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Former name(s) | Empire Way |
---|---|
Namesake | Martin Luther King Jr. |
Type | Arterial |
Maintained by | Seattle Department of Transportation |
Length | 11.3 mi (18.2 km)[1] |
Location | Seattle, Washington |
South end | SR 900 (Sunset Boulevard) |
North end | East Madison Street |
Construction | |
Commissioned | 1913 |
Construction start | 1922 |
Completion | 1923 |
Martin Luther King Jr. Way (also known as MLK Way) is a major north–south arterial street in Seattle, Washington, serving the Central District and Rainier Valley. It runs for 11 miles (18 km) between several neighborhoods with large minority populations, with its two halves parallel to Rainier Avenue in the Rainier Valley and 23rd Avenue in the Central District.
The street was platted in 1913 and originally known as Empire Way, using the nickname of railroad tycoon James J. Hill, "The Empire Builder". It was completed in 1923 and later extended to cover the entire Rainier Valley. The street was renamed in 1983 to honor Martin Luther King Jr.
In 2009, Link light rail service between Seattle and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport began. Four of the light rail line's stations are located on or adjacent to MLK Way: Rainier Beach, Othello, Columbia City, and Mount Baker. The street also has King County Metro service along its entire length, covered by routes 8 and 106.