Rainier Beach station

Rainier Beach station is located in the median of Martin Luther King Jr. Way at an intersection with South Henderson Street. The station is a {{convert|1/2|mi|km|spell=in|1}}; (eight blocks) west of the center of the Rainier Beach neighborhood, where Rainier Beach High School and Beer Sheva Park are both located.{{cite news |last=Lucas |first=Phillip |date=July 11, 2009 |title=Rainier Beach light rail may shake up bus riders' routine |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2009426076_strainierbeach07m.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=November 23, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124163339/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2009426076_strainierbeach07m.html |archive-date=November 24, 2016}}{{cite map |date=June 17, 2014 |title=Rainier Beach: Key Locations |url=http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/p2363099.pdf |publisher=City of Seattle |access-date=November 23, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218125223/http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/p2363099.pdf |archive-date=February 18, 2017}} The Chief Sealth Trail crosses over Martin Luther King Jr. Way to the north of the station, continuing north to Beacon Hill and south to Kubota Garden.{{cite web |title=Chief Sealth Trail |url=http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/chiefsealthtrail.htm |publisher=Seattle Department of Transportation |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219005235/http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/chiefsealthtrail.htm |archive-date=December 19, 2013}}

Development around the Rainier Beach station has historically consisted of single-family housing and low-rise multi-family residential complexes, as well as some light industrial buildings.{{cite news |last=McNichols |first=Joshua |date=February 26, 2015 |title=South Seattle Development Is Slow, Despite Promise Of Light Rail |url=http://kuow.org/post/south-seattle-development-slow-despite-promise-light-rail |publisher=KUOW |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609210348/http://kuow.org/post/south-seattle-development-slow-despite-promise-light-rail |archive-date=June 9, 2017}} Within {{convert|1/2|mi|km|1}} of the station is a population of 4,691 people and 811 jobs.{{cite web |author=Growing Transit Communities Oversight Committee |date=October 2013 |title=Rainier Beach: Light Rail/Bus |url=https://www.psrc.org/sites/default/files/rainier_beach_sap.pdf |work=The Growing Transit Communities Strategy |publisher=Puget Sound Regional Council |access-date=June 6, 2017}} The City of Seattle has proposed redevelopment of the station area into a "food innovation district", with a farmers' market, food carts and restaurants to serve local residents and visitors.{{cite news |last=Aitchison |first=Sarah |date=November 25, 2014 |title=Rainier Beach craves food center near light-rail station |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2014/11/rainier-beach-craves-food-center-near-light-rail.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |access-date=November 23, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124155606/http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2014/11/rainier-beach-craves-food-center-near-light-rail.html |archive-date=November 24, 2016}}{{cite web |title=Rainier Beach Food Innovation District |url=https://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/p2363100.pdf |publisher=Seattle Department of Planning and Development |access-date=June 7, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224222111/http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/p2363100.pdf |archive-date=February 24, 2017}} The city also plans for improvements to the Henderson Street corridor and traditional transit-oriented housing and office development within walking distance of the station.{{cite report |date=March 9, 2012 |title=Rainier Beach Neighborhood Plan Update |pages=32–36 |url=http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/dpdd016764.pdf |publisher=Seattle Department of Planning and Development |access-date=November 23, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124161236/http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/dpdd016764.pdf |archive-date=November 24, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Scigliano |first=Eric |date=March 26, 2015 |title=Think tank to Seattle: Forget redeveloping Rainier Beach. Try a little TLC. |url=http://crosscut.com/2015/03/developers-think-tank-to-seattle-forget-about-redeveloping-rainier-beach-try-a-little-tlc/ |work=Crosscut.com |access-date=November 23, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124162943/http://crosscut.com/2015/03/developers-think-tank-to-seattle-forget-about-redeveloping-rainier-beach-try-a-little-tlc/ |archive-date=November 24, 2016}} A grassroots campaign to improve Henderson Street, named "Link2Lake", was started in 2016 to advocate for a pedestrian-friendly connection between the station and Be'er Sheva Park on Lake Washington.{{cite news |last=Scruggs |first=Gregory |date=May 3, 2023 |title=Link2Lake envisions a pulse for the heartbeat of Rainier Beach |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/life/link2lake-envisions-a-pulse-for-the-heartbeat-of-rainier-beach/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=September 17, 2023}}

A modern light rail system was proposed by a newly formed regional transit authority (RTA) in 1995, including a line running through the Rainier Valley on Martin Luther King Jr. Way with a stop at South Henderson Street to serve Rainier Beach.{{cite web |date=February 1995 |title=The Regional Transit System Proposal |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/projects/planning/1995_plan_subarea_proposals.pdf |pages=1–2 |publisher=Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930200958/http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/projects/planning/1995_plan_subarea_proposals.pdf |archive-date=September 30, 2015}} The $6.7 billion proposal was rejected by voters in March 1995, and the RTA proposed a smaller, $3.9 billion transit system with an at-grade station at South Henderson Street;{{cite web |title=Sound Move: Launching a Rapid Transit System for the Puget Sound Region |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/news/reports/soundmove/199605_soundmovethetenyearregionaltransitsystemplan.pdf |page=21 |date=May 31, 1996 |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065157/http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/news/reports/soundmove/199605_soundmovethetenyearregionaltransitsystemplan.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2016}} the new proposal was approved by voters in November 1996.{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=November 6, 1996 |title=Voters back transit plan on fourth try |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19961106/2358535/voters-back-transit-plan-on-fourth-try |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215211/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19961106&slug=2358535 |archive-date=March 3, 2016}} The RTA, which renamed itself to Sound Transit, selected an at-grade alignment for light rail on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South in 1999, with a station at South Henderson Street.{{cite news |last=Fryer |first=Alex |date=November 19, 1999 |title=A milestone for light rail: regional board selects station sites, alignment |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19991119/2996198/a-milestone-for-light-rail |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222114849/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19991119&slug=2996198 |archive-date=December 22, 2015}}

Sound Transit awarded a $128 million contract to the joint venture of Robinson Construction and Herzog Contracting (forming RCI-Herzog) in February 2004 for construction of the Rainier Valley segment of Central Link (now the 1 Line).{{cite news |last=Hadley |first=Jane |date=February 24, 2004 |title=Sound Transit signs light rail contract |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Sound-Transit-signs-light-rail-contract-1137782.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=September 5, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003145714/http://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Sound-Transit-signs-light-rail-contract-1137782.php |archive-date=October 3, 2016}} Construction of the station at Henderson Street began in late 2006 and continued until late 2008.{{cite report |date=December 2006 |title=Link Light Rail Monthly Progress Report, December 2006 |chapter=Initial Segment—Rainier Valley |page=25 |publisher=Sound Transit}}{{cite report |date=June 2008 |title=Link Light Rail Monthly Progress Report, June 2008 |chapter=Initial Segment—Rainier Valley |page=24 |publisher=Sound Transit}} Light rail test trains began running through the Rainier Valley in August 2008, with service expected to start in July 2009.{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=August 13, 2008 |title=Sound Transit to run test trains through Rainier Valley |page=B1 |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2008109935_traintest13m.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105235324/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2008109935_traintest13m.html |archive-date=January 5, 2017}}

The station was opened on July 18, 2009, on the first day of Central Link service from Downtown Seattle to Tukwila International Boulevard station. The line's opening celebration, which included free service and entertainment events throughout the Rainier Valley, was attended by over 92,000 people over a two-day period.{{cite press release |date=July 18, 2009 |title=Link light rail launches new era of mobility for central Puget Sound |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/LinkInService |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=September 10, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225339/http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/LinkInService |archive-date=March 3, 2016}}{{cite press release |date=July 19, 2009 |title=Opening weekend attracts more than 92,000 light rail riders |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/92000Boardings |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=June 5, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226061604/https://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/92000Boardings |archive-date=February 26, 2018}} Parts of the station, including the platform and a train, were damaged by gunfire during an incident on March 24, 2016. The shooting suspended train service to the station for several hours for a police investigation.{{cite news |last=Takeo |first=Ryan |date=March 24, 2016 |title=Light rail train struck by bullets in Seattle's Rainier Valley |url=http://www.king5.com/news/local/light-rail-suspended-after-shots-fired-near-rainier-beach-station/100138564 |publisher=KING 5 News |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125110728/http://www.king5.com/news/local/light-rail-suspended-after-shots-fired-near-rainier-beach-station/100138564 |archive-date=November 25, 2016}}

From August 21 to September 16, 2023, part of the station's platform was closed to replace broken and cracked tactile pavers; the project required 1 Line trains to single-track through the Rainier Valley and reduced frequency to 15 and 30 minutes.{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=August 29, 2023 |title=Signal woes delay Sound Transit trains during rush hour |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/signal-woes-delay-sound-transit-trains-during-rush-hour/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=September 17, 2023}}{{cite press release |date=September 14, 2023 |title=1 Line service returns to normal Saturday, Sept. 16 |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/1-line-service-returns-to-normal-saturday-sept-16 |publisher=Sound Transit |accessdate=September 17, 2023}}

File:Rainier beach stn.jpg

Rainier Beach station consists of a single, at-grade island platform in the median of Martin Luther King Jr. Way South on the south side of South Henderson Street. The station has a single entrance at Henderson, accessible via two crosswalks. A small plaza on the northeast corner of the intersection has seating, a bicycle locker with 34 spaces,{{cite press release |date=December 16, 2019 |title=Installation of on-demand bike lockers starts this week at UW, SODO and Rainier Beach Stations |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-us/news-events/news-releases/installation-demand-bike-lockers-starts-week-uw-sodo |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=December 17, 2019}} a bus stop, and public art.{{cite web |date=November 2012 |title=Rainier Beach Station |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/archived_projects/20121130_rainierbeachstation.pdf |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=September 10, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912053017/http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/archived_projects/20121130_rainierbeachstation.pdf |archive-date=September 12, 2015}} Rainier Beach station, like others in the Rainier Valley, was designed by architecture firm Arai/Jackson.{{cite map|date=February 2, 2004 |title=Rainier Valley Link Light Rail Route & Stations |publisher=Sound Transit |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/pdf/projects/link/LinkRV_map_1_05.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060208224439/http://www.soundtransit.org/pdf/projects/link/LinkRV_map_1_05.pdf |archive-date=February 8, 2006 |oclc=49259323 |access-date=September 10, 2016}}

Immediately south of the platform is an operator's building with washrooms and workrooms for staff, a janitor's closet, and supervisor's office. There is also an {{convert|800|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} turnback track in the median of Martin Luther King Jr. Way to the south of the station that is used to store two 4-car trains for emergencies and headway management.{{cite report |date=July 29, 2008 |title=Central Link Operations Plan – Westlake to SeaTac/Airport |chapter=Chapter 2: Link Initial Segment/Airport Link System Description |pages=15–17 |chapter-url=http://www.globaltelematics.com/pitf/SoundTransitCentralLinkOpsPlan.7.29.08.pdf |publisher=Sound Transit |via=Global Telematics |access-date=September 10, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924022530/http://www.globaltelematics.com/pitf/SoundTransitCentralLinkOpsPlan.7.29.08.pdf |archive-date=September 24, 2015}}

File:Rainier Beach Station Pictogram.svg, which depicts a heron]]

Rainier Beach station also houses six art installations as part of the "STart" program, which allocates a percentage of project construction funds to art projects to be used in stations.{{cite web |title=STart Public Art Program |url=http://soundtransit.org/Projects-Home/STart-Public-Art-Program.xml |url-status=dead |publisher=Sound Transit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612175542/http://soundtransit.org/Projects-Home/STart-Public-Art-Program.xml |archive-date=June 12, 2010 |access-date=November 24, 2016}} At the station's detached plaza is Buster Simpson's Parable, a metal sculpture resembling sliced pears wrapped in metal wire; Simpson's piece is an allegorical commentary on the changing urban landscape of Seattle and the Rainier Valley, using recycled rails and rusted cast iron to form the major elements.{{cite news |last=Farr |first=Sheila |date=July 6, 2008 |title=Get a head STart on light-rail artwork |page=I1 |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2008030887_transitart060.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160907024953/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2008030887_transitart060.html |archive-date=September 7, 2016}} Darlene Nguyen-Ely's Dragonfly, an aluminum sculpture of a winged creature, is suspended above the station's lone entrance on Henderson Street; Dragonfly draws inspiration from the station's architectural elements and is meant to conjure the imagery of flight and wind.{{cite news |last=Upchurch |first=Michael |date=July 12, 2009 |title=Sound Transit light rail's public art makes a big splash |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2009449111_transitart12.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105235632/http://old.seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2009449111_transitart12.html |archive-date=January 5, 2017}} Eugene Parnell's Increment on the station platform consists of four bronze columns with markings in relief representing systems of measurement used around the world as well as height comparisons with various animals. Three glass mosaics from Mauricio Robalino, Flores, Fishmobile and Pinwheel, decorate a nearby electrical substation with patterns inspired by Ecuadorian textiles.{{cite web |title=Guide to art on Link light rail |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/201404_startonlinkmap.pdf |date=April 2014 |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906070354/http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/201404_startonlinkmap.pdf |archive-date=September 6, 2015}}{{cite web |title=STart Art Guide – Rainier Beach Station |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/node/13345 |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124221303/http://www.soundtransit.org/node/13345 |archive-date=November 24, 2016}}

The station's pictogram depicts a heron, inspired by the theme of flight presented by Darlene Nguyen-Ely's sculpture Dragonfly. It was created by Christian French as part of the Stellar Connections series, another "STart" project, that projects destinations near stations onto fixed points within the pictogram. The points in Rainier Beach station's pictogram represent Rainier Beach High School, the Seattle Public Library's Rainier Beach branch, Beer Sheva Park, and Pritchard Island Beach.{{cite web |title=Stellar Connections |url=http://soundtransit.org/Projects-Home/STart-Public-Art-Program/Public-Art-Projects/StellarConnections.xml |url-status=dead |publisher=Sound Transit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612221831/http://soundtransit.org/Projects-Home/STart-Public-Art-Program/Public-Art-Projects/StellarConnections.xml |archive-date=June 12, 2010 |access-date=November 24, 2016}}{{cite web |title=Stellar Connections: The story of the pictograms at Link light rail stations |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/Documents/pdf/working/artist/StellarConnections.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408090354/http://www.soundtransit.org/Documents/pdf/working/artist/StellarConnections.pdf |archive-date=April 8, 2015 |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=November 24, 2016}}

File:Rainier Beach station platform - April 2015.jpg

Rainier Beach station is part of Sound Transit's 1 Line, which runs from between Lynnwood, the University of Washington campus, Downtown Seattle, the Rainier Valley, and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. It is the nineteenth southbound station from Lynnwood City Center and third northbound station from Angle Lake; Rainier Beach is situated between Othello and Tukwila International Boulevard stations. Trains serve the station twenty hours a day on weekdays and Saturdays, from 5:00 am to 1:00 am, and eighteen hours on Sundays, from 6:00 am to 12:00 am; during regular weekday service, trains operate roughly every eight to ten minutes during rush hour and midday operation, respectively, with longer headways of twelve to fifteen minutes in the early morning and at night. During weekends, Link trains arrive at Rainier Beach station every ten minutes during midday hours and every twelve to fifteen minutes during mornings and evenings. The station is approximately 56 minutes from Lynnwood City Center station, 24 minutes from Westlake station in Downtown Seattle, and 13 minutes from SeaTac/Airport station.{{cite web |date=August 2024 |title=Line 1 Line: Lynnwood City Center — Angle Lake schedule |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/documents/schedule-link-1-line.pdf |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=September 15, 2024}} In 2023, an average of 1,494 passengers boarded Link trains at Rainier Beach station on weekdays.

The station is also served by three bus routes operated by King County Metro that use bus stops adjacent to the station: Route 9 Express, which runs along Rainier Avenue during peak periods towards Downtown Seattle, First Hill and Capitol Hill; Route 106, which provides frequent-stop local service on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South, parallel to Link, and continues southeast to Skyway and Renton; and Route 107, which originates in Renton and travels northwest to Georgetown and Beacon Hill.{{cite book |date=September 10, 2016 |title=Ride the Wave Transit Guide |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/RTW_Sept2016.pdf |page=15 |edition=September 2016 |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=September 11, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911065517/http://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/RTW_Sept2016.pdf |archive-date=September 11, 2016}} Metro's Route 7, a major electric trolleybus route, stops several blocks east on Rainier Avenue.{{cite map |date=September 2016 |title=Metro Transit System: Central Area |url=http://metro.kingcounty.gov/maps/system/2016/sept/metro-system-map-central.pdf |publisher=King County Metro |access-date=September 11, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920164921/http://metro.kingcounty.gov/maps/system/2016/sept/metro-system-map-central.pdf |archive-date=September 20, 2016}} Prior to March 2016, route 8 served the Martin Luther King Jr. Way corridor, terminating at the station and traveling north to the Central District, Capitol Hill, and Lower Queen Anne.{{cite web |date=March 2016 |title=Metro Transit Service Change: March 26, 2016 |url=http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/sc/rideralert/2016/march/revisions/list-view.html |publisher=King County Metro |access-date=September 11, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815122908/http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/sc/rideralert/2016/march/revisions/list-view.html |archive-date=August 15, 2016}} Metro also runs the Route 97 Link Shuttle, a shuttle service serving Link stations along surface streets during Link service disruptions, between Downtown and Rainier Valley stations.{{cite press release |author= |date=November 3, 2014 |title=No Link light rail service on Nov. 15 for system upgrades |url=http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/No-Link-light-rail-service-on-Nov-15-for-system-upgrades-11314 |location=Seattle, Washington |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=September 11, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827064730/http://www.soundtransit.org/About-Sound-Transit/News-and-events/News-releases/News-release-archive/No-Link-light-rail-service-on-Nov-15-for-system-upgrades-11314 |archive-date=August 27, 2016}}

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Category:2009 establishments in Washington (state)

Category:Link light rail stations in Seattle

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 2009

Category:Rainier Beach, Seattle