Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension Now 75 Percent Finished

TACOMA, WA — The next leg of the Tacoma Link is about three quarters finished, according to a new update from Sound Transit.

Monday, Sound Transit announced that their crews have finished installing 22,000 feet of track, completing their work on Martin Luther King Jr. Way from S. 18th Street up to S. 3rd Street.

“It’s remarkable to think we are in the home stretch of completing this project in downtown Tacoma,” said Sound Transit Board Chair Kent Keel. “While the last year has been hard on everyone because of the COVID-19 pandemic, one silver lining is that our construction in the Stadium District and Hilltop was less disruptive because people were staying home."

The Hilltop extension will add 2.4 miles to the Tacoma Link, looping the rail up through the stadium district to the top of the hill — doubling the length of the Link and adding seven new stations.

“This project will connect Tacoma residents on the Hilltop with the region’s medical facilities, downtown, and Tacoma Dome station. It will provide needed mobility while helping downtown bounce back from the pandemic,” said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff.

By the time it opens to the public next year, Sound Transit says they'll have added five new train cars to the Tacoma Link fleet, allowing for arrivals every ten minutes. They estimate that by 2026, the Tacoma Link will serve between 2,000 and 4,000 riders every day.