On Saturday morning, February 7, the Sound Transit 1 Line—the recently opened south extension—was suspended for nearly three hours between the Star Lake Station in Kent and the Angle Lake Station in SeaTac due to a suspected copper wire theft, which disrupted power and forced an emergency shutdown.

At approximately 4:11 a.m., Sound Transit issued an alert prompting the closure. Crews were quickly dispatched to the affected section, enabling repairs that concluded just before 7 a.m. Trains resumed with reduced speeds before returning to full operation MyNorthwest.

The 1 Line extension, which began service in December 2025, has suffered several brief interruptions since opening—most attributed to voltage fluctuations linked to repeated copper wire thefts. Sound Transit has already increased security measures such as installing cameras and alarms, although theft attempts persist MyNorthwest. Authorities confirm that when copper is stolen, collateral damage often undermines additional infrastructure components, further complicating repair efforts The Seattle Times.

To maintain service during the shutdown, Sound Transit coordinated a series of mitigating actions. King County Metro operated a “bus bridge” between the affected stations, and riders had access to supplemental RapidRide A Line service, particularly important given elevated demand driven by a local parade. This coordinated response was part of “Operation Blue Thunder,” which also prepared for anticipated surges in ridership comparable to those expected during the upcoming FIFA World Cup MyNorthwest.

On the legislative front, the growing incidence of copper theft has spurred action. In January, Washington state lawmakers introduced House Bill 2213, which would require a 10‑day holding period for metal recyclers, mandate that sellers provide photographic evidence of wire, and grant police authority to seize suspect materials even after resale bill text along with testimony from providers describing the situation as having reached “crisis level” Washington State Standard. King County Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Gary Ernsdorff has said recyclers are often complicit, betraying public trust by knowingly handling stolen property—even in the most blatant cases MyNorthwest.

This most recent incident underscores the vulnerability of critical transit infrastructure in southwest Washington. The new extension’s repeated interruptions not only highlight the tangible costs—financial, operational, and public trust—but also signal the pressing need for stronger enforcement, infrastructure redesign, and regulatory safeguards to deter future thefts and protect service reliability.

Why this matters for Cowlitz County

While this incident occurred in King County, it holds a clear precedent for regional jurisdictions like ours. As Longview, Kelso, and the broader Cowlitz County continue to expand public infrastructure, we must remain vigilant. Transit or utility projects here could become similarly vulnerable if preventive measures are not prioritized. The Sound Transit experience signals both a warning and a model: proactive legislating and infrastructure hardening may be necessary before the first stolen copper wire cripples essential service.