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 January 16
Yesterday, Renton Council President James Alberson, Jr. joined King County Metro, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and representatives from Senator Maria Cantwell and Senator Patty Murray’s offices to celebrate the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration announcement of a $79.7 million federal grant for King County.
Funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this grant will support building out King County’s newest RapidRide I Line, connecting Renton, Kent and Auburn. The line will also feature hybrid electric buses.
Highlighting how significant this investment will be for Renton, Mayor Armondo Pavone said, “This investment in public transportation connects Renton with services, jobs, and opportunities across South King County. It will make connecting to our neighboring cities and communities much more possible.”
The RapidRide I Line will improve and replace the current Route 160 which currently runs between Auburn Station and downtown Renton. Key benefits of RapidRide include:
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Rapid transit: Buses come more often and stay on schedule.
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Improved accessibility: Riders can tap their ORCA card and board through any door.
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More station features: Stations that serve 50+ people per day will include lighting, shelter, bus station sign, real time arrival information, trash can, and bench. Stations serving 150+ and 350+ riders will a leaning rail, additional lighting, and additional shelter.
The Rapid Ride I Line is scheduled to begin in 2027. Explore the planned route and learn more at rapidrideiline.com.
Overnight cold weather shelter to open January 18 to January 21
The City of Renton is activating the Overnight Emergency Cold Weather Shelter, held at St. Anthony’s Rec Hall, 501 S. Fourth St. The shelter will be open Saturday, January 18 through Tuesday, January 21 from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. each night. The nonprofit agency, REACH, operates the shelter. Shelter information below:
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Maximum Capacity of 40
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Drop-ins welcome
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Separate areas for men, women, and families
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Snacks/food/warm beverage provided
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Mats and blankets provided
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Shelter is operated by REACH staff
Please check the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) website for other shelters and resources available at krcha.org.
Monthly networking and education for local entrepreneurs starts back up January 31!
Calling all entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners! Startup425, in partnership with the City of Renton, is back in 2025 with monthly events to help you grow your business and network.
The first event is January 31 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the downtown Renton Library. Event highlights include library resource discussion, a coworking session, and the opportunity to connect one-on-one with seasoned business leaders.
Don’t miss this opportunity to ask questions, collaborate, and grow. Register now at startup425.org. Additional event dates will be provided on the website and city calendar when details are finalized.
City of Renton awarded $4.9 million in Federal grants for electric vehicle charging
The city’s Public Works Department was recently awarded over $4.9M in grant funds through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Program. Led by the department’s Sustainability and Solid Waste Division, this achievement makes Renton just one of 49 recipients nationwide in Round 2 of the program. It also advances the city’s business plan to “support planned growth and influence decisions to foster environmental sustainability”.
The funding will support design and installation of charging sites, the purchase of EV charging equipment, and hosting community engagement and evaluation. Charging sites will include many level 2 ports, several level 3 (fast charging) ports, and several e-bike chargers. Using feedback from engagement opportunities such as the EV booth at 2024 Renton River Days, the chargers will be located across 28 charging locations throughout the city in three kinds of locations.
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Destination Charging: Parks, community centers, city-owned parking garages
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Neighborhood Curbside: Primarily in residential areas and neighborhoods with multifamily housing
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Rural-Adjacent: Locations along routes into and out of Renton
Exact locations are currently being finalized. Congratulations to the Public Works Department on this remarkable accomplishment and thank you for your hard work in making Renton more sustainable.
Upcoming 120-day closure of Houser Way North
During the Renton City Council Meeting on January 6, 2025, city council approved resolution No. 4545 which will temporarily close Houser Way North between Lake Washington Boulevard North and Lowe’s business access road. This 120-day closure will begin January 21 and will be reopened by May 22 in time for Memorial Day weekend and boating season at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park.
Please keep in mind that the portion of Houser Way North that will be closed is a southbound one-way road.
The closure, in support of Washington State Department of Transportation’s I/405 Bellevue to Renton Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project, will allow WSDOT contractors to safely relocate a high pressure water line. Additionally, three large stormwater pipes will be installed which will enhance water quality treatment from I/405 to Lake Washington.
Please plan accordingly and stay updated with other traffic impacts at rentonwa.gov/traffic.
U.S. Small Business Administration assisting those affected by November’s bomb-cyclone
During Renton City Council on Monday, Public Information Officer for the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience, Javier Caltenco, shared details about the SBA low-interest disaster loan program.
This program is available for businesses, homeowners, renters, and nonprofits who were impacted by November’s bomb cyclone. Find out more and apply online at SBA.gov/disaster.
In-person assistance is available at two Disaster Loan Outreach Centers.
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King County Elections, Vote Center Room, 919 SW Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057. Open Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
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Bellevue Regional Library, Room #5, Second Floor, 1111 110th Ave. NE, Bellevue, WA 98004. Open Monday, Thursday, Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. & Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Walk-ins are accepted, but appointments can be scheduled in advance at appointment.sba.gov. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
The deadline to apply for a property damage loan is February 21. The deadline to apply for an economic injury loan is September 23.
Water pipes that freeze, burst, and then leak can damage homes during the colder months
Overnight temperatures are expected to drop near or below freezing. Here are a few reminders of precautions you can take to avoid the mess, hassle, and cost of repairing leaky pipes and wasting water. These reminders were first shared in the December 4, 2024 issue of This Week in Renton.
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Insulate your water pipes: Insulating pipes in your home's crawl space, garage, or basement will protect them from freezing when temperatures dip low this winter. As a bonus, insulate your hot-water pipes to eliminate condensation and save on energy and water costs.
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Insulate your outdoor spigot: Outdoor spigots (or faucets) are also susceptible to freezing. Every winter, disconnect your garden hose and insulate your spigot by wrapping rags around it and affixing a molded foam cover from your local hardware store.
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Know where your water shut-off valve is: If you do have a pipe break (and we hope you don’t), knowing where your shut-off valve is located will help you act fast. Turn off the flow of water as soon as possible to minimize damage until the pipe can be repaired.
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Going out of town?:Set the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees and ask a friend or neighbor to check on your house periodically.
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Around Renton
February 7 – Teen Bingo Night, 6:30 – 9 p.m. Renton Highlands Neighborhood Center, 800 Edmonds Ave NE. Hosted by Renton Parks and Recreation. Register now. Ages 14-17.
In other news
A recap of the news posted on the city’s social media accounts. Find us (@cityofrenton) on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter. Renton residents can also find us on Nextdoor.
(classes, activities, leagues, and events for September through December)
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