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Road Services
Work on Vashon’s Judd Creek Bridge is now finished
This busy bridge on Vashon Highway SW has new bearings, new concrete support systems, and a new expansion joint that lets it bend and flex with temperature changes and heavy truck traffic.
The three-week closure needed for this work was difficult for drivers and residents, but their patience and the kindness they showed to on-site workers was much appreciated.
Learn more about this bridge project on the Road Services website
Photo: Crews work to secure rebar in place for the bridge’s new concrete support systems.
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Four Creeks Ranch Bridge
Sunny weather is paving weather for King County's Road Services Division. During a balmy stretch in late April, crews paved the short Four Creeks Ranch Bridge (also known as the Four Creeks Bridge). This finished up a five-month project to spruce up the bridge with new planks, new support systems, and a new pedestrian path as well as fresh asphalt. This bridge will provide a way in and out of this beautiful area for decades.
 Photo: Two stages of the Four Creeks Ranch Bridge rehabilitation project.
Repaving roads this summer
Road Services planners are busy putting their summer paving schedule together. This year, they’ll focus on some of King County’s busiest roads—the ones that lead to and from state highways—and they're planning projects in all parts of the county.
Once the plans for 2021 are complete, they'll be posted on the county's Road Resurfacing web page. The new driving surfaces put down this year should last 12-15 years.
24/7 Road Helpline
Call Road Services for help with road maintenance and traffic safety issues in unincorporated King County (like downed stop signs, traffic signals that aren't working, or trees over the roadway)—24 hours a day: 206‑477‑8100 or toll-free at 1‑800‑KC‑ROADS, or send email.
You can also visit the King County Road Services website or follow Road Services on Twitter @kcroads.
Local Services
Join us for “Local Lunch” on Fridays
King County Local Services is here to help connect people in unincorporated communities with government services.
Join us every Friday during the noon hour to share questions or comments, ask for help, or just to chat. These informal meetings are virtual for now (see our home page for information on how to join), but we plan to keep them going in person after the pandemic is over.
You can also send us questions, comments, or requests by email or call us at 206‑477‑3800.
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Natural Resources & Parks
Free in-depth webinars on noxious weeds to be offered in May
Are you ready to take a deep dive into the identification, impacts, and control methods for noxious weeds? Check out these free half-day webinars from King County's Noxious Weed Control Program. Topics include how to control weeds without chemicals, how to use chemicals safely, and control tips for tough weed species.
King County Noxious Weed Control Webinar – Part 1 – Afternoon Session
May 5, 12:30 – 4:00 pm
Free tickets on Eventbrite
King County Noxious Weed Control Webinar – Part 2 – Morning Session
May 12, 8:00 am – 12:30 pm
Free tickets on Eventbrite
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Coming in early June: free webinar on how to get rid of invasive knotweed
Knotweed is one of the most challenging noxious weeds to control. Join the county's knotweed control experts for a free webinar that will give you the knowledge and skills to manage this tough plant.
Participants will qualify to borrow knotweed injectors to treat knotweed on their own property.
Invasive Knotweed Biology and Control Webinar
June 2, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Free tickets on Eventbrite
June 10, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Free tickets on Eventbrite
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Tell King County about stormwater drainage problems in the Skyway-West Hill area
King County is offering two opportunities to provide feedback about stormwater drainage problems in your area:
1. ONLINE SURVEY April 20–May 21
Take a short online survey to tell King County where you're seeing stormwater drainage problems such as ponding, erosion, and oil sheens. The survey is offered in multiple languages, including Spanish and Vietnamese.
Please follow the link above any time during the four-week survey period and share your information. Your input will help identify future stormwater management projects for the Skyway-West Hill area.
2. ONLINE COMMUNITY MEETING Tuesday, May 4, 2021 6-7 p.m.
The project team will share information about the study, allow time for questions, and gather comments on the stormwater problems in your community. The meeting will be recorded and posted on the project website (see link below) for those who are unable to attend.
Learn more on the project website
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Volunteer to help out at your local park!
Join the King County Parks Volunteer Program to help out your local park! The Parks Division leads community members in high-quality service experiences in our parks and on our trails to connect people to these special places and engage them in the care and stewardship of our public lands.
The program and its partners lead hundreds of events, year-round: restoring habitat, improving parks, building and maintaining trails...and just plain enjoying the outdoors.
They weave environmental education into every event to make for a rewarding and productive day in the park. Learn more at Volunteer - King County.
Spotlight event: Lake Geneva Park nature walks
May 13, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. (Auburn/East Federal Way)
Join a one-hour nature walk at Lake Geneva Park. This new monthly offering is part nature walk, part exploration of topics ranging from local history to plant identification. Each month, Parks will focus on a way to connect to this gem of a local park. Bring yourself, your family and your friends. This is our first foray into an event focused solely on enjoying and getting to know a great park. Learn more and sign up at https://pg-cloud.com/KingCountyParks.
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Emergency Management
Wildfire season started early, but it's not too late to prepare
Thanks to a long stretch of warm, dry days in April, there have already been a handful of wildfires in King County. Flames can cause millions of dollars in damage, not to mention the health hazard posed by wildfire smoke. If you live in an area that's vulnerable to wildfires, now is a good time to take steps to prepare.
Visit kingcounty.gov/wildfire to learn more about this growing threat, and follow the hashtag #KingCountyReady on Twitter for more preparedness tips and information.
Animal Services
Love your pets? License them!
Regional Animal Services of King County works hard every day to protect pets and people in the county's unincorporated areas. One of the best ways you can support this vital work is to license your dog or cat.
Your license fees help fund the care of shelter animals until they find their forever homes. Also, licensed pets are more likely to be reunited with their owners if they become lost.
Now through June 30, you can buy a new pet license or renew an expired license and your late fees will be waived.
You can license online at kingcounty.gov/licensemypet or call 206‑296‑2712 for information. Interpreter services are available.
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Community & Human Services
Requesting proposals for remote access from rural food banks pilot
The King County Department of Community and Human Services is now accepting applications to fund food banks in rural areas of King County to operate as centralized points of access where residents can:
» Learn what human services are available to meet their needs
» Connect to service providers
» Potentially receive direct support or assistance
Funding and guidance will be provided by the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy (VSHSL) and the VSHSL Implementation Plan.
Successful applicants will:
- Use technology to serve as a centralized information and access point for regional health and human services that benefit vulnerable populations in King County
- Provide outreach and needs assessments to food bank participants in order to best connect them to services
- Connect, as appropriate, food bank participants to county service systems that may include the King County Veterans Program, VSHSL-funded behavioral health crisis prevention programs, and/or senior centers that are part of a VSHSL Senior Hub, among others.
- Connect food bank participants to regional health and humans services providers, including those that may provide assistance with food; social engagement or connectivity; health promotion programming; housing; reentry supports; utilities; child care; employment; job training; medical, dental, and health care services; etc.
Available funding: Up to $918,348 in VSHSL funds
Investment period: August 1, 2021 – December 31, 2023 (subject to change)
Questions: Contact N`dia Prettyman at npretty@kingcounty.gov
Applications due: June 2, 2021 by 11:59 pm
>> APPLY NOW <<
Public Health
Three young artists sought to design limited-edition ORCA fare cards to celebrate new RapidRide lines
Is your organization looking to secure, acquire, or improve a cultural space or historic place in Unincorporated King County?
A Building for Equity: Capacity-Building grant can help you meet your long-term facility needs. Apply by May 28.
Learn more about this opportunity and how to apply on the 4Culture website.
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NOTE: Although public meetings have been canceled, here's a list of community councils and associations that serve King County's unincorporated Community Service Areas, including their usual (or most recent) meeting sites and contact information where applicable.
:: Community Alliance to Reach Out and Engage
Lord of Life Lutheran Church
12819 160th Avenue SE, Renton
See blog for the latest information and to confirm meetings.
:: Enumclaw Plateau Community Association
Headworks Brewing
1110 Marshall Avenue, Enumclaw
Monthly meetings are open to the public, and may feature guest speakers in addition to community reports and information from a variety of local organizations. For more information contact Nancy Merrill.
:: Fall City Community Association
Fall City Fire Station
4301 334th Place SE, Fall City
The Fall City Community Association promotes building of community, proactively communicates on local issues, and takes action on selected issues that affect the Fall City community. Open to the public. For more information, visit fallcity.org or email Angela Donaldson.
:: Four Creeks Unincorporated Area Council
Eastside Fire & Rescue Station 78
20720 SE May Valley Road, Issaquah
Visit the website for the latest information and to confirm meeting dates and locations.
:: Greater Maple Valley Unincorporated Area Council
Monday, May 3, 7-9:30 p.m.—Zoom meeting (virtual)
Rescheduled from last month: Guest speaker will be Rory O’Rourke, Health and Environmental Investigator with Public Health’s Environmental Health Services Division. Mr. O’Rourke will provide an update on solid waste facilities in the Maple Valley area. Visit the website for the latest information and to confirm meetings.
:: Green Valley/Lake Holm Association Meeting
The Green Valley/Lake Holm Association advocates for citizens who live in unincorporated southeast King County. Primary goals are to maintain the community’s unique historic, agricultural, and rural character; protect the environment; and sustain quality of life in the area. We engage regularly with local government agencies to address concerns and influence policies on topics of mutual interest, such as growth and development, transportation, public safety, and flood control. Stay connected by visiting their website and/or Facebook page.
:: Skywest Tool Library
Skyway Water and Sewer office
6723 S 124th Street, Seattle
Join the SkyWest Tool Library Monthly Meeting to learn more about helping to start a new tool library in Skyway. The purpose of the library will be to share ideas, teach, learn, and borrow tools and more. Contact the library on Facebook.
:: North Highline Unincorporated Area Council
North Highline Fire District
1243 SW 112th Street, White Center
(Parking and entrance are in the back of the station)
Monthly board meetings are open to the public and often feature guest speakers in addition to community reports and information from local organizations. For more information, email Liz Giba.
:: Upper Bear Creek Community Council
Woodinville Library
17105 Avondale Road NE, Woodinville
Visit the website or Facebook page for the latest information and to confirm meetings.
:: Vashon Chamber of Commerce First Tuesday Networking
Vashon Chamber of Commerce
17141 Vashon Highway SW, Vashon
Contact: discover@vashonchamber.com.
:: Vashon-Maury Island Community Council
Regular virtual meetings on third Mondays, 7-9 p.m.
Visit the website for info on how to attend, or see the Facebook page.
An all-volunteer nonprofit that operates as a participatory, nonpartisan forum, sometimes called "town meeting." This council aims to represent the interests of the Vashon-Maury Island community, comply with the spirit of the open public meetings act in all operations, be a strong advocate for island issues at all levels of government (local, county, state, and federal) and other entities, and seek out and consider all sides of issues affecting Vashon and Maury islands while striving for equity and fairness. Community meeting minutes, including videos of the meetings, are posted on the website, or you can subscribe on the website to receive them by email.
:: West Hill Community Association
PO Box 78583
Seattle, WA 98178
An all-volunteer nonprofit committed to creating a more equitable, engaged, informed, and vibrant Skyway-West Hill community through frequent information sharing, effective advocacy, placemaking and beautification projects, and popular local events.
Reach out to them via email for more information about their public monthly board meetings (currently on Zoom) or for any other questions. You can also connect via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or sign up for their email newsletter. Access local stories and an events calendar on their website.
Last month the Department of Local Services posted applications for the county's new Community Investment Committee, a community-based committee that will decide how to spend more than $10 million in urban unincorporated King County.
This pilot project will give residents of these areas an opportunity to make decisions about how public funds are spent in their communities. It grew out of community engagement the county did in the wake of social unrest after the murder of George Floyd, with the goal of strengthening our urban unincorporated communities—particularly historically disadvantaged communities of color.
Local Services staff members are working with representatives from our five urban unincorporated communities to finalize the committee's membership, Once that is done the committee will begin developing the decision-making and community engagement processes it will use to decide how to spend the funds. Local Services staffers will provide logistical and technical assistance to the committee, but it will be the communities themselves that decide how funds should be spent.
I'm excited about this effort, and hope it will inform the broader work that King County Local Services is doing across unincorporated King County to develop Community Need Lists that will guide how county agencies develop the county's next biennial budget. (Learn more about Community Needs Lists here, or share your thoughts about your own community's needs.)
The Department of Local Services was created to provide greater transparency for county government, and to give the people in unincorporated areas a greater say in decision-making that affects them. As we enter our third year of existence as a King County department, this participatory budgeting work with the Community Investment Committee is an important tangible step we're taking to realize that vision.
Director’s Corner is a column from John Taylor, the director of King County Local Services. To contact John, email AskLocalServices@kingcounty.gov or call 206-477-3800 (Relay 711; language interpreters available).
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