Rail grinding on the Lynnwood Link could be noisy for nearby neighbors

In preparation to open service from Northgate Station to the Lynnwood City Center Station in fall 2024, Sound Transit crews will be performing nighttime rail grinding this month between the Northgate Station area and Lynnwood Transit Center. 

Work will be performed between 9pm and 5am the following mornings. A breakdown of the schedule is below.

Rail grinding is a routine preventative maintenance tactic that prolongs the lifespan of light rail tracks. 

As crews work each night, the rail grinding will move further along the selected alignment. 

Nearby residents and businesses should expect to hear increased noise and see localized sparks near the equipment as the operation continues. 

Here is a video showing what the process looks like from previous rail grinding on the Northgate Link Extension: Northgate rail grinding (external link to YouTube).

Where/when

• Oct. 4 – Oct. 13: City of Seattle and Shoreline (Northgate Station to NE 152nd St, shown as blue on map).
• Oct. 9 – Oct. 20: City of Shoreline (NE 152nd St to 205th St/ SR 104 Interchange, shown as green on map).
• Oct. 13 – Oct. 26: City of Shoreline and Mountlake Terrace (SR 104 Interchange to 222nd St SW, shown as gold on map).
• Oct. 16 – Oct. 26: City of Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood (222nd St SW to Lynnwood Transit Center, shown as red on map).
• Dates and times are subject to change due to inclement weather or unforeseen issues. 

Contact information

• More project info: https://www.soundtransit.org/lynnwoodlink
• Contact: lynnwoodlink@soundtransit.org or 206-398-5300