Sound Transit inaugurated the Federal Way Link Extension on December 6, 2025, extending the 1 Line light rail system 7.8 miles south from Angle Lake Station to the Federal Way Downtown Station.
This expansion marks a pivotal moment in the region's transit infrastructure, bringing light rail service to Kent, Des Moines, and Federal Way for the first time and fulfilling a two-decade vision dating back to 2008 voter approval.
Route and Extension Scope
The Federal Way Link Extension adds three new stations to the existing light rail network: Kent Des Moines, Star Lake, and Federal Way Downtown.
The extension follows the west side of Interstate 5 through South King County, utilizing highway right-of-way rather than the alternative State Route 99 corridor that transit advocates had championed as offering greater potential for transit-oriented development.
With this extension, the 1 Line now spans 41 miles from Lynnwood to Federal Way, making it the second-longest light rail line in the United States, exceeded only by Los Angeles's A Line.
The Three Stations
Kent Des Moines Station, the northernmost new stop, sits near Pacific Highway S and S Kent Des Moines Road, serving the surrounding Highline College campus and business district.
The station features a 500-space parking garage and will be served by Sound Transit Express routes, King County Metro, and additional bus connections following transit restructuring planned for early 2026.
Star Lake Station, located at Pacific Highway S and S 272nd Street, serves as a regional park-and-ride facility adjacent to Star Lake itself.
The new facility replaces surface parking with a garage providing 1,100 parking spaces while maintaining lower-density residential neighborhoods nearby.
Federal Way Downtown Station sits above the Federal Way Transit Center at 23rd Avenue S and S 317th Street, positioning itself as the busiest of the three new stations.
The location offers direct transfers to numerous Sound Transit Express, King County Metro, and Pierce County Transit bus routes. The Commons at Federal Way shopping center lies immediately south of the station, with additional retail and dining options accessible within a 20-minute walk.
Across all three stations, approximately 1,200 parking spaces are distributed, with an additional 400 spaces added at Federal Way Downtown to supplement existing facilities.
Operating Schedule and Service Frequency
Service commenced at 11 a.m. on December 6, 2025, with an opening day ceremony beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Federal Way Downtown Station. The extended 1 Line operates between 5 a.m. and midnight, seven days per week.
During weekday peak hours, trains depart every eight minutes, with ten-minute intervals during off-peak periods and weekends. Travel time from Federal Way to downtown Seattle is approximately 50 minutes, while the journey to Sea-Tac Airport takes around 16 minutes.
Project History and Construction Challenges
Voters approved funding for the Federal Way extension as part of Sound Transit 2 in 2008, with the project initially scheduled to open in 2024. However, construction encountered significant obstacles that delayed completion.
Most notably, a landslide along the Interstate 5 embankment near McSorley Creek Wetland in Kent revealed unexpectedly poor soil conditions. Sound Transit responded by redesigning the project to incorporate an elevated bridge structure spanning approximately 500 feet across the problematic wetland section.
A strike by concrete truck drivers and other construction issues further postponed opening.
Sound Transit ultimately accelerated certain completion work, moving the opening date forward to December 6, 2025, swapping it with the planned 2 Line (Seattle-Bellevue) opening, which encountered its own delays.
The project reached full funding only in 2016 with the approval of Sound Transit 3, and construction began in 2020 at a total cost of $2.5 billion.
Ridership Projections and Economic Impact
Sound Transit projects the three new stations will collectively serve between 19,000 and 23,000 daily passengers, with some forecasts suggesting up to 34,000 linked trips by 2035.
This ridership is expected to reduce congestion on Interstate 5, which currently bears substantial commuter traffic between South King County and Seattle.
Local officials view the extension as transformative for regional development.
Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell characterized the Link expansion as positioning the city as a jumping point for access to downtown Seattle, the University of Washington, professional sports stadiums, and employment centers throughout King County.
Alignment and Development Debate
A significant point of contention surrounded the routing decision between Interstate 5 and State Route 99.
While Sound Transit's own analysis indicated the SR 99 alignment would maximize transit-oriented development potential and ridership, the cities of Kent, Des Moines, and Federal Way ultimately advocated for the I-5 routing, citing concerns about property values, parking loss, and reduced highway safety along SR 99, which remains one of the region's most dangerous corridors for pedestrians.
This decision has drawn criticism from transit advocates who argue it represents a missed opportunity for mixed-use development and reduced automobile dependence.
However, regional leaders and local officials settled on the I-5 alignment, and now the focus shifts toward leveraging the stations' limited surrounding land for compatible housing, retail, and office development.
Future Expansion
The Federal Way Downtown Station marks the southern terminus of the 1 Line until at least 2035, when construction of the Tacoma Dome Link Extension is projected to commence.
This subsequent 10-mile extension will add elevated light rail through Milton, Fife, and into Tacoma, with four additional stations planned for South Federal Way, Fife, East Tacoma/Portland Avenue, and Tacoma Dome.
The December 6 opening represents Sound Transit's fifth major light rail extension in three years, reflecting sustained regional investment in rapid transit infrastructure as the Puget Sound area continues to grow.
