A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Bellevue, Wash., on April 22, 2016 to mark the start of construction on Sound Transit's East Link light rail line.
The 14.3-mile line will branch off the existing north-south line at International District/Chinatown station in Seattle, crossing Lake Washington to serve Mercer Island, Bellevue and the Microsoft campus in Redmond.
The $3.7 billionn project is being funded with the aid of a $1.3 billionn Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan from the United States Department of Transportation.
When it opens in 2023 the 10-station line will offer a 24-minute journey time between Bellevue town center and Westlake station in Seattle.