MLK Jr. Way street name to extend to Renton, Kent from Seattle

The Martin Luther King Jr. Way street name in Seattle will be extended next year to Renton and Kent as a memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

No streets will be renamed in Renton and Kent. But an additional street sign with Martin Luther King Jr. Way will be added along State Route 900 in Renton and State Route 515 in Kent after unanimous approval Dec. 10 in Olympia by the Washington State Transportation Commission.

“I am elated,” said Gwen Allen-Carston, of Kent, who led the campaign to add the street signs, in a Dec. 10 phone interview. “I am proud, happy and excited knowing that I’ll be part of something that’s going to be around for a long time.”

Allen-Carston, executive director of the Kent Black Action Commission, came up with the idea to have streets in Renton and Kent honor King as the city of Seattle did along with many other cities across the nation.

“I’m just overjoyed, crying and jumping up and down,” Allen-Carston said. “I want to thank everybody who supported this.”

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 Washington State Transportation Commission.

That commission is composed of a seven-member body of citizens appointed by the governor for up to two six-year terms. The Washington State Department of Transporation (WSDOT) secretary and a representative from the Governor’s Office serve as ex officio members.

One of the commission’s duties is to name state highways, bridges and ferry vessels, according to its website. The Legislature, community organizations, local governments, or individuals may submit a naming request. The commission carefully considers community support and consults with WSDOT before acting to name a transportation facility or vessel.

“It will be an additional sign next to whatever street marker is there,” Allen-Carston said. “Businesses and residents won’t have to change their addresses, that’s why it’s referred to as a memorial renaming.”

SR 515 in Kent is also known as 108th Avenue SE and the Benson Road or Highway. The additional name will extend to SR 516, aka Kent-Kangley Road, in Kent.

“I’m proud be in the position that if you have a desire or wish for something to happen, the first thing you have to do is speak that wish and let people go to work to make that happen and that’s what happened in this process,” Allen-Carston said.

Allen-Carston and Gregerson wrote a commentary in September in the Kent Reporter about the proposal.

“The effort to extend Martin Luther King Jr. Way along State Route 900 and SR 515 in King County is more than a road sign,” they wrote. “It’s a commitment to the values Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived and died for.”

King was a pivotal civil rights leader and Baptist minister who championed racial equality through nonviolent resistance. He advocated for landmark civil rights legislator prior to his assassination in 1968.

“Dr. King fought for a world where people are judged by character, not color,” Allen-Carston and Gregerson wrote. “Naming more of our roads after him in King County reflects those ideals and calls us to keep working toward them.”

A state House bill last session about the renaming didn’t make it to a vote. But Allen-Carston and Gregerson found another path through the Washington State Transportation Commission, which held a hearing on the issue in October.

Allen-Carston said WSDOT might start putting up signs early next year. She hopes the first sign can be put up Martin Luther King Day on Jan. 19. She said the first sign might go up at SE Petrovitsky Road and the Benson (108th Avenue SE).

Resolution 755

The text of Resolution 755, adopted Dec. 10 by the Washington State Transportation Commission:

WHEREAS, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a pivotal figure in American history and the Civil Rights Movement, advocating for justice, equality, and nonviolent protest in the face of systemic racism and discrimination; and

WHEREAS, Dr. King’s leadership and commitment to social justice helped to end segregation, secure voting rights, and promote civil liberties for all citizens, leaving a lasting legacy of equality and human rights; and

WHEREAS, the extension of Martin Luther King, Jr. Way is a symbol of the community and unity of the surrounding communities, and is an appropriate way to honor the life and contributions of Dr. King;

NOW, THEREFORE, to honor, respect and remember, the Washington State Transportation Commission extends the naming of Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, as a memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., from its current southern terminus at milepost 5.93 along state route number 900 to milepost 9.93, then continuing the entirety of state route number 515 between the junction with interstate 405 and the junction with state route number 516.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Washington State Transportation Commission requests the Washington State Department of Transportation to provide signage reflecting this naming designation as soon as possible.

Courtesy Image, King County