Monorail renovation to ease crowd flow for potential NBA return, major Seattle events

SEATTLE — The Seattle Monorail is scheduled for a major makeover that aims to increase accessibility to multiple parts of campus and add capacity for events and games.

“It was never meant to be around so long. It’s time for an update,” said a blunt Robert Leykam, the Center’s Monorail project manager, as he stood in the north Monorail station on Monday.

Leykam said thanks to a $15 million federal grant and state matching funds the city has begun work on the design of the new northern portal.

It currently connects to the Armory and opens up the Space Needle. But it is not accessible in the direction of Memorial Stadium, also slated for a renovation, and Seattle Kraken games have also prompted long lines getting on and off the train.

Although it was once thought of as a relic of the 1962 World’s Fair, the .9 mile stretch between the campus and Westlake Center is now part of a broader civic transportation network connecting link light rail and Seattle Center.

“We can try to minimize what's called the headways in the station. The dwell time of the train in the station before it goes out and makes the journey to Westlake. We can improve things here to send people more quickly to the platform and onto the trains. That's what eases the line,” he said.

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As of right now, Leykam said the plan looks on track for a 2026 groundbreaking, with an opening slated for 2027. That would mean work would likely begin after the planned FIFA World Cup but be coordinated with the planned new Memorial Stadium and perhaps the start of a new NBA season if the Sonics were to return to Seattle.