By Martin Duke, Seattle Transit Blog
If you don’t live within walking distance of a light rail station and would like to try to use it to get around, you’re faced with the decision of how to get there. I’ll venture that most people who would access it downtown know how to get there, but here’s a quick guide to your options in the Rainier Valley and points south.
With the September 19, 2009 service change, the bus routes have changed substantially. Since our last update, we’ve also uncovered a number of parking lots. Details on how to get to the station are below.
Orientation
Beacon Hill Station is underground and lies at roughly the corner of Beacon Ave. and S. McClellan St.
Mt. Baker Station is elevated and is at intersection of Rainier Ave. S and MLK Jr. Way.
Columbia City Station is a surface station at the intersection of S. Alaska St. and MLK Jr. Way.
Othello Station, as the name implies, is a surface stop at the intersection of S. Othello St. and MLK Jr. Way.
Rainier Beach Station is a surface station at the intersection of MLK Jr. Way and S. Henderson St.
Tukwila Int’l Blvd Station is visible from SR 518 (the airport freeway) as it crosses SR99.
Driving
Famously, most Link stations don’t have free park-and-rides, due to a city policy that discourages driving and wants to save the land for transit-oriented development. However, the Tukwila International Blvd. station has a park and ride that may be convenient for those that live nearby, or south of I-405. Because it’s free, it tends to fill up pretty quickly. At other stations, there are less well-known parking options.
If you’re not parking between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm on business days, there’s generally street parking available in the surrounding neighborhoods, so that’s a good option for a ballgame or a night out on the town. If you’re trying to drive there during working hours, there are numerous private parking lots where parking is much cheaper than it is downtown or at the airport:
- Othello: One block west of MLK on Othello St, the Safeway offers monthly parking for $30/month. Call 206-729-0590 for details.
- Othello: Immediately east of the station, on Othello St., the Citadel is offering $5/day parking.
- Columbia City: Just west of the intersection of Rainier Ave. and S. Edmunds St, or 3 blocks from the Columbia City station, there’s a $3/day private lot. This lot is closed Wednesdays for the Columbia City Farmer’s Market.
- Columbia City: One block north of the station, the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club (206-436-1890) is offering monthly 24 hrs/day, 5 days/week parking for $50/month.
- Mt. Baker: There’s a pay lot immediately west of the station (the old Grocery Outlet site) for $4/day.
We have many anecdotal reports that spaces are available in these lots throughout the day.
Each station also has plaza areas well-suited to pick-up and drop-off (“Kiss and Ride”).
Biking
There are extensive bike racks at each station. For those seeking a more secure solution, you can simply take your bike on the train (here’s ST’s bike policy [pdf]), or you can rent a bike locker for $50/year, subject to availability. Bike Lockers are only at Sodo, Beacon Hill, Mt. Baker, Rainier Beach, and Tukwila/Int’l Blvd stations.
The Bus
Metro has created a nice webpage that tells you which routes connect to which stations. You can also use Metro’s Trip Planner, but right now it’s doing a pretty poor job of incorporating light rail. For per-stop schedules and real-time bus arrival information, I recommend onebusaway.org. For a neighborhood-oriented listing, read on:
From the Central District/Little Saigon: To go downtown, the bus is much faster. To go South, routes 7, 8, 14, 36, 48, and 60 all interface with Light Rail at either the Beacon Hill or Mt. Baker stations, at all times of day. Although they have limited service hours, routes 7X, 9, 34, and 42 all connect at Mt. Baker Station.
From Georgetown: Route 60 connects to the Beacon Hill Station at all times of day.
From Beacon Hill: Route 36 runs along Beacon Ave. between Beacon Hill station and Othello Station. The 60 runs North up 15th to Beacon Hill station, and then on to the Jose Rizal Bridge. The 106 serves South Beacon Hill via Rainier Beach Station and SODO. Route 39 crosses Link at Columbia City station and then runs along Columbian Way, though not evenings. The 38 shuttles between Beacon Hill and Mt. Baker stations along McClellan St.
Along MLK: The 8 runs from Rainier Beach to the Central District and serves all stations along MLK. North of Alaska, you can also try the 42 during business hours.
Along Rainier Ave: The 7 connects with Link at Mt. Baker, and passes within about 5 blocks of all the other Rainier Valley stations via Rainier Ave., and runs very frequently in all but the early morning hours. The 7X and 9 are faster, but don’t run as often.
Columbia City: Many of you will be able to walk, but you have the 7 going North on Rainier to Mt. Baker all the time. There’s also the 39 going west on Genessee to Columbia City station all but the evenings; the 42 also going there from Rainier Park during business housrs; and the 34, 7X, and 9 to Mt. Baker via Rainier, but with much more restricted hours.
Seward Park: The 39 can take you from the Seward Park/Genesee areas to either Columbia City or Othello Station. It runs every day till the early evening, in both directions. The 34 starts in the same place and passes by Mt. Baker Station, but only during rush hour.
Rainier Beach: If you’re near Rainier & Henderson, you’re spoiled for choice. The 8, 106, and 107 take you right to Rainier Beach station, and run frequently, all the time. The 9 runs less often but accomplishes the same thing.
Dunlap/Skyway/Renton: The 106 travels north on Renton Avenue and delivers you to Rainier Beach station. If you’re near the end of the old 42/42X, or the Lakeridge area, the 107 gets you to Rainier Beach. From Prentice St., the 7 and 7X are about 5 blocks east of the line till they meet at Mt. Baker Station.
Tukwila/Seatac: North of 154th St on SR 99, take the 124 south to get to Tukwila/International Blvd. Station. South of 154th, take the 174 going North to do the same thing. The 129 also provides limited service to Riverton Heights. By February, the opening of Airport Station and the cancellation of the 194 will allow many new bus connections to Link.
Top right photo courtesy of King County Metro.
Related:
- Light Rail: Getting There – Part I (7/8/09)
Who to know, where to eat & what to do in one of America’s most diverse zip codes!
{ 9 comments }
Just a word of advice. I received a call from Harborview Hospital at 10:45 pm. My son just got off the Light Rail Station in the International District, crossed the street to catch the bus to the north end. While he was sitting at the bus stop he was approached by 7 males with iron pipes and beaten severely in a robbery attempt. He has a fractured nose, 9 stitches in his head along with leg, hand and back injuries. I picked him up this morning at 5:30 am. My point is that while the transit system is convenient, I would caution anyone transfering from one mode of public tranportation to another to be extra careful. Law enforcement arrived as the perpetrators were leaving the scene. No attempt was made to go after them. I am grateful he did not lose his life. Although he was alone when this occurred, with that many thugs involved I don’t know traveling with a friend would have helped. Just a word of caution.
I’m sorry to hear of this attack. Is there any videocamera footage that can assist in catching these cowards?
Sorry to hear about your son and You are probably right that traveling with a friend would not make a difference. It probably does not seem like it but he is lucky it was only a fractured nose and some stitches, best of luck.
Thugs at the top of the food chain, thugs at the bottom of the food chain. Both feed off the middle class until the middle class gets smart.
The cost of monthly parking at the Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club and Rainier Valley Teen Center was reduced to $50/month. We only have a few spots left and they are going fast! We are located about half a block from the Othello Station. If you are interested in learning more about our monthly parking program, please contact our front desk at 206.436.1890. Thanks!
@Amy B.
Isn’t it a half block from the Columbia City station?
NIMBY, sorry to hear about your son. The late night bus stops do seem to attract predators. I do suggest using onebusaway.org over almost any phone and only go out to the bus stop just before its arrival. Now that they have an iPhone app I have consiously been doing that. Shouldn’t have to but glad the information us there. Link stations are far safer places to wait for the bus.
I was once able to take the 7 to Renton & an express to the airport (45min & $2.50) and now that the 7 doesn’t service Rainier Ave to Renton. I now will have to drive, taxi or?
See message from Metro below.
Trip Planner Message #20003–No stops within walking distance of origin
See Trip Planner Messages for additional information and alternatives
RobC,
I think you mean the 107. The portion of Rainier Ave. south of Henderson is the one large neighborhood that was cut off entirely by the service change, in favor of some other neighborhoods further inland.
That’s mainly due to poor ridership in that area.
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