Kirkland city officials to host update on Sound Transit 3 candidate projects

The city of Kirkland is hosting a second community update on high capacity transit candidate projects that are being considered by Sound Transit as part of the ST3 ballot measure.

December 30, 2015 1:28 pm
City of Kirkland
City of Kirkland

The city of Kirkland is hosting a second community update on high capacity transit candidate projects that are being considered by Sound Transit as part of the ST3 ballot measure. The city’s public event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Jan. 11 at the Lake Washington Institute of Technology, 11605 132nd Ave. NE, Room W404. Sound Transit officials will present basic information regarding three candidate projects that propose high capacity transit to serve Kirkland:

• Candidate Project E-02/Bus Rapid Transit on I-405 in the Express Toll Lane from Lynnwood to Renton

• Candidate Project E-03/Light Rail Transit along the Eastside Rail Corridor from Kirkland/Totem Lake to Issaquah via Bellevue; and

• Candidate Project E-06/Bus Rapid Transit on the Eastside Rail Corridor from Kirkland to Bellevue.

City officials will share its analysis of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) proposal on the Cross Kirkland Corridor (Candidate Project E-06.) The informational presentation will be given at 6:30 to 7:30 and repeated from 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. City and Sound Transit staff will be available to answer questions in Room W401 throughout the event.

The city is analyzing how high capacity transit could be designed to address concerns expressed by the Kirkland community such as access to the CKC, safety, noise, protecting sensitive areas and ensuring safety on the CKC. The city also analyzed how BRT on I-405 could be designed to address basic access issues. General findings will be presented during the two informational presentations. Sound Transit’s analysis of all of the candidate ST3 projects can be found at www.soundtransit3.org and select “Shaping ST3.”

On Dec. 4, 2015, Sound Transit released its analysis and project templates for each ST3 Candidate Project and is seeking technical input from the City of Kirkland regarding the three candidate projects located in Kirkland by Jan. 21. The Kirkland City Council will be discussing its response letter to Sound Transit at its Jan. 5 and Jan. 19 regular meetings.

For background on the city’s outreach efforts, go to www.kirklandwa.gov/ST3. For specific questions, please email ST3questions@kirklandwa.gov or contact the Public Works Department at 425-587-3800.

Through March 2016, Sound Transit will continue to develop its Draft System Plan and will initiate a public involvement process in April 2016. The Sound Transit Board of Directors will approve the Final System Plan in June 2016 that will be presented to regional voters in the November 2016 General Election.