This is a petition to King County Metro to highlight our continuing need for local bus service on Rainier Avenue
When the light rail opened in Rainier Valley in 2009, King County Metro eliminated the 42 bus which provided local bus service along MLK. At the time, community members fought back, knowing that many seniors and other shoppers couldn’t feasibly walk the long distances between light rail stations to access services. Eventually, advocates were able convince Metro to re-route the 106 to provide local service along MLK.
Fast forward to 2026 — King County Metro’s Rapid Ride R proposal to replace the 7 bus would eliminate many local stops on Rainier Avenue. It is not possible for many disabled people, seniors, and people traveling with small children or grocery carts to travel further to access consolidated stops. This is especially challenging given the cracked, bumpy and deteriorating condition of sidewalks along much of Rainier Avenue.
Join us in telling Metro, please don’t repeat this mistake by eliminating local bus stops along Rainier. Our community needs local bus service.