OLLI 1084 - Crosslake Connection: The unprecedented engineering needed to put light rail on a floating bridge

Course Description

Sound Transit 2 Line service is finally here! Connecting east side communities like Bellevue and Redmond to downtown Seattle, this roughly 14-mile light rail extension was opened to service on March 28, 2026 and includes numerous engineering achievements. Chief among these achievements was the Crosslake Connection, an unprecedented lake crossing on one of the world’s widest and longest floating bridges. This talk explores the nearly two decades of engineering and planning that made this feat possible. Attendees will learn about the history of floating bridges in the state of Washington, the unique challenges of building rail infrastructure on water, the engineering solutions that make the project possible, and ongoing efforts to ensure the bridges safety and function for many decades to come.

This  Zoom lecture is available to OLLI-UW members only.