Broken Escalators and Elevators Plague Seattle Light Rail Stations

In downtown Seattle, out-of-service elevators and escalators are causing issues for riders, Kiro 7 News reports. The latest outage inventory records three broken elevators and seven inoperable escalators across at least six stations. Sound Transit acknowledged the widespread problems and promised “a more permanent fix.” Riders who depend on the Link light rail are growing increasingly frustrated. Molly Graeber, who commutes to Seattle from Des Moines, says it’s not only an inconvenience but a safety and accessibility issue. According to John Gallagher of Sound Transit, the nearly 60 conveyances in the downtown corridor are more than three decades old. He says there is a multi-million dollar program planned to replace the aging equipment.