Getting Around
Traveling to, from, and around Mercer Island? Find more information about transportation and parking options below.
Light Rail
ABOUT THE STATION
Location: The station is located in the center of I-90, across from the Mercer Island Park-and-Ride and near Town Center.
Access: Riders can access the station through one of two entrances: 77th Ave SE or 80th Ave SE.
Operating hours: Monday – Saturday, 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Sunday 6 a.m. to midnight
The station opened for service on March 28, 2026. Read more.
RIDING LIGHT RAIL
Mercer Island Station is served by the 2 Line, which runs trains between Lynnwood City Center and Downtown Redmond stations via the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel.
Getting to the station
Vehicle
- The Mercer Island Park and Ride: 8000 N Mercer Way, 447 spaces and 10 ADA spaces.
- Town Center Parking Area: 7810 SE 27th St. 33 spaces; registration of your vehicle using ParkMobile is required to use the lot. Parking is free for the first two hours, and $2.50 per hour thereafter, up to a daily maximum of $12.50, with up to 14 hours of parking allowed. Regulations are in effect from 8 a.m. to 10: p.m. seven days per week.
Bicycle
The station and surrounding area have both bike lockers and bike racks. BikeLink bike lockers are covered and secure bike storage.
- Mercer Island Station: 32 spaces in secure bike storage room and 50 bike rack spaces
- Mercer Island Park and Ride: 24 Bikelink lockers
- Town Center Parking Area: 8 Bikelink lockers
To use the lockers or access the secure bike room, purchase a BikeLink card or download the BikeLink App on iOS and Android; available on a first-come, first-served basis 24 hours per day. Cost: $0.05 per hour.
Transit
King County Metro’s Dial-A-Ride-Transit (DART) has two routes that serve Mercer Island and provide direct connections to the station. These are fixed routes that serve designated stops but have the ability to deviate to pick up or drop off passengers within designated service areas. Call 1-866-261-3278 at least two hours in advance to schedule your trip.
Sound Transit currently operates two bus routes that stop at the Mercer Island Park and Ride from off Island:
Public Safety
Sound Transit is the primary agency responsible for security at light rail stations and on trains. To report an issue, call or text Sound Transit: 206-398-5268. For all emergencies, immediately dial 911.
Sound Transit police officers will respond to major incidents related to the station or on trains passing through Mercer Island. Their ability to respond to other calls will vary depending on availability.
For less serious incidents, the Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) will be the first to respond. The highest priority of the City of Mercer Island and MIPD is to keep the community safe. To that end, MIPD is focusing on ensuring a rapid response to all emergency calls and deploying officers in an effective manner. This includes the creation of a three-officer unit with the specific objective to patrol the station area and Town Center and respond to calls.
MIPD, Sound Transit, and other agencies have strong and productive working relationships and will coordinate with each other to ensure all calls are responded to quickly and effectively.
Biking & Walking
Bicycle Parking
If you roll in or around Town Center, there are several options to park your bike or e-bike. See the above section on light rail for information on bicycle parking near Mercer Island Station.
Be sure to lock your bicycle securely to bike racks installed within bike rooms, including at least one wheel and the frame. U-locks are more secure than cable locks.
Public Transportation
Mercer Island is served by two regional public transportation providers: King County Metro and Sound Transit. Click the links below to access schedules, maps, and other resources for planning your trip by bus or rail.
king county metro |
SOUND TRANSIT |
Parking in Town Center
A variety of parking options exist for commuters, shoppers, and other visitors in Town Center. Details about many options are provided below.
Please note: The information shared here does not guarantee parking availability, time limits, or enforcement rules. Please always check signage when parking your vehicle in Town Center.
Town Center Parking Area - East Sunset Highway
33 parking stalls are available for all day parking just south of the Mercer Island Transit Center. Registration using ParkMobile is required to use the lot. Parking is free for the first two hours, and $2.50 per hour thereafter, up to a daily maximum of $12.50, with up to 14 hours of parking allowed. These regulations will be in effect from 8:00AM to 10:00PM seven days per week.
Mercer Island Park-and-Ride Lot - 8000 North Mercer Way
This two-level parking garage is owned and operated by Sound Transit. 447 parking stalls are available for free on a first-come, first-served basis to transit riders.
Regulations
- Parking is intended for transit customers unless otherwise posted.
- Vehicles will be ticketed or towed if they are parked for more than 24 hours, are parked in no-parking areas, are parked in ADA spots, or are violating other posted parking regulations.
ON-STREET PARKING AND PARKING GARAGES
To help community members navigate different public parking options, the City created a parking map that shows locations and regulations for on-street parking and parking garage locations.
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Click above to download the PDF Map. |
Click above to access the Digital Map. |
OFF-STREET PARKING
Many surface parking lots are also available at Town Center’s shopping and business centers. These lots are privately owned and operated and are not enforced by the City (except for violations for ADA parking). When parking to visit your favorite Town Center restaurant or boutique, make sure to check the signage posted on-site for parking time limits and other regulations. The City does not guarantee the availability of or specific regulations for any off-street parking in Town Center.
Other Parking Around Mercer Island
Looking for information about other parking programs around the Island? Keep reading for details about two options.
SATELLITE PARK-AND-RIDE - MERCER VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER
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Seventeen free parking spaces are provided on a first-come, first-served basis to commuters at Mercer Village, SE 68th Street and 84th Avenue SE (southend QFC), for commuters. These spaces are served by Metro Routes 204, 630, and 989 and are managed by Mercer Village, not the City. Check signage posted on-site before leaving your vehicle.
NORTH MERCER RESTRICTED PARKING DISTRICT (RPD) - 76th avenue se tO 82nd ave se, NORTH OF NORTH MERCER WAY
This permit program restricts some on-street parking access to residents living within the boundary of the North Mercer Restricted Parking District (RPD) during the week. The program was established in 2003 to prevent commuter parking spillover when the Park-and-Ride is full. RPD permit boundaries are identified in purple in the image below and also listed for reference.
SE 24th Street: North side between 78th Avenue SE and 81st Avenue SE
78th Avenue SE: Between SE 24th Street and SE 22nd Place
80th Avenue SE: Between SE 24th Street and SE 22nd Street
81st Avenue SE: East side between North Mercer Way and SE 24th Street
82nd Avenue SE: Between SE 24th Street and 81st Ave SE
The RPD is also included on the new digital parking map available here: www.mercerisland.gov/tcparkingoptions.
Regulations
- Permits are available only for Mercer Island residents whose home address falls within the boundaries of the RPD. Additional parking restrictions can be found in MICC 10.74.30(A).
- Guest Parking Permit: Residents within the RPD may apply for up to two guest parking permits.
- Temporary Contractor Parking Permit: Residents within the RPD may also obtain a permit for a temporary contractor who requires on-street parking in the RPD for more than two consecutive days and cannot be accommodated by the resident's Guest Parking Permit.
- The cost for each biannual permit is $25/biennium. Learn more about the program and how to purchase a permit here.
