Navigating a service disruption is never any fun. It’s twice as hard when it’s unplanned and will last a while, like our current disruption on Link.
We’re truly sorry for the problems that our Link riders are having to face. Having to transfer is frustrating. It requires additional planning, it adds time to your ride, and it introduces stress to a normally simple trip. (Our CEO, Julie Timm, shares your frustrations.)
Unfortunately, we had no choice but to take this step out of concern for your safety. When a construction crew at street level broke through the tunnel ceiling at Westlake on Tuesday, we were fortunate to have had no injuries.
But as we reviewed the damaged area, our engineers couldn’t guarantee the safety of our riders on the platform or on trains on the northbound track.
We will be building scaffolding to protect the area and get better access to a damaged support beam.
Our teams are at the stations working hard to provide you with support to navigate what we know can be a confusing situation. They’ll be there throughout this service disruption to answer your questions and help you make connections.
During this time, you should add extra time for your trips. You may also want to consider taking other routes to your destination. Visit this page for travel options during the disruption.
You can also do your part to help things run smoothly. When your train reaches the station where you need to transfer, make sure you leave the train promptly, so the trains can keep running on schedule. In the downtown stations, pay attention to the direction the trains are running so that you board the train headed where you want to go.
Finally, make sure you sign up for rider alerts so that you are informed of any changes to service.
We really appreciate your patience as we assess damage to the tunnel structure so that we can determine how to fix it. We will be keeping you informed of our progress.
More details on the damage at Westlake
Rapid response by our team on Tuesday identified minimal damage, and action was taken to help ensure the safety of passengers.
A protective barrier on the surface of the ceiling protected passengers from debris falling on to the station area below.
Our team also placed barriers on the platform to protect passengers from the immediate risk of water and some mud falling from the ceiling.
In addition, before we could take a closer look, our team placed an extra protective containment between the roof beams should any debris fall if the protective layer failed.
After bringing in necessary equipment on Thursday for our engineers to fully assess the damage, they found more severe damage to the lid structure than originally understood.
Given unknown risk of the beam stability and the need to remove the debris ponding on the protective membrane, our agency made a decision to close our station platform.
This condition will remain until our team has removed the debris, confirmed the stability of the beam, and put in place temporary measures to ensure protection of all potential hazards for our passengers.
Today, we hired a contractor to work under emergency authority.
We expect the temporary repair and necessary scaffolding to begin construction as soon as next week, while also allowing for access to fully assess the beam damage.
Until we fully understand the condition of the station area in this location, we are unable to open the northbound platform area.