Seattle Link Light Rail Plans Will Increase Access to Lower Queen Anne and Other Neighborhoods

In 2016, voters approved funding for a Seattle link light rail extension that will connect the popular residential and commercial neighborhoods that stretch between West Seattle and Ballard. 

For locals who live and work in Queen Anne, Delridge, SODO, the Chinatown-International District, South Lake Union, Seattle Center, Interbay, and others, this light rail expansion will mean easier commutes and greater access to the businesses that call these neighborhoods home. 

Upon completion, the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions (WSBLE) project will be the largest in Washington’s history, with a budget that is projected to top $12 billion. 

However, this investment is sure to pay off. 

The WSBLE project will expand equitable access to neighborhoods and commercial centers throughout the city, while marking an investment in sustainable public transit that will help us take big steps toward creating a “greener” Seattle. 

At the beginning of this year, Sound Transit released a draft their Environmental Impact Statement for review, with the West Seattle link light rail projected to open in 2032 and the Ballard link extension slated for a 2037 or 2039 completion. 

Though it might take a decade or more for Sound Transit’s plans to come to fruition, that is not stopping local businesses in Queen Anne, Ballard, and other neighborhoods from taking advantage of the increased accessibility that the light rail expansion plan will offer. 

With faster, more efficient, and more sustainable public transit in Seattle’s near future, businesses are looking toward a nearly-here reality where commutes to the vibrant neighborhoods of Queen Anne, South Lake Union, and Ballard are made short and smooth. 

This is leading them to settle into office spaces throughout these neighborhoods for the long-term, confident that the WSBLE project and other initiatives (like the long-awaited return of a Seattle NBA team to Lower Queen Anne) will draw attention to the area while streamlining the movement of commuters and visitors in and out. 

Lower Queen Anne is home to several properties in the MSRE portfolio, including the West Harrison Plaza South Tower and West Harrison Plaza North Tower, both of which are just a stone’s throw away from the Seattle Center and the many parks and shops near the waterfront. 

The neighborhood is also home to 401 Queen Anne, a new development (currently pre-leasing) that features over 155,000 square feet of Class-A office space with a rooftop solarium and ample below-grade parking. 

Contact our team to inquire about these available spaces throughout Lower Queen Anne, as well as the other properties in the MSRE portfolio that will soon be made even more accessible by the Seattle link light rail extension plans.