Extending the 1 Line and introducing Link light rail to Snohomish County marks another major milestone for the region.
Opening four stations in three cities was no easy feat, but with the help of our community partners, we were able to celebrate in style and create an unforgettable experience to commemorate this historic occasion.
Getting started with a golden pair of scissors
At 11 a.m. on Aug. 30, the stage was set for the celebrations to begin. HNTB, WSP, Sno-Isle Libraries, Experience Momentum, Jacobs, Mott Mac, Parametrix and STV had booths, were meeting and greeting with the attendees and passing out giveaways before service started.
By the time these groups were set up at 9:30 a.m., Lynnwood City Center was already buzzing with excitement as community members patiently awaited the start of service. After the performances and speeches, elected and community leaders gathered to finally cut the ribbon - a moment many years in the making.
Lighting up the night at Lynnwood City Center
While all four of the new stations had activities like bouncy houses and food trucks to face painting and live music, our partners took center stage at Lynnwood City Center and helped keep the morning's excitement rolling into the evening at Sound Transit's first ever Night market.
Sound Transit acknowledges the rich cultural heritage and historical significance of Night Markets, which originated in Chinese communities tracing back to the Tang dynasty. These markets have long been a cornerstone of communal life, providing vibrant spaces for social gathering, commerce, and celebration. We honor and pay respect to the Asian communities, both past and present, who have cultivated these traditions and continue to share them.
Reading Trainbow
Sno-Isle brought their Bookmobile for passengers and families to explore on opening day. The Bookmobile is essentially a library on wheels and provides library service to communities and customers who may face barriers to library access.
Outside of the Bookmobile, they had a classroom style set up with comfy chairs and a shaded tent with live readings and performances throughout the Night market. They also had limited-edition orca themed library cards on hand for folks who came out on Aug. 30 as their own special commemorative giveaway.
Interactive Wellness
Experience Momentum is locally owned and operated a B-corp and 1% for the planet company. (A B-corp is a company that has been verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.) At the night market, they hosted a reaction time competition, had massages from a licensed professional and passed out free fitness class passes.
Kaiser Permanente rolled up to the event with their farmers market-style cart, stock full of swag and giveaways. Thankfully, they brought custom tote bags so that folks could "shop the market." With over 200 organizations at the Lynnwood station alone, people needed them! Most importantly however, they provided usable information to all attendees about how passengers can now access their services without a car.
Project Partners
HNTB had an interactive table full of energy and information and also supplied the event with the incredibly popular 1 Line commemorative bucket hats. They have been working with Sound Transit for over 24 years, starting with the Sounder Commuter Rail system and most recently completing the final design for the Lynnwood Link Extension. This is the second event we've celebrated alongside HNTB, as they also had a prominent presence at the 2 Line opening in April.
Jacobs had an interactive table with a "Plinko" style activity with numerous giveaways. This day marked a celebration of all of the efforts that Jacobs was responsible for: Engineering/Design Integration Management, contract package management, production/design integration leadership, project controls management and cost estimating; track, roadway, site civil, utilities, drainage, MOT, lighting, structural design and environmental compliance and permitting on the project.
Discover. Stamp. Win!
Our partners also stepped up to contribute incredible prizes for our Discover. Stamp. Win! activity that took place on opening day. By visiting all four stations and collecting a stamp from our ambassadors, passengers were entered to win some incredible prizes. The first 2,000 to explore the four stations and turn in their passport were also given a commemorative hat, provided by HNTB and Skanska.
If you entered, sit tight; winners will be contacted this week.
Seattle Reign FC provided suite tickets to any home game for the remainder of their 2024 season. The Oakview Group and Everett Silvertips provided four tickets to any home hockey game during the 2024-2025 Season. Experience Momentum provided a holistic wellness package that included a 12-month membership, Bike Fit or Running assessment by a Doctor of Physical Therapy, 1-hour Massage and 1-hour Nutrition Consultation. Baguus provided a $500 gift card to their restaurant in Montlake. Fogo de Chao provided a $500 gift card to their Lynnwood location. The Seattle Storm provided a swag bag with autographed photos, four Premium Tickets to a game with meet and greet passes.
Additional sponsors
We also had a few partners who couldn’t be there on Friday, but still supported the community and our opening efforts in a major way. Skanska was an On-board partner and provided the 1 Line ballcaps that folks could win through the Discover. Stamp. Win! activity.
PGH Wong, Hoffman Corp and Hatch were also partners for this event and helped power the activities on opening day.
