Mountlake Terrace station
Light rail station in Washington state, U.S.

 41  Mountlake Terrace
View from the parking garage
General information
Location6001 236th Street Southwest
Mountlake Terrace, Washington
United States
Coordinates47°47′08″N 122°18′53″W / 47.78556°N 122.31472°W / 47.78556; -122.31472
SystemLink light rail station
Owned by
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
Train operatorsSound Transit
Bus routes7
Bus stands6
Bus operators
Construction
Structure typeElevated
Parking891 parking spaces[1]
Bicycle facilitiesBicycle lockers and racks
AccessibleYes
History
OpenedFebruary 23, 2009 (2009-02-23) (buses)
August 30, 2024 (light rail)
Rebuilt2019–2024
Passengers
1,207 daily weekday boardings (2024)[2]
148,328 total boardings (2024)[2]
Services
Preceding station Sound Transit Following station
Link
Lynnwood City Center
Terminus
 1 Line Shoreline North/185th
toward Federal Way Downtown
Future service
Lynnwood City Center
Terminus
 2 Line Shoreline North/185th
toward Downtown Redmond
Location
Map

Mountlake Terrace station is a bus station and light rail station in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, U.S. It is served by the 1 Line of Sound Transit's Link light rail system.

The elevated light rail station was built as part of the Lynnwood Link Extension from 2019 to 2024. It opened on August 30, 2024.

Location

The station straddles 236th Street Southwest on the east side of Interstate 5 in Mountlake Terrace, a city in the Snohomish County on its border with King County. Mountlake Terrace station has a parking garage and bus loop on the north side of 236th Street Southwest. It is southwest of downtown Mountlake Terrace and adjacent to Veterans Memorial Park, which separates the station from the civic center campus.[3][4] The Mountlake Terrace city government began to encourage transit-oriented development around the future station and in their city center as early as 2007 to prepare for population growth.[4] By 2024, three apartment buildings with more than 600 total residential units had been constructed on Van Ry Boulevard near the station's south entrance.[5] A large lot to the east of the station and bus loop, used for construction staging and temporary parking, is planned to have a pair of eight-story buildings with 425 total apartment units.[6]

History

Community Transit opened a 400-stall park and ride lot at Interstate 5 and 236th Street Southwest on April 12, 1983.[7] It was initially served by two local Community Transit routes and King County Metro commuter buses to Downtown Seattle. The Mountlake Terrace lot, the fourth park-and-ride of its kind in Snohomish County, was constructed with funding from the Federal Highway Administration and the Washington State Department of Transportation.[8][9] Metro service ceased in June 1989 and was replaced by Community Transit's own commuter routes.[10][11] The new lot regularly reached capacity by the 1990s and was supplemented with leased spaces at three nearby churches to provide overflow parking.[12]

Plans for a parking garage to increase capacity at the Mountlake Terrace lot emerged in the 1990s.[13] City officials proposed a garage with integrated housing and retail, but later dropped the mixed-use elements from their plans.[12][14] Construction began in late 2007 with the closure of the existing lower lot, which was replaced by spaces leased from local businesses.[14]

The parking garage at Mountlake Terrace Transit Center was dedicated on February 20, 2009, and opened three days later.[15][16] It includes 32 solar panels on its facade and was built with recycled materials; the garage also has glass art created by local high school students under the direction of artist Jerry Newcomb.[17] Construction of the freeway flyer stop, located in the median of Interstate 5, began two months later and was funded by Sound Transit.[18] It opened on March 20, 2011, and served by Sound Transit Express and Community Transit commuter routes connecting Snohomish County to Downtown Seattle.[19] The median flyer stop was first proposed in a 1996 report by Sound Transit and WSDOT; it would serve buses and could be converted into a light rail station.[20] Both facilities were constructed with eventual use by Link light rail in mind;[21] an extension into Snohomish County on either Interstate 5 or State Route 99 was approved by voters in the 2008 Sound Transit 2 funding package.[22]

Sound Transit approved a route along Interstate 5 for the Lynnwood Link Extension in April 2015, including a station at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center.[23] An alternative option would have bypassed the city entirely by using State Route 99 or required an east–west section to serve the transit center from the corridor.[24] Light rail construction at the transit center began in September 2019, with the closure of the surface parking lot for construction staging. The light rail platforms were built to the east of the bus bays and were opened as part of the Lynnwood Link Extension, carrying the 1 Line in August 2024 and 2 Line in 2025.[25] The freeway station bays were closed for five months beginning in July 2020 for light rail construction, with commuter routes bypassing Mountlake Terrace replaced by a temporary fare-free shuttle route to downtown.[26] The freeway station reopened on November 29.[27]

Community Transit transferred ownership of the transit center's parking garage to the Washington State Department of Transportation in September 2020.[28] It is planned to be transferred to Sound Transit in 2026 as part of a full acquisition of the station site.[29] The main bus loop at the transit center was closed in March 2021 and replaced with a temporary loop to the east of the future light rail station.[30] The new main bus loop opened on March 30, 2024.[31] Light rail service at Mountlake Terrace station began on August 30, 2024.[32]

Transit-oriented development

Beginning in 2018, the former site of the Evergreen Elementary School just south of the station was redeveloped into a three-building complex with 600 apartments and retail spaces.[33] The city government is also planning a "town center" in the area east of the light rail station.[34] A plaza and new pedestrian path through Veterans Memorial Park to the city hall and library is also planned to open in 2026.[35][36]

Station layout

Mountlake Terrace station has two entrances to the east of its parking garage and primary bus bays; the entrances are on the north and south sides of 236th Street Southwest and are connected to the elevated platform by stairs, escalators, and elevators. The transit center's bus bays are located adjacent to the parking garage, on 236th Street Southwest, and in the median of Interstate 5. The station has 891 total parking stalls in the garage and an adjacent surface lot.[1][3]

As part of Sound Transit's public art program, Kipp Kobayashi was commissioned to create a mural on the metal panels under the platform. The mural, named Re-Forestation, depicts the roots of a large tree.[37]

Services

The station is served by the 1 Line, which connects Snohomish County to the University of Washington campus, Downtown Seattle, the Rainier Valley, Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, and Federal Way. It is the first southbound station from Lynnwood City Center and twenty-fourth from Federal Way Downtown, the southern terminus; Shoreline North/185th station in the next stop to the south. Trains on the 1 Line serve Mountlake Terrace station 20 hours a day on weekdays and Saturdays, from 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.; and 18 hours on Sundays, from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. During regular weekday service, trains operate roughly every eight to ten minutes during rush hour and midday operation, respectively, with longer headways of twelve to fifteen minutes in the early morning and at night. During weekends, 1 Line trains arrive at Mountlake Terrace station every ten minutes during midday hours and every twelve to fifteen minutes during mornings and evenings.[38] The station is approximately 27 minutes from Westlake station in Downtown Seattle and 65 minutes from SeaTac/Airport station.[38]

Mountlake Terrace station is a major hub for bus routes in the city and surrounding areas with service from Community Transit and King County Metro. It has four bus bays and access to the freeway station's two bays, which are served by Sound Transit Express routes from Downtown Seattle during rush hour.[1][39] Community Transit's local routes connect the station to downtown Mountlake Terrace, Aurora Village, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, and Alderwood Mall.[40] An express route connects Mountlake Terrace station directly to Edmonds station and the city's ferry terminal, served by a Washington State Ferries route.[41] King County Metro operates two routes from the station to Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, and Kenmore.[42] The agency also expanded its microtransit service, Metro Flex, to a zone that includes Mountlake Terrace station in September 2024.[43]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Stops and stations: Mountlake Terrace Station". Sound Transit. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "System performance tracker: Link Ridership". Sound Transit. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Lindblom, Mike (August 25, 2024). "Lynnwood light rail is opening. Here's what you'll find at 4 new stations". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Hansen, Jordan (April 20, 2024). "With light rail coming soon, Mountlake Terrace's moment is nearly here". The Everett Herald. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  5. ^ Deshais, Nicholas (August 25, 2024). "Lynnwood light rail route brings a housing boom". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  6. ^ "TOD, with 425 apartments, planned for Mountlake Terrace". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. May 16, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  7. ^ "New park-and-ride lot to open". The Seattle Times. March 16, 1983. p. F3.
  8. ^ Neice, Karl (April 6, 1983). "You can ride CT buses free April 12". The Everett Herald. p. 5A. Retrieved December 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Metro to start new rush hour bus route". The Seattle Times. April 20, 1983. p. F2.
  10. ^ Bergsman, Jerry (September 21, 1988). "Metro buses won't be traveling to Snohomish County after April". The Seattle Times. p. H5.
  11. ^ Bergsman, Jerry (June 9, 1989). "Some bus commuters to say goodbye to Metro". The Seattle Times. p. B3.
  12. ^ a b Thompson, Lynn (June 18, 2003). "Officials hope commuter project will jump-start Mountlake Terrace". The Seattle Times. p. H13.
  13. ^ Foster, George (July 24, 1999). "New I-5 park-ride lot may be the last". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. B1.
  14. ^ a b Pesznecker, Scott (December 31, 2007). "Mountlake Terrace parking a hot commodity". The Everett Herald. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  15. ^ "Agency Welcomes 880 New Parking Spaces at Mountlake Terrace Transit Center" (Press release). Community Transit. February 20, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  16. ^ Brown, Charles E. (February 23, 2009). "Bumper to Bumper: License-plate placement". The Seattle Times. p. B1.
  17. ^ Halpert, Oscar (February 20, 2009). "MLT Transit Center given rousing welcome". The Enterprise. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  18. ^ "Sound Transit to start work on I-5 station at Terrace". The Everett Herald. May 14, 2009. p. B3. Retrieved December 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Sound Transit dedicates Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station" (Press release). Sound Transit. March 17, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  20. ^ "Puget Sound HOV Pre-Design Studies" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. 1996. p. 18. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  21. ^ Pesznecker, Scott (June 21, 2007). "Mountlake Terrace bus trip to get easier". The Everett Herald. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  22. ^ Haglund, Noah (November 27, 2016). "Here's the plan for light rail to Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace". The Everett Herald. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  23. ^ Lindblom, Mike (April 23, 2015). "4 North End light-rail stations get Sound Transit's green light". The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  24. ^ Lindblom, Mike (August 28, 2024). "Why is light rail to Lynnwood opening next to I-5 and not on Aurora?". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  25. ^ Haglund, Noah (September 21, 2019). "Part of MLT Transit Center will close for light-rail work". The Everett Herald. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  26. ^ "Mountlake Terrace Transit Center Freeway Station to Close until Late November, Effective July 6" (Press release). Community Transit. June 9, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  27. ^ "MLT Freeway Station to reopen Nov. 29" (Press release). Community Transit. November 16, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  28. ^ "Mountlake Terrace Transit Center Parking Garage Changes Ownership". CommunityTimes. Vol. 13, no. 28. Community Transit. October 2, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  29. ^ "Sound Transit Resolution No. R2025-15" (PDF). Sound Transit. July 24, 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  30. ^ Distelhorst, Luke (April 1, 2021). "New bus loop at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center". Community Transit Blog. Community Transit. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  31. ^ "Changes to Bus Service Start March 30". Community Transit. March 2024. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  32. ^ Deshais, Nicholas; Lindblom, Mike (August 30, 2024). "New light rail stations draw big crowds for first trips". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  33. ^ Haglund, Noah (May 29, 2018). "Work starting on buildings along I-5 in Mountlake Terrace". The Everett Herald. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  34. ^ "City council Sept. 26 set to approve updated Town Center Plan". MLT News. September 24, 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  35. ^ Watanabe, Ben (January 29, 2023). "Paved path, plaza coming to Mountlake Terrace near light rail". The Everett Herald. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  36. ^ "Mountlake Terrace project to connect the transit center, Veterans Memorial Park with light rail". KIRO 7 News. March 9, 2025. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  37. ^ Esmeson, Seth Daphne (November 26, 2024). "Mountlake Terrace Station: Forest walks, re-growth, and old haunts". The Platform. Sound Transit. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  38. ^ a b "1 Line schedule: Lynnwood City Center – Federal Way Downtown" (PDF). Sound Transit. December 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  39. ^ Lindblom, Mike (March 8, 2024). "Sound Transit pulls out the stops to solve a Lynnwood train shortage". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  40. ^ Community Transit System Map (PDF) (Map). Community Transit. August 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  41. ^ Deshais, Nicholas (September 3, 2024). "What to know about connecting to the new Lynnwood light rail line". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  42. ^ Metro Transit System: Northwest Area (Map). King County Metro. September 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  43. ^ Porterfield, Elaine (September 19, 2024). "Local, on-demand Metro Flex service now serving the Northshore area". Metro Matters. King County Metro. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mountlake Terrace Transit Center.
  • Lynnwood Link Extension
  • Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station
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