The Puget Sound Regional Council recognized an innovative effort to integrate transportation and housing by presenting the Council’s 2015 VISION 2040 Award to Kirkland’s South Kirkland Park and Ride Transit Oriented Development project.
The award, presented at the October 20 meeting of the Kirkland County Council, honors outstanding real-life examples of how the region is achieving its ambitious vision for growing wisely and creating great quality of life in all the region’s communities.
”This successful completion of a transit oriented development at the South Kirkland Park and Ride highlights the value of public and private partners working together to meet the needs of our respective communities,” said Kirkland Mayor Amy Walen. “Kirkland is extremely pleased to be recognized for its role in creating a mixed use project that incorporates sustainable development, walkability and connections to transit and trails.”
“This project is exemplary in hitting multiple goals of increased low income and affordable housing, access to transit, reduced carbon footprints and the opportunity for recreation by being located next to walking and biking trails on the Cross Kirkland Corridor,” said King County Council Vice Chair Jane Hague.
“The South Kirkland TOD is an excellent example of a regional partnership that resulted in a beautiful and affordable community with efficient connections to transit, trails, and employment centers,” said PSRC’s Executive Director Josh Brown.
In 2015, the South Kirkland Park and Ride Transit Oriented Development (TOD) was completed and occupied. The final project consists of:
· A new three-story 530 stall King County Metro parking garage,
· Renovation of the existing surface parking lot including bike storage and EV charging stations,
· Enhanced transit access with a new bus loading area,
· 182 new market-rate housing units and 61 affordable housing units.
Hague nominated the project for the award, which recognizes the collaborative efforts of Polygon Northwest, Imagine Housing, King County the Cities of Kirkland and Bellevue, and A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH).
Brown presented the award to Walen, Bellevue Mayor Claudia Balducci, ARCH Program Manager Arthur Sullivan, Executive Director Chris Jowell of Imagine Housing and Gary Prince, TOD Manager, King County. Former Kirkland mayor and current State Rep. Joan McBride, who was a champion of the project while on the Kirkland City Council, also participated.
