On Friday, April 13, Kirkland will realize a vision for a trail and transit corridor that has been decades in the making when the land purchase of 5.75 miles of the Eastside Rail Corridor by the City of Kirkland from the Port of Seattle will be final.

Purchase of the Cross Kirkland Corridor ensures that the land will stay in public ownership and all future decisions about developing this corridor will be made by Kirkland residents and elected officials. City officials invite the public to a special dedication ceremony on Saturday, April 14.  Kirkland City Council members will be unveiling “Welcome to the Cross Kirkland Corridor” signs at the north end and south end of the corridor and will host a reception with the Port of Seattle at Google, 747 Sixth St. South, at 11 a.m.

The first sign unveiling will occur at 10 a.m. near the tracks located at Slater Avenue N.E./132nd Avenue N.E.; parking is available in the business complex adjacent to the tracks. The second unveiling will occur at 10:30 a.m. near the tracks at 108th Ave. N.E.; parking is available at the South Kirkland Park and Ride.

The reception will be held in the outdoor courtyard at Google and Mayor Joan McBride will present Port of Seattle officials with a ceremonial check in the amount of $5 million. Public parking is available onsite. For more information, visit www.kirklandwa.gov/crosskirklandcorridor.

“The corridor purchase is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all current and future generations of Kirkland residents because of its connectivity to schools, parks, businesses, and neighborhoods,” noted McBride. “Kirkland is one of the most livable communities in the region and the corridor will bring great benefits to those who live, work, and visit here.”

The Eastside Rail Corridor stretches along 44 miles of existing rail line between Renton and Snohomish.

The Cross Kirkland Corridor traverses through the city from the south in the Yarrow Bay Business District to the city’s northern boundary in the Totem Lake Business District. The Port of Seattle, which acquired the entire corridor from Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway in 2009, agreed to sell the 5.75 “Kirkland Segment” to the city in December 2011. The city has completed its due diligence study and the transaction is set to be complete on April 13.

In the coming months, the city’s Transportation Commission will develop a master plan for the corridor through a public involvement process.