Light rail station to open ‘late this year’ in Federal Way

King County Metro is finalizing changes to bus service.

By Keelin Everly-Lang • July 24, 2025 2:00 pm
The South Link Connections Phase 3 Proposed Transit from King County Metro includes changes meant to provide greater transit coverage, improved early morning and nighttime service, faster travel times with and beyond the project area, improved east-west connections and increased weekend service especially on Sundays. Graphic courtesy of King County Metro.
The South Link Connections Phase 3 Proposed Transit from King County Metro includes changes meant to provide greater transit coverage, improved early morning and nighttime service, faster travel times with and beyond the project area, improved east-west connections and increased weekend service especially on Sundays. Graphic courtesy of King County Metro.

King County Metro wants to hear from people in Federal Way ahead of a potential earlier opening date for the Federal Way light rail station.

As the light rail opening gets closer, Metro is finalizing changes to bus service for a project called South Link Connections.

Transit riders have the chance to weigh in on proposed changes to bus routes through a survey that is open until Aug. 31. A link to the survey and more information about the project can be found at www.southlinkconnections.com/?lng=en.

These bus schedule changes are especially important because the light rail is running ahead of schedule and may potentially open sooner than the spring 2026 expected opening date.

New Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine shared this goal and update when he recently visited Federal Way on July 8 for a town hall at the KOAM TV studio in Federal Way.

Sound Transit spokesperson David Jackson confirmed that news with the Mirror via email, sharing that while they don’t have an opening date yet, “things are trending toward late this year.”

Jackson explained: “Construction is going very well on the Federal Way Link Extension project,” and that they are “in testing now and the tests are going well.”

After some analysis, Sound Transit officials concluded that they can open Federal Way’s station sooner without impacting the crosslake 2 Line project on the Eastside, which is set to open in early 2026.

Jackson added that the street grid should be restored by this fall and that people will start to see trains regularly on the guideway not long after Labor Day.

King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer shared that “as light rail comes to our communities, neighbors and small business owners frequently tell me that Sound Transit can be intimidating to communicate with due to its vast size,” but that “I am grateful that the new Sound Transit CEO, Dow Constantine, is working with me to build communication bridges with our local South King County residents.”

To ensure that the bus routes serving Federal Way and other nearby cities mesh well with the light rail and provide the most access to transit, the South Link Connections project has proposed the following changes:

• Improved east-west connections with all-day frequent service on weekdays between Twin Lakes, Federal Way Downtown Station, Auburn Station, and Green River College (Route 181).

• Improved service between Northeast Tacoma, south Federal Way, and Federal Way Downtown Station with more frequent as well as earlier and later service every day of the week (Route 182).

• New DART service connecting Federal Way Downtown Station, Mirror Lake, and Twin Lakes (DART Route 902).

• Two new Metro Flex pilot zones providing weekday service in Federal Way and Auburn.

• New Sunday service between Federal Way Downtown Station, Star Lake Station, and Kent Station (Route 183).

• Multiple connections with two-way service between West Federal Way and Federal Way Downtown Station.

• Connections between NE Tacoma and Federal Way Downtown Station via south Federal Way (Route 182).

• Connections between NE Tacoma and Federal Way Downtown Station via SW 320th St (Route 187).

• Connections between Twin Lakes and Federal Way Downtown Station via Dash Point Rd and Mirror Lake (Route 902)

• Connections between Twin Lakes and Federal Way Downtown Station via SW Campus Drive and South Federal Way (Route 903)

• Continued service at Star Lake with peak-period service between Federal Way Downtown Station and First Hill (Route 193).

• Every route would have the same level of service on Saturdays and Sundays, providing more consistent, easier-to-understand weekend service.

King County Metro shared that in order to make these route expansions, they will be removing or reducing “lower-ridership routes and routes that overlap with other transit service,” according to the survey.

They also noted that “many of the routes proposed for removal have been suspended since Metro’s pandemic response and are not operating today.”

Routes proposed for removal include: 121*, 122*, 123*, 154*, 157*, 162, 165 (fully replaced by Routes 164/166), 177, 178*, 179*, 190*, 197*, DART 901. *Routes that are currently suspended/not operating

Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine speaks to community members and leaders at the July 8 town hall in Federal Way. Photo provided by the office of Pete von Reichbauer.

Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine speaks to community members and leaders at the July 8 town hall in Federal Way. Photo provided by the office of Pete von Reichbauer.