Seattle daily brief: Crosslake light rail date set, plus Sunday road and transit detours
Seattle, WA – March 1, 2026 – Cross-lake light rail is on track for March 28 as the Hot Chocolate Run brings downtown closures and bus reroutes.
Top story: Cross-lake light rail opening set
Sound Transit says its Crosslake Connection is scheduled to open for passenger service on Saturday, March 28, linking Seattle and the Eastside by rail across Lake Washington for the first time. Opening-day activities are planned around Judkins Park, with community events spread across several stations on the new segment.
For Seattle riders, the headline is a simpler trip between the International District/Chinatown area and Eastside destinations, plus more frequent trains through the shared downtown tunnel segment when both lines are running.
Today: Hot Chocolate Run closures and a rough travel window
Thousands of runners are expected on city streets this morning for the Hot Chocolate Run, with rolling closures between Seattle Center and downtown and a temporary shutdown of northbound SR 99 during the event window. Drivers should expect detours and slower trips even outside the route as traffic patterns shift.
At the same time, a full closure of SR 522 at I-405 (in Bothell) and related work near I-405/SR 167 (Renton) is adding pressure to the regional network through Monday, which can spill over into Seattle-bound trips, especially for anyone trying to avoid the freeway system.
Transit riders: bus reroutes and stop changes
King County Metro listed reroutes on several core Seattle routes Sunday morning for the run, along with a handful of stop closures and construction-related detours across the weekend. If you are heading toward Seattle Center, downtown, Capitol Hill, or Dexter Avenue, allow extra time and double-check your usual stop before you walk out the door.
Olympia watch: changes to the proposed ‘millionaires tax’
In legislative news that could affect Seattle services and budgets down the line, House lawmakers continued reshaping the proposal often described as an income tax on high earners. A late-week committee debate included changes to business taxes and other add-ons as the bill moves through the House.
Sources
https://www.soundtransit.org/blog/platform/linking-seattle-eastside-with-sustainability-mind
https://www.soundtransit.org/crosslake/events
https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/hot-chocolate-run-is-just-one-ingredient-this-weekends-traffic-headaches/WRQ6WTAFOBAQHL5GZKLZIS2EUU/
https://wsdot.wa.gov/about/news/2026/closures-scheduled-sr-522-bothell-and-i-405-renton-feb-27-march-2
https://kingcountymetro.blog/2026/02/27/metro-weekend-update-february-27-march-1-2026/
https://www.knkx.org/government/2026-02-27/washington-state-progressives-big-business-tax-break-millionaires-tax
