Kent, Renton celebrate new Martin Luther King Jr. street sign

Published 5:02 pm Monday, June 1, 2026

Life is a highway for Gwen Allen-Carston after her efforts paid off to get signs installed reading Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Highway along State Route 515 in Renton and Kent.

Allen-Carston, executive director of the Kent Black Action Commission, led a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 26 for the new sign on the right side of Benson Road South for drivers heading southbound near South 23rd Street in Renton. The other sign went up in Kent on the right side of Benson Road for drivers heading northbound near South 222nd Place. The signs are in honor of the life, leadership and lasting legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who led the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ‘60s.

“It went very well, it was so fantastic,” Allen-Carston said during a phone interview. “About 45 people showed up. It was wonderful to see the support and happiness at a historic event right here along SR 515.”

The location is both symbolic and impactful, serving as a major connecting route between diverse neighborhoods, businesses and community hubs throughout South King County, according to the Kent Black Action Commission. The historic renaming stands as a powerful reminder of Dr. King’s vision for unity, justice, equality and community empowerment.

Allen-Carston admitted she’s driven by the signs “as many (times) as possible.” She even made a special trip on her birthday last week to take a photo by the sign.

“Coming from where I am from out here 54 years ago from Leesburg, Florida, never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be involved in something as monumental as this,” Allen-Carston said. “It’s something our children’s children can be proud of when we’re no longer here. God gave me a vision and he helped me complete it.”

While walking her dog just a few days after the ceremony, Allen-Carston said she thought about all the steps it took to get the sign unanimously approved in December 2025 by the Washington State Transportation Commission. Allen-Carston said about 150 people signed an online petition in support of the effort. She also received support from State Rep. Mia Gregerson, D-SeaTac, whose 33rd Legislative District includes parts of Kent and Renton. The two women presented the proposal to the Transportation Commission.

“I was revisiting with flashbacks of the work and things we went through and the petition to get people to sign which helped us get approval from the Transportation Commission,” Allen-Carston said. “It was well worth the work and time and sleepless nights.”

Allen-Carston came up with the idea to have streets in Renton and Kent honor King as Seattle and many other cities across the nation have done. State Route 900 and SR 515 are extensions from Seattle of Martin Luther King Jr. Way South, formerly known as Empire Way South.

In fact, one of the special guests at the Renton ceremony included Eddie Rye Jr., who helped lead the drive in the early 1980s to rename Empire Way South to Martin Luther King Jr. Way South.

“He (Rye) was very proud a group had picked up the mantle to spread MLK Way,” Allen-Carston said.

The two road signs do not mark the end of this highway project for Allen-Carston.

“The next step is looking to add signage on most or all major intersections along SR 515 so when you sit at a stoplight you can see the memorial sign as well,” she said. “We’re going to make it our business to get it done, to get WSDOT and the Transporation Commission to approve a memorial sign above or below the current street sign.”

Allen-Carston said they will have to find the funds to accomplish that feat. She said state Sen. Tina Orwall, D-Des Moines, has offered to help find the monies.

In Seattle, city leaders approved the renaming of a street, which meant businesses and residents had new addresses.

“We don’t want to make people make that change unless someone says they have to, if the government gives the OK,” Allen-Carston said. “We’re not done yet, but for everybody coming through Kent and Renton we have markers for a man who stood up for the rights of everyone in this world.”