Link light rail achieves world-first 13-mile floating bridge crossing

Seattle’s Link light rail achieved a world-first milestone by successfully powering a train across the 13-mile I-90 floating bridge, known as the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge, on September 8. This “Crosslake Connection” test marked the first time globally that a train operated under its own power on a floating bridge, a feat long considered a major engineering challenge. During the overnight test, a single train made multiple trips, gradually increasing speed from 5 to 55 mph, allowing engineers to monitor electrical interactions with overhead power lines. This milestone is a critical step toward the full opening of Sound Transit’s 2 Line, slated for early 2026, which will connect downtown Seattle with Bellevue and Redmond, including Microsoft’s headquarters. The new rail line is expected to significantly improve commuting times and reliability for thousands of workers at major tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta, transforming a trip that can currently take 20 minutes to two hours by car. The first