The right through lane of I-405 South in Renton has recently been marked as “Exit Only,” meaning all drivers headed to Tukwila and I-5 must merge into the passing lane. (The far left lane is an HOV lane not open to single occupancy vehicles, and the right lane in this picture is an exit.).

Since it’s completion in 1971, I-405 has always had at least two “through” lanes in Renton: the “right lane” or “slow lane” on the right, and the “passing lane” on the left.  Safety shoulders and an HOV lane were added later, but motorists have always had at least two through lanes.

Until this month, when a new sign appeared that sends all through traffic into the passing lane on I-405 South through Renton.  The right “through” lane is now clearly marked by Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) as an “Exit Only” lane, meaning drivers in this lane are required (by law) to take the exit.  But are they in this case?  Strangely, the roadbed remains unchanged, and the right lane continues on the freeway mainline as it always has.  So are drivers who are heading to I-5, southcenter and the airport really required to merge into the passing lane, or was this just a goof up by the DOT?  Unfortunately, the answer may not really matter as much as the fact that drivers are processing this question while they are supposed to be paying close attention to the cars around them, not trying to interpret a new sign that makes little sense.

When about half of the drivers decide they must move left while the other half see no reason to, we have a recipe for confusion, chaos, accidents and road rage.  The consensus in my household is that these two signs probably should have been stacked above the far right exit lane, or at least the “Exit Only” arrow should be pointed at the far right exit lane.

If WSDOT really wants for all through drivers on I-405 to move into the passing lane at this point, they should add a new reader sign explaining why such a change is required.  They should also launch a public information campaign.  Otherwise, they should fix the sign before it causes an accident.

“Pathfinder” statue of Clayton Scott standing in front of Renton’s Aerodyne complex where Mr. Scott had his last Renton office.  Our airport’s official name is Renton Municipal Airport Clayton Scott Field.

For the third time in two years, a thriving decade’s-old aviation business is being pushed out of Renton Airport unfairly, with Renton airport officials giving fake or grossly misleading rationalizations.  The latest falsehood is printed on a letter with the Mayor’s name in the letterhead. It appears to have been contrived by the Airport Manager and Public Works Director, and is easily disproved with a city document.  It’s past time for Renton Council to investigate and stop this pattern, and require these city employees to stick to the truth.  The continued dishonesty reflects negatively on city government, and leaves many residents wondering if there is a hidden agenda at the airport.  

Renton’s Aerodyne hangar and office complex has hosted many thriving aviation business ventures and significant aircraft for 42 years.  Clayton Scott, namesake for Renton’s airfield, had an office at Aerodyne. Aerodyne’s long success is linked to its many strong leaders and partners, including some powerhouses in aviation circles. The company and its leaders have promoted aviation in Renton, advanced aerospace research and design, supported aviation education, modeled high standards for aircraft service and maintenance, and demonstrated overall commitment to advancing safety and efficiency in air travel.

On a tour of Aerodyne’s hangar in 2019

But Renton Airport Management now wants Aerodyne’s facilities vacated by next month, to then sit abandoned and producing no aviation activity and revenue, probably for years.  This is the path that the former Rainier Flight Services Headquarters, the Landing Gear Works Manufacturing Building, and the Landing Gear Works installation hangars have been on for up to two years and counting.

Aerodyne’s hangar (Photo courtesy of Gary Palmer)

THE PHONEY REASON FOR ENDING AERODYNE’S 42-YEAR LEASE:

Renton Airport Management sent a letter to Aerodyne stating that Aerodyne must leave specifically “to meet runway safety area requirements as they relate to the goals of the Airport Layout Plan.”  But this is not true.

Excerpt from Airport Management letter to Aerodyne, falsely claiming their building needs to be demolished to meet FAA standards (letter dated May 28, 2026)

In stark contrast to the stated reason for sending Aerodyne packing, Renton’s FAA-approved Airport Layout Plan shows that the Runway meets safety clearance standards with Aerodyne exactly where it is.

This chart from the Airport Layout Plan shows the Aerodyne facility is safely outside of the Runway Safety Area and Runway Object Free Area

This excerpt from the Airport Layout Plan shows there is no interference with AeroDyne and the Runway Safety areas.

This Airport Layout Plan summary says the runway meets “most dimensional standards” with small exceptions because of the river and because the airport does not own the property south of the airport (the Runway Safety Zone).

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE  PLAN FOR THE AERODYNE BUILDING:

In 2019 we faced the possibility that Renton’s runway would be reclassified from “B’ to “D”, and would need to be 1000 feet longer; the runway would have eliminated Airport Way and potentially extended nearly to South Second Street.  The longer runway would also have needed wider “Runway Object Free Areas,” which would have necessitated removing about 15 feet of Aerodyne’s hangar.   But the threat of this reclassification went away as the annual number of jet operations declined at Renton Airport, primarily due to  Boeing’s reduced manufacturing rates.  If the airport gets classified as a “D” in the future it will directly conflict with the new $500,000,000 Renton High School.  Aerodyne’s hangar would be the least of our worries.

The Airport Layout Plan does show Aerodyne’s building potentially being torn down and presumably relocated to the perimeter of the airport when it reaches the end of its useful life.  This possibility is in the layout plan because the Aerodyne facility was built at a time when there was no perimeter fence around the airport, and visitors could freely drive up to the entrance of the building.  When the city installed the perimeter fences after the 9-11 attack, the fencing spanned between buildings on the perimeter of the airport, but there was no easy way to allow visitors to drive up to the the (interior) Aerodyne building anymore.  So Instead, visitors had to prearrange for an escort and/or visitor pass to get them through the perimeter gate.  This has worked fine for 25 years, but if the building is ever torn down from obsolescence it should be relocated to the perimeter of the airport.  That is why the Airport Layout Plan shows it being relocated.

A key assumption in the airport layout plan is that any building removed will be replaced one-for-one, to avoid displacing valuable long-term airport businesses while maintaining a diverse, thriving airport.  The actions by the Airport Management contradict this assumption.  Aerodyne should have been offered a new location, with a plan for a new building on the perimeter of the airport.

Key Assumption Seven says buildings will be replaced one-for-one; this has not been happening

WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE AIRPORT?

In recent years Renton’s Airport leadership has established a pattern of elbowing out small businesses for questionable or phoney reasons, including Rainier Flight Services, the Landing Gear Works, and now Aerodyne.  Rainier Flight Services, a flight school, was told they were required to build a new building that they could not afford; this was contrary to their lease which said it was the tenant’s option to build a new building.   The Landing Gear Works was misbilled by the City for a year, and then while making extra payments to reconcile the city’s error they were told they were also expected to pay for an expensive new roof on a building that the city would not give them a long-term lease on.   These followed a controversial eviction of the Ellison Hangars in 2019, a business that furnished popular T-Hangars to local pilots;  these hangars were demolished, and in seven years nothing has been rebuilt on the land.

All of these evicted tenants have requested alternative space on the airport, and none of them received it.  The airport management accumulates fallow land and abandoned buildings, while pilots and aircraft businesses wait on a seven-year list to try to get diminishing tie-down, hangar and office spots at Renton Airport.

And airport users that have not been evicted have seen their rent rates increase as much as 74% in one year as the airport loses revenue from once-thriving businesses that have been kicked out.

Renton Airport Management will say they plan to eventually rebuild, perhaps sometime in the next ten years. But this delayed planning is not acceptable.  It’s lazy and irresponsible management to neglect valuable city buildings, let them fall into abandonment, and then, years later, finally develop a plan to replace them.  Especially when they are fully serviceable right now, as is.  None of these buildings should have been emptied until there was a solid, executable plan to replace them.

When I was on Renton City Council we kept these airport buildings working for the community, and sought to maintain a thriving and diverse business base on the airport.  And we would never have given the Public Works Director a pass for publishing a fake reason for evicting a tenant.   The Renton Council is responsible for leasing city property.  Today’s Renton Council should delve into the details of airport leasing, and correct the current trend at the airport that is imperiling Renton’s aviation future.

Aerodyne’s lease dates back to 1984; It has been updated 16 times to reflect new rates, subleases, extensions, and other terms.

An amphibious airplane lands at Renton Field at 2:30 on Sunday, thirty minutes after what had originally been announced as a planned 2:00 PM to midnight closure. The closure had been cancelled with a few hours notice. Saturday’s closure had been similarly cancelled the day before.

Renton airport businesses and pilots had been making new plans after learning that the runway at Renton Airport would be closed for ten hours a day, every day from 2:00 PM until midnight.  A runway closure is a big deal, and requires rescheduling of everything from flight lessons, to flight-club use rosters, to weekend getaway schedules.

But in the final hours on Saturday, and then again on Sunday, the runway closures were cancelled.

While this could have been good news for anyone suddenly able to adjust their schedule, it’s bad news if they will now be asked to plan for replacement closure days in the future.

It raises doubts about how coordinated the runway closure planning is with the contractors doing the work at the airport.

This excerpt from the FAA NOTAM list last Friday showed runway closures planned though the weekend. On Saturday morning the Saturday closure notice was rescinded but not the Sunday notice. Then on Sunday morning, the Sunday notice was rescinded. It leaves airport operators wondering what will happen in the future.

An anonymous commenter on my blog brought this uncoordinated scheduling to my attention (Thank you Anonymous).  After pointing out the on-again off-again closure, the commenter added:

“Business owners are losing revenue at very tough time due to the mismanagement of the contract schedule and poor communication with the airport tenants. Renton Airport management is making it impossible for business owners to operate successfully at Renton Airport. The unreasonable lease terms and cost prohibitive rate increases coupled with mistaken and mismanaged closure schedules make it impossible for Renton Airport tenants including small flight training organizations preparing the next generation of commercial pilots to succeed in business at Renton Airport.”

Renton Airport users have been making new plans this month as Renton’s only runway is shut down for ten hours every day.  Considering we’re at peak summer flying season, and World Cup travelers are already swarming nearby Boeing Field and Seatac Airport, this will undoubtedly be a disruptive closure for many pilots and airport businesses.  There will be similar closures August 3-16, and September 8-21.

The closures are scheduled to facilitate repavement of Taxiway Alpha.

I’ve heard that some airport users were not given advance notice about this closure.  Notably, it was NOT mentioned in the 38-page airport status presented to Renton City Council on March 9 even though it has a major impact on the 2026 operation of our airport.   Below is the notification on the City website.  Similar notifications can be found on the FAA website (which recieves inputs from airport managers).

This notification of runway closure posted on the FAA webpage was issued four days before the closure takes effect. Some airport users may not have received any earlier notice. This closure is especially burdensome for operators scheduling activities weeks in advance, as when running flight schools, selling tours, or scheduling flight club airplanes. (Note that 2100 in UTC time shown in the notice is 2:00 PM in Pacific Daylight Time)

Rabanco and Republic Services trash containers are double-stacked on flat cars parked next to Renton’s Gene Coulon Park.  Trash cars have been stored like this for the past year.

Last November I posted a blog entry about the derelict Park Avenue Buildings, and the comments drifted into discussion of the trash train parked next to Gene Coulon Park.  The train is composed of stored trash cars, which Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) has simply parked at the end of the rail line.  The end of the line happens to be next to our city’s flagship park ever since BNSF made a deal with the State DOT to close the Eastside Rail Line– the same deal that ended Renton’s Dinner Train.

This once-pristine section of trail is interrupted by views of the parked trash rail cars

For decades Gene Coulon Park has been known for its mile and a half of beautiful public lakefront, which conjures images of sensitive, well-protected shorelines like this.

But since last year, park visitors will be greeted by a trash train a couple hundred feet from Coulon’s shoreline.

First view many Coulon Park visitors get is the trash train stretching along much of the east edge of the park

This trail in Coulon Park is now dominated by the trash cars stored on the nearby railroad track; nearby residents are concerned that the trash cars are bringing rodents and flies

In addition to being unsightly, trash cars bring rodents and flies unless they are steam-cleaned between uses– which they almost certainly are not.  I’ve heard from Kennydale residents that report more rodents than they’ve seen in past years, and it is likely that these trash cars are contributing.

Below are my comments and reader comments on this topic from my blog post last fall, which still seem relevant today:

• Randy Corman
  November 18, 2025 at 8:34 pm | Permalink

  So frustrating, isn’t it? Just what our premier Renton Park needs… a garbage train stored next to it. Our Mayor and Council need to push back on this. BNSF is storing these garbage cars here using the argument that they are allowed to store cars anywhere they have a dead-end track, as if Renton planned a freight yard next to Coulon Park. But this is only a dead-end track because BNSF sold-out the Eastside Rail Line for a cash-grab of taxpayer money given to them by the State Department of Transportation over Renton objections. The State DOT and BNSF killed our Dinner Train in the process. The garbage train just adds insult to injury.

  

  Reply
  • Ben Johnson
    November 23, 2025 at 11:03 am | Permalink

    Checking the federal presumption situation, as a city we have almost no way of moving these cars directly. We do however have the ability to specify that biologically dangerous situations need to be fixed. If that means the rail cars will be moved, then this is just a happy side effect.

    Reply
• Marcie Palmer
  November 19, 2025 at 10:09 am | Permalink

  Those stinky garbage containers have been there a lot longer than a month! It’s been all summer. Yes, the mayor and council should push back BNSF, do you think they’ve even contacted anyone in all these months? Our city electeds will cry they’re the victims and nothing can be done because of big bad BNSF. At least TRY, let the community know what is going to be done. Or is this our new normal in Renton? sigh… (What do you want to bet they are gone by the time the FIFA soccer fans arrive??? THAT is the priority of our mayor.)

  Reply
  • Maggie
    November 21, 2025 at 1:03 pm | Permalink

    I guess the best we can hope for is that the World Cup doesn’t get rerouted. That might be the catalyst that gets the city to clean up the blight (and the garbage train)! Maybe we can convince the mayor that the FIFA will be here in January!

Golden hour in Coulon Park as the stored trash train glows in the sunset

Wildlife teems in Coulon Park a couple hundred feet from the parked trash train

A painter is applying a mural next to Renton’s Legacy Square today (Saturday, May 23)

Renton City Council has discussed the artwork for Legacy Square at several public meetings. In their last meeting on this topic  (May 4th), they still had not agreed on the murals for either the side of the church abuting Legacy Square or for the stage doors.

The City’s “In Case You Missed it” summary of the May 4th Council Meeting says: “Following up from the April COW, the Legacy Square artwork was included in the consent agenda. During the meeting, council pulled the item for discussion; during which Community Economic & Development Administrator Gina Estep provided an overview of the community engagement and Arts Commission process over the past year that led to the proposed design. After discussion, the council did not approve the artwork and requested additional community engagement and council input in the final design.”

I was therefore surprised to see a professional crew painting a mural at Legacy Square on the side of the church today at 1:00. I don’t think the public has been informed what to expect in this mural.  And  since this is a three-day holiday weekend, I presume some type of overtime pay is involved.

I checked Council records for the May 11 and May 18 Council Meetings, and didn’t spot any further votes about this artwork.  I suppose I could have missed them, but I also have not seen any public messaging about this artwork.

It looks like a different design than the one that was officially proposed after the RFP, artist selection, Arts Commission review, and public council debate.

If anyone knows what this artwork will be, or when/how it was approved, I would appreciate your sharing it in a comment.  Thank you!

This is the design that was proposed for this wall, and has been the subject of Council discussions. The discussions were covered in detail by the Renton Signal in this article here.

This design does not look like the dragon that the Council had been discussing. I’m not sure if the public has been given information about what this design will be.

On Monday I posted that Renton Mayor Pavone cast a controversial tie-breaking vote regarding the Tobin Street vacation; state law says that the votes of four council members are necessary to pass a vacation ordinance, and only three council members gave their support to proceed to the next step of the process.

The “For A Better Renton” organization has formally notified the city that they are challenging the legitimacy of the tie-breaking vote.  They’ve sent a letter to the Renton City Attorney, Renton elected officials, and staff.

They posted the letter on their Facebook page.  I’ve included a screenshot of their letter below.  (For background on this issue please see my Monday night blog post here.)