Dangerous By Design: Potential Improvements for MLK Way

This is part 2 of a 3-part series.

Martin Luther King Jr Way South is a dangerous street for everyone. As discussed in Part 1, the 2,772 crashes since 2009 prove that something needs to change. Both the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Sound Transit have made changes to MLK Way in attempts to reduce collisions and fatalities. Seattle adopted Vision Zero in 2015, setting a goal to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030. As part of the Vision Zero efforts, speed limits on arterial streets around the city were reduced to 25 mph. The speed limit signs on MLK Way were changed in late 2020 from 35 to 25 mph. In May 2023, Seattle made No Right Turn on Red the default rule for new intersections. The change is still being rolled out in as these signs will be added to intersections when the traffic signal is replaced or modified. Most intersections on MLK Way still allow right turns on red.

In November 2024, Sound Transit released the At-Grade Crossing Program Draft Systemwide Master Plan. This plan outlines a few key changes that have or will be installed in Rainier Valley. These changes include:

• Trackway Visibility Pavement Markings
• LRV Audible Warning Modifications
• Another Train Coming" Signage Between Stations
• Automatic Pedestrian Gates
• Alternating (Wig Wag) Train Headlights

A southbound 1 Line train crossing S Brandon St. The new trackway visibility pavement markings are on both sides of the track.

It is encouraging to see SDOT and Sound Transit take steps to improve safety and reliability for Link and those using MLK Way. Unfortunately, these efforts are not sufficient to reduce speeding and at-grade conflicts. To Sound Transit's credit, they are working in a constrained environment as the right-of-way is owned by SDOT. This leaves Sound Transit only able to independently change some signage and paint markings within the Link right-of-way. As the owner of the road, the City of Seattle, via SDOT, is responsible for making more substantial improvements to MLK Way. The lack of real initiative from SDOT is frustrating to the thousands of people who risk their lives on MLK Way every day. The City has yet to directly make any physical improvements to the right-of-way, despite the 2,700 crashes and 19 fatalities that have occurred since 2009. Without concrete improvements, it is only a matter of time before someone else is hurt or killed.

What Else Can Be Done?

Martin Luther King Jr Way S is a street with many uses. It is a residential street and is classified as a Major Truck Street. It connects neighbors in Rainier Valley and acts as an I-5 bypass. Because everyone uses MLK Way in a unique way, any change to make the street safer will be controversial. Debates over how the street can be improved have occurred since before Link began service.

To be clear, there is no perfect solution. Every option will have tradeoffs that need to be considered. But it is clear that the current design is not working. The changes planned by Sound Transit are welcome improvements, but are understandably focused on reducing collisions between trains and other road users. Additional improvements will be needed to reduce non-train collisions.

Minor Changes

In the short term, minor changes can be done to improve awareness and reduce common collision points. The quickest change is adding more signs to warn drivers and pedestrians of nearby trains. Crossing gates for vehicles and/or pedestrians would likely reduce collisions with Link trains. Additionally, existing traffic signals could be adjusted to allow someone to cross halfway to a station or refuge island. The shorter crossing times would allow more frequent walk signals and reduce the number of people crossing against the signal to catch a train.

Vehicle crossing gates in SODO.

These minor changes may help reduce collisions, but would likely not be enough to make MLK Way meet Seattle's Vision Zero goal. Major changes with tradeoffs will be needed.

Major Changes

One approach SDOT could take is to reduce possible collision locations by prohibiting left turns at some intersections or removing one or more track crossings for vehicles and/or pedestrians. However, these changes could worsen neighborhood connectivity as trips across MLK Way may be less direct and could take longer.

Alternatively, SDOT could add raised crosswalks between the sidewalk and Link station entrances in Columbia City, Othello, and Rainier Beach. Raised crosswalks act as a speed bump to ensure drivers are at or below the speed limit and make it easier for people rolling to cross the street (no need to roll up and down the curb ramps). A raised crossing is already built on MLK Way in the Central District at E Alder St. WSDOT and SDOT recently added raised crossings to the I-90 ramps near Judkins Park station.

Repurposing or removing traffic lanes is another option to reduce vehicle speeds and improve another transportation mode, such as biking or transit. SDOT has repurposed the number of general traffic lanes on various roads in the city and has seen positive outcomes. Removing traffic lanes reduces vehicle speeds because passing is no longer allowed and drivers are more aware of other road users. Following a significant crash in 2014, SDOT redesigned the traffic lanes on Rainier Ave in Columbia City from two lanes per direction to one lane per direction and a center turn lane. The Project Evaluation reported a 100% decrease in serious injuries and fatalities. Due to the tracks in MLK Way's median, a similar change would not be possible. However, one lane in each direction could be converted to a protected bike lane, business access and transit (BAT) lane, or on-street parking.

Sections of MLK Way are regularly reduced to one lane for construction.

A 2020 report commissioned by SDOT found protected bike lanes (PBL) on MLK Way to be technically feasible. As Rainier Valley lacks sufficient safe bike infrastructure, PBLs on MLK Way would be a huge improvement in connecting Southeast Seattle. SDOT recently completed work on the MLK Jr Way Safety Project, which added PBLs on MLK Way between S Judkins St and Rainier Ave. Route 106 runs on MLK Way between S Henderson St and Rainier Ave. BAT lanes would speed up local transit trips and improve reliability for the 5,300 passengers who use Route 106 each day. On street parking is also an option. The primary consequence of repurposed lanes is potentially increased travel times for those driving. This increase will be dampened or non-existent as some current drivers switch to another travel mode that is improved by the repurposed lanes. The Rainier Ave redesign mentioned above resulted in a maximum increased travel time of 1 minute and 21 seconds during the afternoon rush hour.

Possible protected bike lane alternatives at MLK Way and S Graham St outlined the 2020 report from Toole Design.

Grade separating Link is another option for reducing collisions on MLK Way. This could be done by moving the tracks (burying or elevating) or by moving other road users (overpasses and underpasses). Martin Pagel explored these options in a post earlier this year. A 2023 study found that moving the Link tracks to an open trench is the most economical option for full grade separation at $1.1 billion (2023 dollars). Isolating Link trains from other road users will reduce collisions with trains and improve Link's reliability, but will not address the more common collisions between two vehicles or between a vehicle and a pedestrian.

All of the improvements outlined above are technically possible. The challenge with implementing any of the changes is a political one. Tomorrow's article will share the perspectives of candidates running for office on how they think MLK Way should be changed.