.

There's also a lot of progress being made on the East Link Extension, as testing began on the I-90 crossing between Bellevue and Mercer Island. 

Crews are also hard at work on the I-90 floating bridge; check out this blog post for an update on the construction work happening there. 

Here are some fresh pics of a test called a dead car pull:

A large truck pulls a Link vehicle along tracks on Mercer Island
Tests like these are done first before trains run on their own power.
A group photo of about 20 construction workers
All smiles as train testing commences.
A drone shot of train testing on Mercer Island with trees in beautiful fall colors in the foreground
Beautiful fall weather and foliage on the Eastside.

Crews also started live wire testing on this segment in October. 

A view of the front of a Link train at night, with the operator visible in the lighted cab
Testing trains on the I-90 crossing.
Workers sit in front of a screen as they test wires that power the trains
The trains have been wired with cameras to check the overhead power system. Adjustments to the overhead wires will be made and then rechecked.
An operator's POV of train tracks.
Thanks to our photo team for capturing this nighttime testing!

If you enjoy these photos, follow us on Instagram and tune in on Fridays for our regular "Field Trip Friday" stories where we visit Sound Transit construction sites around the region.

And of course, subscribe to The Platform to get the latest news and photos delivered to your inbox!

More fresh pics from projects around the region

Hopefully this isn't the first time you've run across our continuing coverage of the transit construction projects on the Eastside and around the Puget Sound region.

Check out our past stories for more action shots and information:

A behind-the-scenes update on Link construction

New bike and pedestrian bridges connect Eastside neighborhoods to the 2 Line

Thousands celebrate the opening of the 2 Line

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East Link
System Expansion