Can light rail travel across Lake Washington via I-90?
Yes. The floating bridge was constructed with the intention of supporting rail in the future. Recent studies by WSDOT found that the I-90 floating bridge can support the weight of a light rail system. Sound Transit studies confirm that a light rail track system can be designed to accommodate the movements of the floating bridge. In July 2005, when the Sound Transit Board updated its Long-Range Plan, it directed additional analyses of the I-90 corridor. This work included a light rail simulation test across the I-90 Bridge, completed by WSDOT in September 2005. That test confirmed previous computer modeling work and structural analyses that found the bridge capable of carrying light rail. The study also provided information about the bridge movements anticipated with light rail.
