Planning is underway for new, safer streets to walk, bike, and bus to future Link station at NE 130th St and I-5

Blog Stats: 1,100 words| 6-minute read

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At-a-Glance:

• With a new Sound Transit Link light rail station opening at NE 130th St near I-5 in 2026, we’re planning for necessary transit, bike, and pedestrian improvements to provide safer and more efficient access by all modes in this growing area. 
• Our NE 130th St & NE 125th St Mobility and Safety Project has entered the early planning stage and we’re ready to share some initial design proposals for specific, community-requested project elements that will help improve facilities for people traveling to and around the new station. 
• We want to know what you think: read below to learn about our current design proposals and how you can share feedback to help us understand the community’s mobility needs now and in the future.  
• This project is being funded by the Seattle Transit Measure, Levy to Move Seattle, WSDOT Regional Mobility Grant, King County Metro, Sound Transit, Puget Sound Regional Council, and federal grants.

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Improvements are coming to the Pinehurst and Lake City neighborhoods! With the scheduled opening of Sound Transit’s NE 130th St Infill Station in 2026, we’re looking ahead to necessary bike, transit, and pedestrian enhancements along NE 130th St, Roosevelt Way NE, and NE 125th St to support area growth and safe transportation access.

As we prepare to draft an initial 30% Design for this project, the NE 130th St & NE 125th St Mobility and Safety Project, we are collecting feedback from community members on their current travel habits as well as several of our proposed design elements! Read more below and share your thoughts with us. 

Project Background 

When the new NE 130th St light rail station opens in 2026, more people will move to and through the Pinehurst and Lake City neighborhoods near the station. In coordination with Sound Transit and King County Metro, we’re planning street and facility improvements to provide safer and more efficient access to the new light rail station by all modes, including new transit stops for people taking the bus, walking, biking, or rolling.

Sound Transit anticipates 3,300-3,700 daily riders at the NE 130th St station with 90% of them arriving by walking, biking, rolling, or transit. Although King County Metro doesn’t currently have a bus route serving this area, they are planning to add new service that will help people get to or from the new light rail station.

There will not be a Park & Ride facility at the station, so improving connections for people walking, biking, rolling, and taking transit is important.

Our main goal for the NE 130th St & NE 125th St Mobility and Safety Project is to make it easier and safer for people walking, biking, and traveling on NE 130th, Roosevelt Way NE, NE 125th, and to the new NE 130th St light rail station in general. Planned improvements include:

• Adding protected bike lanes throughout the project area, including a new shared use path for walking and biking on the north side of NE 130th St  
• Adding new bus stops at 8th Ave NE and 10th Ave NE and upgrading selected existing bus stops to prepare for King County Metro’s planned new service  
• Installing bus lanes and other bus priority features to improve frequency and reliability  
• Updating street and intersection designs to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes 
• Updating street designs to minimize conflicts between vehicles and people biking 
• Crossing improvements such as leading pedestrian intervals to give people walking a head start, new signalized crossings, and restricting right turns on red 
• Sidewalk repairs and new accessible curb ramps in selected locations

These improvements will be designed in alignment with our Vision Zero goal to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030.

To learn more about the background, goals, and timeline for the NE 130th St & NE 125th St Mobility and Safety Project, visit our website.

Next Steps: help us understand your travel needs and let us know what you think about some of our initial designs!

Community members from the Pinehurst and Lake City neighborhoods have been part of planning this project from the beginning. In 2020, we worked with community members on a multimodal access study of the areas around two new light rail stations, including the one at NE 130th. The study came up with 18 ideas for projects, and three of the ideas (“proposed projects” 1, 15, and 17) are now part of this improvements project.

We’d like to know what you think about the potential options! We also want to learn how you currently travel through and within the area, and how your travel might change when the NE 130th St light rail station opens. Your responses will help us better understand community needs now and in the future.

You can review our design proposals for the NE 130th St I-5 overpass as well as Roosevelt Way NE and NE 125th St by filling out our feedback form, or by visiting the project webpage.

You can also share feedback on your travel habits and our suggested designs by:  

• Stopping by one of our community drop-in sessions with project staff (we’ll announce dates and times as they are scheduled) 
• Sending us an email at NE130thSt_NE125thSt_Project@seattle.gov or by calling us at (206) 400-7515 

The feedback we receive from the community will inform our larger 30% Design of this project in the coming months.

This project is being funded by the Seattle Transit Measure, Levy to Move Seattle, WSDOT Regional Mobility Grant, King County Metro, Sound Transit, Puget Sound Regional Council, and federal grants.

Thank you for your interest in this project! To stay up to date on our progress, sign up for our email list or visit the project webpage.