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Crews in orange shirts and protective gear work on a Link station platform

Plan ahead for 1 Line delays this month

Platform work at Othello and Rainier Beach stations from Aug. 21-Sept. 17 will require single tracking and less frequent service.

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Just as one summer service disruption is ending, another is beginning.  

Passengers taking Link should note that trains will run every 15 minutes for the next few weeks for a maintenance project.  

We originally had expected to have 12-minute headways, but we have since had to move to 15 minutes to ensure reliability for our riders. 

We are working towards optimizing headways, while being mindful of safety through construction zones.  

Why now? 

The nice weather is the only time when we can do some of the important work necessary to keep our system safely and running smoothly. Unfortunately, that means some unavoidable service disruptions right in the middle of a hectic season. 

We want to thank passengers for their patience during the rail replacement project at Royal Brougham Way, which wrapped up on Sunday.  

We have another important project underway now as crews reconstruct the platform edges and the tiles at Othello and Rainier Beach stations. 

Most of the existing tiles are cracked or broken, creating a safety hazard for passengers.

While crews will be working from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., single tracking and reduced headways will be in effect during the entire period. The platform closures are necessary for the safety of the work crews.  

An A-board sign on a platform describes the current Link service disruption

Work started this week and goes through Sept. 17, overlapping with some big events like concerts, festivals, the start of football season and more.  

Check out this blog post for travel tips that can help make your ride smoother, like spreading out on platforms when trains are crowded.  

Know before you go

From Aug. 21 to Sept. 3, the northbound track at both stations will be closed. Passengers traveling in either direction should board at the southbound platform, paying attention to the direction in which the train is traveling.  

From Sept. 4 to Sept. 17, the southbound platforms at the stations will be closed. Passengers traveling in either direction should board at the northbound platform.

We encourage passengers to sign up for service alerts and consider alternative methods of transit during this disruption.

A list of other transit options is available here.

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