Martin Luther King Jr. Way S – Rainier Avenue S

Affected Routes: 7, 7 Express, 8, 9 Express, 42, 42 Express, 48

• For proposed changes to Route 34, see Seward Park – Columbia City – Beacon Hill – SODO – Alaska Junction information.
• For proposed changes to Route 106, see Beacon Hill-Georgetown information and Rainier Beach – Rainier View – Skyway – West Hill information.

Table of Contents

• Map - routes 7, 7 Express, 8, 9 Express and 48
• Map - Route 8 (detail)
• Purpose
• Proposed changes
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Service levels

Purpose

• Reduce duplication of transit service to downtown Seattle.
• Provide more efficient express bus service on Rainier Avenue S.

Proposed changes

Rainier Avenue S

Route 7

• Increase night frequency from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes until midnight seven days a week in 2010. This improvement will be made possible by a financial partnership between Metro and the City of Seattle.

Route 7 Express

• Provide five morning peak-period trips rather than the current eight trips. Provide five evening peak-period trips rather than the current nine trips.
• Coordinate schedule north of S Genesee Street with Route 34 Express so that buses are evenly spread out. (See more information about Route 34 Express).

Route 9 Express

• Extend Route 9 Express to serve the Rainier Beach Link station at S Henderson Street/Martin Luther King Jr. Way S.
• Increase frequency to every 15 minutes during peak periods in the peak direction (northbound in the morning and southbound in the afternoon).
• Increase frequency to every 30 minutes during midday hours (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) on weekdays.

Martin Luther King Jr. Way S

Route 8

• Extend Route 8 to Rainier Beach Link station and Rainier Beach via Martin Luther King Jr. Way S.
• Add weekend service between Capitol Hill and Rainier Beach.
• Add evening service between Capitol Hill and Rainier Beach.
• Operate at least every 30 minutes between 5 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. on weekends.

Routes 42 and 42 Express

• Discontinue routes 42 and 42 Express and replace them with Link light rail and extended Route 8. (See replacement service to Rainier View.)

Route 48

• Shorten route to end at Mount Baker Station instead of current terminals at Rainier Beach and Columbia City.
• Improve weekday evening frequency to every 15 minutes until 9:30 p.m.

Advantages

Rainier Avenue S

Route 7 Express

• Would maintain express bus connections from Rainier Avenue S to the I-90 Freeway Station and downtown Seattle, with a total of eight morning and eight afternoon peak-period trips between S Genesee Street and downtown Seattle on routes 7 Express and 34 Express.

Route 9 Express

• Would establish a connection between Rainier Avenue S and the Rainier Beach Link station.
• Would provide more frequent service between Rainier Valley and First Hill.

Martin Luther King Jr. Way S

Route 8

• Would provide more frequent transit service along Martin Luther King Jr. Way S with both Link light rail and extended Route 8.
• Would provide new evening and weekend service along Martin Luther King Jr. Way S in Mount Baker and the Central Area.
• Would provide a new connection from Martin Luther King Jr. Way S to the Central Area, Capitol Hill, and Seattle Center.

Route 48

• Would improve reliability because all trips would use the same routing between Mount Baker Station and the University District, and the route would be shorter.
• Would eliminate confusion that has been caused by having some trips end in Columbia City and some trips end in Rainier Beach.

Disadvantages

Rainier Avenue S

Route 7 Express

• Riders of route 7 Express would have fewer total trips.
• By maintaining Route 7 Express, less new service would be provided on other routes in southeast Seattle.

Martin Luther King Jr. Way S

Routes 8, 42, and 42 Express

• Some riders along Martin Luther King Jr. Way S would have to transfer between Link light rail and bus service for travel to and from downtown Seattle or to destinations between Link stations.

Route 48

• Riders between the Rainier Valley and Capitol Hill, the University District, and Ballard would have to transfer to reach their destinations.

Service levels for Martin Luther King Jr. Way S – Rainier Avenue S