SEATTLE — Sound Transit is renaming and color-coding its rail transit network, reflecting the continued growth of a system that will eventually grow to include five light-rail routes and two commuter-rail lines, as well as three bus rapid transit lines.
On its website, the agency says the change reflects research showing letters and numbers are easier to understand than names or colors alone, and that the renaming provides “an intuitive system that first-time, low English proficiency, or color-vision deficient riders can easily navigate.” That web page more fully explains how the names and colors were chosen.
The current Link light rail line will become the 1 Line, color-coded green; Tacoma Link light rail will become the T Line, orange; Sounder North commuter rail will become the N Line, and Sounder South will become the S Line, both colored light blue. The new names will be introduced with September schedule changes.
Colors and numbers have also been set for the still-to-come 2 (bright blue), 3 (pink) and 4 (purple lines). Bus rapid transit lines S1, S2, and S3, will be colored yellow. The 2 Line, currently known as the East Link extension, will open in 2023.
Speaking of renaming lines (or removing numbers from them), anybody know why SEPTA removed the “R [number]” designations from its Regional Rail routes? I liked them BION.