Residents of southern King County are more connected than ever thanks to three new light rail stations in the area: Kent-Des Moines, Star Lake, and Federal Way Downtown. These stations are undeniably a community good, with the train being an affordable alternative to driving (Fares are free for youth 6-18 and three dollars per ride for adults 19-65 compared to Des Moines’ six dollar gallon of gas). 

However, the ridership has some safety concerns, including a source who says that Kent-Des Moines Station, and others along the 1-Line route, may be compromised by meth usage. Haiqa Irfan, a first year Running Start student at Highline College, said, “Honestly, ever since that video went viral of someone pushing a person onto the tracks right before the light rail arrived, I’ve been a bit more on edge. I’m definitely more cautious now, but otherwise, it usually feels safe since there are always other students around.”

As these stations are still so new, there isn’t any official data on their safety for riders and/or security guards, however, a security guard who will remain anonymous to protect their employment shares details of what it’s like to work there.

When asked how riders behave at the station, the security guard, who will be referred to as S, said, “I rarely [feel] threatened. Mostly they’re respectful because if you go to the train [station], people respect the Rider’s Conduct. We have it posted at the station for them to see. If you assault any Sound Transit workers, it’s a crime. 

I think people are aware of that. People tend to pee and smoke here on the platform. People try to smoke even though there’s a visual telling them not to. Some try to pee–and do pee–on the tracks.”

S has been working at the station for four months. Every security guard at Kent-Des Moines Station works there full-time. While recounting one of their coworkers’ experiences, S admits that “…[riders] do smoke meth in the bathroom. I don’t have any firsthand experience with that. Here, by the elevator, they don’t do it that much, mostly in the bathrooms. We knock on the door because it’s hidden, people try to smoke in there because they know they can’t be seen. They do pee in the elevator too, not just the platform. This is not regular, it’s occasional.” 

Kent-Des Moines Station isn’t all doom and gloom, as S rightfully points out. The new station boasts an extensive parking garage, a clear view of the Olympic mountains from the platform, bathrooms, garbage cans, and a bus stop for the northbound #156 route, which goes to Tukwila.

Although there is illicit drug abuse happening at these stations, this isn’t a fault of public transportation. Sound Transit has taken steps to improve safety at their stations, with the 2025 Safety Annual Report stating that, “Higher ridership and higher presence both tend to increase UTC [Unlawful Transit Conduct] events – but an increase should not be viewed as a negative. It indicates that security and law enforcement are proactively deterring or stopping those behaviors that harm the perception of safety by other passengers and employees.” 

As a more concrete, easy-to-comprehend measure, Sound Transit makes sure that every security guard at every station is competent.

S elaborates on this, saying, “This is a public area so you have to be more conscious. If someone falls down, you should be helping. Every security guard is CPR-certified. If someone’s heart is failing, we help them. If there’s an overdose, or a medical emergency, we are the first people to respond. That’s why we board the trains, in case someone is struggling.”

Irfan spoke about her experiences at Kent-Des Moines Station as a commuter to and from Puyallup: “[The train] is just more consistent than the bus and helps me avoid traffic. Plus, it’s a good time to zone out and listen to music after classes.”

When asked about her perception of safety at Kent-Des Moines, Irfan said, “[The security guards are] definitely present. They seem to do okay at keeping things moving, but I don’t really interact with them that much.” 

Overall, she believes that the station is “decent”, saying that, “I’ve seen some people being loud or ignoring security, but I usually keep my headphones on and mind my own business. There’s some litter here and there, but it’s not too crazy. You definitely notice it more when the train is taking forever and you’re just standing around. The location is actually really good and [is] convenient for getting to school, and it feels a bit newer than some other spots I’ve been to, so I’d say it’s on the better side overall.”

Despite the issues that the light rail faces, it still makes a positive impact when it comes to expanding access to transportation for those who can’t or won’t drive a private vehicle, reducing fossil fuel emissions by pooling the ridership, and providing jobs for community members in the form of operators, security guards, and custodians. 

Kent-Des Moines Station, along with Star Lake and Federal Way Downtown, has been open for nearly six months. While there are things that could be improved, the station is still off to a promising start.