HNTB joins Sound Transit in celebrating the opening of Pinehurst Station

New Pinehurst station
Photo courtesy HNTB

Accelerated delivery of Sound Transit’s first infill station marks an important milestone for North Seattle communities

SEATTLE (Sept. 30, 2026) - HNTB joins Sound Transit and regional partners in celebrating the opening of Pinehurst Station, the agency’s first infill station and newest Seattle station, connecting North Seattle communities to the Link light rail 1 and 2 lines.

Opening five years ahead of its original schedule, Pinehurst Station adds a new stop along the existing light rail corridor near NE 130th Street, expanding access to the regional transit system for surrounding North Seattle communities.

HNTB served as final design prime and managing partner of the design joint venture. The firm’s responsibilities included structural design, site lighting, landscape and urban design, systems coordination, traffic control and traffic signals.

“Pinehurst Station reflects years of close coordination among Sound Transit, the design and construction teams and agency partners,” said Andrew Herten, HNTB design manager.

“Together, we helped advance a design that responds to a constrained site, active transit operations and the needs of the surrounding community.”

Designing Pinehurst Station within a highly constrained site between Interstate 5 and 5th Avenue NE required careful coordination with existing light rail and roadway operations. HNTB worked with the Washington State Department of Transportation and the city of Seattle on traffic control, signals and roadway impacts while developing a structural approach suited to the narrow station footprint.

Passengers loading at Pinehurst on opening day
Photo courtesy HNTB

HNTB provided specialized structural and seismic design that integrated key station and trackway elements. This allowed portions of the station structure to be incorporated into the broader Lynnwood Link work and constructed before the trackway was energized, reducing construction complexity once light rail service began and helping support Sound Transit’s accelerated delivery schedule.

“Pinehurst Station brings a long-awaited light rail connection to North Seattle,” said Taylor Carroll, Sound Transit deputy executive project director.

“Opening the agency’s first infill station five years ahead of its original schedule reflects the dedication and collaboration of the entire project team. We are proud to celebrate this achievement with the community and the many partners who helped make it possible.”

Located midway between the Lake City and Bitter Lake urban villages and connected by frequent King County Metro bus service, Pinehurst Station expands regional transit access for North Seattle communities. 

It builds on the Lynnwood Link Extension, which opened in 2024 and extended light rail north from Northgate through Shoreline and Mountlake Terrace to Lynnwood. The project team also coordinated with the Seattle Department of Transportation, city of Shoreline, King County and other partners to connect the station with surrounding transit, bicycle and pedestrian improvements.

Drop off spaces at Pinehurst Station
Photo courtesy HNTB

About HNTB

For more than a century, HNTB Corporation has been at the forefront of designing and advancing transportation infrastructure that enhances mobility and improves local communities. With client relationships spanning decades, we understand infrastructure life cycles and have perspective and experience to solve the most complex technical, financial and operational challenges with vision and imagination. 

As employee owners committed to excellence, we prioritize client success while delivering a full spectrum of infrastructure-related services. Discover HNTB’s Spark at www.hntb.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook or Instagram.