Monorail station at Seattle Center getting a $23M upgrade
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The monorail was built in 1962, and its station at Seattle Center needs upgrading. Photo: Courtesy of SDOT
Seattle's aging monorail station at Seattle Center is getting a makeover.
Why it matters: The station doesn't meet modern safety and accessibility standards, project leaders say — plus, it can be hard for people to find amid the many attractions nearby.
Catch up quick: The monorail, which runs about a mile from Seattle Center to Westlake Center, was built for the 1962 World's Fair, the same event that gave the city the Space Needle.
- But the Seattle Center station is showing its age, suffering from problems with rust and water intrusion, project manager Robert Leykam told Axios.
- "If we didn't do this project, the station wouldn't exist too much longer," Leykam said.
- On top of that, the guardrails — which date from the World's Fair era — have large gaps that people can fall through. Wheelchair access is a problem, too.
State of play: The $23 million renovation is slated to last 15 months, beginning shortly after next summer's FIFA World Cup games.
- It's paid for largely through a $15 million federal grant, plus additional money from the state transportation department.
Zoom in: One major upgrade will be an accessible ramp connecting the monorail station to Thomas Street, which will create "a welcoming front door," Mark Johnson, principal architect for the project, told Axios.
- Designers plan to reduce the vegetation and visual impediments surrounding the station so it's easier to see from a distance, while also making it glow at night, Johnson said.
- Changes to the guardrails and gate system will allow more people to queue safely on the platform at one time.
The big picture: The upgrades are needed in part to accommodate increased crowds using the monorail in recent years, including hockey fans attending Seattle Kraken games, Johnson said.
- He said ridership on the monorail tops two million trips per year. "That's an incredible number of folks to pass through this station," Johnson said."As Sound Transit expands and as we have more connectivity downtown, the use will just get greater and greater."
Between the lines: The trains and tracks are getting a little love, too.
- Ahead of next year's World Cup matches, officials are working to rebuild the trains' suspension systems and smooth the monorail's guideways so they're less bumpy, Leykam said.
- The other monorail station at Westlake Center was renovated in 2021 and is not part of the current package of improvements.
What we're watching: Johnson said at least one of the two monorail trains will still operate while the station upgrades are underway, ensuring service continues during construction.