RapidRide R Line Project Update

Route 7 disguised as a RapidRide on Rainier Ave. (Michael Smith)

King County Metro has shared an updated high-level design of the RapidRide R Line and is asking the community for feedback. The R Line will travel between Rainier Beach station and downtown Seattle on Rainier Ave when it opens in 2032. First envisioned in the 2015 Levy to Move Seattle, work on this route was paused for a few years due to budget constraints. RapidRide R will replace Route 7, the second busiest bus route in Washington (behind the E Line).

The recent update outlines the expected stop locations and areas of focus for speed and reliability improvements and for transit access improvements (sidewalks, curb ramps, lighting, etc). Throughout the route, reliability improvements have been identified near many intersections. These will likely take the form of transit signal priority.

Segment 1: Downtown to Judkins Park Station

The R Line will follow a similar path to the current Route 7 on 3rd Ave through downtown. On Jackson St, the route will maintain most of the same stops, at 5th Ave, Maynard Ave, 8th Ave, and 12th Ave. The northbound stop at Jackson St & Boren Ave will be removed. The corresponding southbound stop on Rainier at King St will also be eliminated. This north section of Rainier will see further stop consolidation at Dearborn St where a new southbound stop will be added. The stop pair at Charles St will be removed. King County Metro has identified the section of Rainier between Charles St and Jackson St as a potential speed and reliability improvement area.

Segment 1 Map (Metro)

The current R Line plan does not include any bus lanes on Jackson St, despite the more than 600 trips across four bus routes each day. This is likely because the buses run in the outside lanes while the First Hill Streetcar runs in the center lanes. Converting the outer lanes to bus lanes would decimate the streetcar's reliability due to increased vehicle traffic on the center lanes.

Rendering of the R Line on Jackson St. (Metro)Segment 2: Judkins Park Station to Walden StSegment 2 Map (Metro)

The R Line will continue to use the new stops at Judkins Park station. As part of WSDOT's project to redesign the I-90 ramps, Rainier Ave will see some changes. Given the decades long timeline for that project, those changes will likely not bear much immediate weight on the R Line project.

Between Judkins Park station and Mount Baker station, the R Line is set to have significant stop consolidation. The current four northbound and three southbound stops will be reduced to a single stop at Walker St. This section is also designated as a potential speed and reliability improvement area. As a northbound bus lane was added here in 2025, a southbound lane is likely under consideration. Just south of Mount Baker station, the northbound stop at Mount Baker Blvd is set to be removed. The corresponding southbound stop was recently eliminated.

SDOT is separately working on a repaving project for Rainier Ave between Jackson St and Walden St. The agency will begin the design work for this project later this year.

Assuming the existing routes are not changed before 2032, the current Route 7 stops dropped by the R Line would still be served by routes 48 and 106. This ensures passengers at those stops still have nearby transit, but those stops will not be served as frequently as they are today.

A 2020 report envisioned a new signal and crossing at Walker St to help connect the R Line stop. (Metro)Segment 3: Walden St to Dawson St

Between Mount Baker and Columbia City, the R Line will see more stop consolidation and reliability improvements. The well-used stops at Andover St are set to be removed in favor of the stops just north at 33rd/Letitia. Likewise, the stops at Alaska St will also be removed.

Metro has identified potential transit access improvements between Walden and Genesee and between Alaska and Edmonds. Speed and reliability improvements are on the table between Charlestown and Genesee and between Alaska and 39th.

Note: The stop at 33rd Ave is a northbound stop and the stop at Letitia is a southbound stop.

Segment 3 Map (Metro)Segment 4: Dawson St to Holly StSegment 4 Map (Metro)

Metro is only planning to drop the current Route 7 stops at Kenny St in this segment. Speed and reliability improvements may be implemented between Brandon St and Kenny St and access improvements have been identified near Orcas St.

Note: The stop at 39th Ave is a northbound stop and the stop at Dawson St is a southbound stop.

Segment 5: Holly St to Henderson St

The southernmost segment of the R Line will see the most changes from Route 7. The current stops at Frontenac St and Cloverdale St will be removed. The route will also change routing on Henderson St. Instead of ending near Rainier Beach High School, the R Line will turn right onto Henderson and terminate near Rainier Beach station. This change will provide a better connection to Link, but remove a key transit route from the core Rainier Beach commercial area without transit. The Henderson St SDOT project noted on the map is a two-way bike lane between Seward Park Ave and the Chief Sealth Trail that began installation this past weekend.

Segment 5 Map (Metro)Rainier Beach Service

The southernmost sections of Route 7 will be dropped from the R Line entirely. This includes two different segments: the Seward Park Ave/Rainier Ave loop that every northbound Route 7 trip serves and the more southern Prentice St loop that is served by every 3rd Route 7 trip. The Seward Park Ave/Rainier Ave loop has decent ridership while the Prentice St loop is much less used. Metro understands this is a significant service loss and is evaluating how transit service will continue to connect people traveling to and from areas south of S Henderson Street when the R Line begins service". The agency will work with the impacted communities to ensure transit service remains accessible, reliable, and easy to understand." Route 106 stops at the southernmost point of the Prentice St loop and both routes 106 and 107 currently stop at Rainier Ave & 51st Ave.

What do you think?

King County Metro is accepting feedback on the project at four open houses in the next few weeks:

• August 12, 5:00pm-7:00pm at the Rainier Beach Library
• August 13, 5:30pm-7:30pm at the Beacon Hill Library
• August 19, 12pm-1pm, Online
• August 22, 11am-12pm, Online

Learn more about the project and access the online open houses via the project website.