MLK Protected Bike Lane

Updated: November 23, 2020

Creating a new bike connection and a safer street

Project Overview

SDOT is building a protected bike lane on each side of Martin Luther King Jr Way S between the Judkins Park and Mt Baker Link light rail stations (S Judkins St to Rainier Ave S). We want this design to work not just for people who love to bike, but also for everyone who live and work in the area. 

View the outreach summary to see the feedback we received. Feedback informed our decision to design single-lane protected bike lanes on each side of MLK Way. We continue to develop the design, and we expect to have updated designs to share in fall 2020.

Benefits

• Connect people to transit and schools: This will be an important connection to both light rail stations as well as the I-90 trail, Franklin High School, and the Metro Transit Center. The I-90 trail is a regional connection that will improve access to downtown and the region's growing trail network from Southeast Seattle.  
  
  
• Improve safety for people who walk, bike, and drive on MLK: This section of MLK Way has high rates of speeding, head-on collisions, and off-the-road collisions compared to other parts of the city. Redesigning the street will help to reduce speeding and make the street safer, more predictable, and more comfortable for everyone.  
  
  

Protected bike lanes uniquely provide a separate, protected space for people biking that is differentiated from motor vehicle travel lanes, parking lanes, and sidewalks. The purpose of this new infrastructure is to improve neighborhood connectivity, increase mobility and transportation options, and enhance both pedestrian and bike safety in southeast Seattle.

A protected bike lane in Seattle (SDOT photo)

We're focusing on the section of Martin Luther King Jr Way S between the Judkins Park and Mt Baker light rail stations (S Judkins St to Rainier Ave S). We had been studying the feasibility of a protected bike lane on MLK between Rainier Ave S and S Henderson St., but we put a pause on that portion of the project in response to the significant decline of revenues for the City and our funding partners related to the COVID-19 crisis. Read more on the SDOT blog.

As part of the latest Bike Master Plan Implementation Plan, Martin Luther King Jr Way S was identified as an important southeast Seattle bike connection. SDOT uses the following criteria when prioritizing projects: safety, connectivity, equity, ridership, and livability, as well as policy directives, community interest, and geographic balance.

Project Map

Project Cross Sections

Accessible Mt Baker Proposed Walking/Biking Improvements

Project Schedule

May 2020: Selected preferred alternative

Autumn 2020: Developed 30% design

Early 2021: Finalize 30% design

2023: Construction 

Community Outreach

We want this design to work for not just people who bike, but also everyone who lives and works in the area. SDOT is partnering with the Department of Neighborhoods to engage neighbors. Please feel free to get in touch with us to ask questions or set up a meeting: MLKWay@Seattle.gov or (206) 900-8750. 

Materials

 August 2020 Drop-In Session Q&A

 Spring Outreach Summary

   March 2020 Fact Sheet  

Channelization Graphics

Related Projects

We're coordinating closely with other projects in the area including:

• Route 7 Transit-Plus Multimodal Corridor and Metro RapidRide
• Accessible Mt Baker

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