It is served by the 1 Line of Sound Transit's Link light rail system, which continues north to Northgate station and south to Downtown Seattle and SeaTac.

[14][15] While the neighborhood was supportive of light rail construction and siting the station in the urban village, residents asked for a shorter 40 feet (12 m) height limit to preserve views of Roosevelt High School.

[20][21] Proposals for rapid transit service through the Roosevelt neighborhood date back to the early 20th century, when the area was near the northern city limits of Seattle.

[24] The Forward Thrust plan of the late 1960s proposed building a four-line rapid transit network using $385 million in local funding to augment a larger federal contribution.

[30] Following several rounds of public hearings in 2000, the Sound Transit Board narrowed down the routing options to a tunnel under 12th Avenue and an elevated alignment along Interstate 5 to the west of Roosevelt's commercial district, each with a station at Northeast 65th Street.

[31] Community and business groups in Roosevelt favored an underground alignment, while then Seattle mayor Greg Nickels supported the elevated station, which was less costly and closer to the Green Lake neighborhood.

[34] A second, transit-only measure known as "Sound Transit 2" was approved by voters in November 2008, securing funding for a light rail extension to Northgate and further north to Lynnwood.

[36] The contract for tunneling and station construction was awarded to JCM Northlink LLC (a joint venture of Jay Dee, Coluccio, and Michels) for $462 million in 2013.

[2][39] Sound Transit broke ground on the Northgate Link Extension project on August 17, 2012, at a ceremony on the future site of Roosevelt station.

[47] Roosevelt station opened on October 2, 2021, with a community festival featuring live performances and a food truck at the Northeast 66th Street plaza.

[2][51] The underground station has two lower levels, connected to the entrances by a series of stairs, escalators, and elevators: a mezzanine and the 380-foot-long (120 m) island platform, located at a depth of 80 feet (24 m).

[53] Lead artist Christian French coordinated the project, while R & R Studios and Luca Buvoli created permanent art installations inside and outside the station.

[55][56] The south entrance's ticketing area is home to the preserved façade of the Standard Records building, which was demolished for the station, including the restored neon sign.

[57][58] The station is served by the 1 Line, which runs between Lynnwood, the University of Washington campus, Downtown Seattle, the Rainier Valley, and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport.

[60] Roosevelt station is also served by several King County Metro and Sound Transit Express buses that provide onward connections to surrounding neighborhoods and regional destinations.