With every new development proposed, or ribbon-cutting we attend, we’re often asked, “What about traffic?” It’s understandable. Ninety percent of residents work outside of Kirkland. Ninety-two percent of Kirkland workers commute from outside our city. As we grow, we have to provide options so that each new job doesn’t mean additional cars on our streets.
As Sound Transit develops their third-phase package (ST3) for voters in November, our goal is to ensure Kirkland is well-served by transit as we grow. We have to connect to the regional system, serve employment centers directly, and look for opportunities to address north-south congestion (“the Kirkland crawl”).
BRT to Totem Lake and Northeast 85th Street, with downtown connection
The proposed ST3 package makes progress towards those goals. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on I-405 connects Totem Lake with service every ten minutes and supports EvergreenHealth, the redevelopment of Totem Lake mall, and our overall growth strategy. The inline station at 85th includes bus lanes connecting to Kirkland Urban and downtown. BRT serves development underway and areas already ripe for more transit.
Preserving options for the Cross Kirkland Corridor
Sound Transit has decided that ST3 will not build bus rapid transit or light rail on the Cross Kirkland Corridor.
We have had a broad community discussion and considered many options for north-south transit on the corridor alongside an improved, paved trail as envisioned in our Cross Kirkland Corridor Master Plan. Proposals that the Council put forward advanced our trails+transit vision, balanced with concerns we heard from residents. Given the short time frame before the Sound Transit board has to finalize the ST3 package, time has run out before we could agree on the best transit and alignment for Kirkland. Similar discussions took years in other communities.
Recently, a Save Our Trail representative offered comment wanting “No transit, no study, not now, not ever” on the corridor. We cannot say now that we will do nothing for the next 25 to 40 years. Instead, we need to continue this dialogue and develop solutions. ST3 includes a study of alternatives finding the appropriate alignment through Kirkland (looking both on and off the corridor), considering different transit modes, and examining environmental impacts and ways to address community concerns.
Opportunity for Light Rail to south Kirkland
Light rail construction is underway in Bellevue, funded by a 2008 Sound Transit vote. ST3 proposes to connect light rail to downtown Redmond and Issaquah. A majority of the Kirkland Council is supporting Sound Transit’s suggested concept to extend light rail to the South Kirkland Park and Ride from Bellevue. We hope it is included in the final ST3 package. Light rail to South Kirkland would connect us to the regional system with fast, reliable service to Bellevue, Redmond, and Seattle. The station would serve an existing transit hub, and includes an expansion of parking capacity. Pedestrian and bike connections on the Cross Kirkland Corridor trail would further feed riders to the system.
Growing with grace
Kirkland has seen significant growth in the last 25 years. Thanks to the wise planning and smart investments since then, we have grown with grace. As we look at our anticipated growth over the next 25 years, transit is a key investment toward maintaining our quality of life. Let’s connect Kirkland to both bus rapid transit and the regional light rail system in ST3.
Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold, Councilmember Penny Sweet and Councilmember Doreen Marchione of Kirkland’s Planning & Economic Development Committee.
