Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, often abbreviated to MLK Boulevard, is a thoroughfare in southeast Raleigh. Named for the famous civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is arguably the main thoroughfare in Raleigh's historic South Park neighborhood.
Route Description
MLK Boulevard begins at an interchange with South Dawson and South McDowell streets as a continuation of Western Boulevard. The four (or five)-lane road travels due east along the south side of Downtown Raleigh, connecting to Shaw University, the Little Rock Branch Greenway, John Chavis Memorial Park, and the Dr. Martin King Jr. Memorial Gardens. MLK is surrounded by predominantly residential development, with the only instance of retail being at Raleigh Boulevard. The physical roadway makes several curves, ending with a southbound merge onto Poole Road.
