Updated plans for the future RapidRide R bus line between Downtown Seattle and Rainier Beach released this week include only a few changes to previous iterations of the project, with significant stop consolidation still planned along much of the eight-mile route despite community concerns.
The next RapidRide line to enter planning in Seattle, the R Line is set to replace the Route 7 along Rainier Avenue S by 2032, bringing upgrades to the Metro's second busiest bus line. Compared to an initial proposal put forward this summer, two stop pairs have been added for both northbound and southbound riders, including retained stops at Rainier Avenue S and S Walker Street and a new set of stops at Rainier Avenue S and S Grand Street. That change will help riders between Sound Transit's light rail stations at Judkins Park and Mount Baker more easily access bus stops, but riders further north or south could see longer walks to catch a frequent bus that is currently within easy reach.
If this plan is approved by the King County Council next month, the R Line will move forward with some major stops currently used by Route 7 riders not on the list, including 12th Ave S and Boren Ave S, Rainier Ave S and S Charles Street, and Rainier Ave S and S Andover Street. But the two stops between Judkins Park and Mount Baker do represent a response to community concerns about losing transit access along that specific stretch.
"The alignment proposal adds station pairs at Rainier Ave S & S Grand St and at Rainier Ave S & S Bayview St in response to updated ridership, new housing, community destinations, and public feedback, and retains the station pair at Rainier Ave S & S Walker St to serve nearby schools, the Lighthouse for the Blind, and riders affected by steep grades and difficult crossings," Metro's updated engagement summary notes. "Additionally, as design progresses, exact station locations will be determined by multiple conditions, including ongoing analysis and engagement."
The R Line has emerged as a major priority for King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, a bus line that connects neighborhoods across the council district he represented from 2020 to 2024. Before Zahilay took office, the R Line's budget was slashed by 25% in response to budget pressures at Metro, with a new total budget of $91.2 million.
Unlike most recent RapidRide lines including the under-construction I and J and Lines, King County does not plan to pursue federal matching funds, a fact that speaks to the current transit funding environment in D.C. But not being tethered to a USDOT grant agreement could potentially allow the County to move more quickly toward construction or implement upgrades in stages.
In releasing his biggest budget update since taking office last month, Zahilay proposed to advance $64.4 million in RapidRide R funding to the current two-year budget, in a move his office framed as intended to "build a strong partnership" with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), also planning roadway improvements along Rainier Avenue S that are set to be implemented in the early 2030s.
With fewer stops to make, the R Line will move more quickly along its route, on top of planned transit speed and reliability investments including transit signal priority (TSP) and additional bus-only lanes on top of the stretches already in place. But expected time savings data for a trip on the future R Line still has not been released by Metro, a key ask of transit advocates trying to weigh the trade-offs that come with stop consolidation.
Long stretches of bus lanes that had been envisioned when the R Line entered planning nearly a decade ago are now fully implemented, including a long stretch of northbound Rainier Avenue between S Edmunds Street in Columbia City and S Grand Street just south of I-90. But Metro and SDOT have not announced any plans for transit priority along S Jackson Street, one of the current Route 7's biggest pain points.
"The Rainier Valley stop consolidation decision-making was done with data that is now fairly out of date," a September 15 letter from the advocacy group Rainier Valley Safe Streets stated. "New studies that take into account current and future ridership enabled by the large apartment complexes that have been completed since the previous studies should be done. We recognize that stop consolidation is a difficult thing to get right, but densification of the Rainier Valley, especially near Judkins Park might justify decreased stop spacing."
Metro leaders – and County Councilmembers – are likely to face a push to consider restoring even more stop pairs along the corridor, given gaps of up to a half-mile that would be created. Even in an official letter of support included in the proposal transmitted to the King County Council, Seattle's Transit Riders Union (TRU) voiced concerns that the two new stop pairs weren't enough to mitigate impacts.
"We appreciate that Metro took community feedback into account and added back additional stops between Judkins Station and Mt Baker," the letter from TRU's bus and transit subcommittee noted. "We are still concerned by the large gaps created by consolidation which effectively choose to convert this route from its current attempt to be both a local and long distance service into an express bus skipping past parts of the south end. We would like to see this project go to further planning with wiggle room on which stops to move and remove."
It also remains to be seen how Metro will address riders south of S Henderson Street in Rainier Beach, along the so-called "Prentice Loop" only served by select Route 7 trips now. That area is currently served by Metro Flex microtransit service, an option that fills in the gaps in Metro's network but is absolutely not a replacement for fixed-route transit.
"Community members emphasized that the Prentice Loop and related neighborhood connections in the Rainier View and lower Rainier neighborhoods are essential for reaching schools, grocery stores, clinics, youth programs, religious centers, parks, and everyday destinations not located directly on Rainier Avenue S," the engagement summary stated. "Riders shared that existing local service helps seniors, riders with disabilities, youth, caregivers, and families access places that would otherwise require long and steep walks."
Even though a vote to sign off on the planned stop locations is planned for next month, the County Council will not actually be required to sign off on any adjustments to the R Line's stops, with the proposed ordinance only set to require notification.
"Before the implementation of RapidRide R Line service, the executive shall notify the King County council and the city of Seattle of any substantial changes to station locations," the draft ordinance states. "Following the implementation of RapidRide R Line service, the Metro transit department shall consult with the city of Seattle before making any changes to the routing or station locations."
After that vote, the R Line will advance into the next stage of planning, where Metro will align route upgrades with the project's reduced budget.
"Specific scope changes haven’t been finalized yet," Metro spokesperson Al Sanders told The Urbanist last month. "Those decisions will come in the next phase of design, after we confirm the route and stop locations. Once that foundation is set, we’ll be able to evaluate which capital improvements provide the greatest benefit within the appropriated budget and make informed decisions about what to carry forward into design."
Ryan Packer
