I was honored to attend Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the Sixth Street Corridor Improvement Project. Planning, building and maintaining a safe and efficient network of roadways equipped to handle our City’s vast level of growth is of paramount importance to me and my colleagues on the Kirkland City Council.
Having the ability to travel throughout the City with ease – whether walking, biking, driving or riding transit – is a key contributor to the quality of life of our residents and guests. Importantly, this project is in direct alignment with our goal of providing safer routes to school for students by serving our kids at Lakeview Elementary School with an improved sidewalk system.
The Sixth Street Corridor project is a shining example of infrastructure enhancements that serve our residents today and into the future. Not only did it repave the street, it vastly increased the capacity and the reliability of our water and sewer systems, with larger, more durable mainlines made from contemporary materials. Additionally, because this project combined multiple infrastructure improvements in the same project, we were able to use taxpayer dollars more efficiently.
Projects like the Sixth Street Corridor Improvement Project not only build capacity and enhance safety for Kirkland families, they make the City more accessible to all those who live, work and play here. I want to thank the community for its incredible patience as we worked to complete these improvements, particularly to our residents in the Everest neighborhood. I also want to acknowledge our City staff for their hard work to bring this project to fruition, and SRM for funding sidewalk improvements and a pair of four-way traffic signals as part of their mitigation for the development of the Google site in Kirkland.
Lastly, I want to invite you to join our ongoing efforts to enhance the reliability and accessibility of our transportation infrastructure. We are currently engaging community members in a civic conversation regarding Safer Routes to Schools. I hope that you will participate in this important community discussion.
Thank you for being engaged in our community.
Sincerely,
Mayor Penny Sweet
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The Community Safety Advisory Group (ComSAG) will begin meeting next week to review options to improve response times, keep stations seismically sound, and improve firefighter health and safety. The ComSAG will review investments to accomplish these goals such as fire station seismic renovation, expansion, additional firefighter staffing, potential training facilities, and funding mechanisms for a November 2020 ballot measure for Fire and Emergency Medical Services. The ComSAG's recommendation to the Council will be presented March of 2020. The group is chaired by Mayor Penny Sweet and is comprised of representatives from the Juanita neighborhood, Finn Hill, Evergreen Hill, Market, Highlands, N. Rose Hill, Moss Bay, Lakeview, S.Rose Hill/Bridle Trails, Kirkland Downtown Association, Northwest University, Kirkland Indivisible, Lake WA Institute of Technology, Google, Lake WA School District, Kirkland Interfaith Networks, Merrill Gardens, Kiwanis, KirklandSafe, Hopelink, Kirkland Business Roundtable, Evergreen Hospital, Houghton Community Council, Senior Council, Youth Council, and from the community at-large.
During their first meeting the ComSAG will learn about the operations of the Kirkland Fire Department including: staffing and deployment, station life and training, response times, and serving an evolving Kirkland. Community members that are interested in learning along with the ComSAG will be able to access materials online on the City website after the meetings.
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Saturday’s steady rainfall did nothing to dampen the spirits of Green Kirkland Day volunteers, who spent the drizzly day cheerfully engaged in habitat restoration efforts at five Kirkland parks.
Hosted by the City’s Green Kirkland Partnership and nonprofit partner EarthCorps, the fifth annual Green Kirkland Day took place Saturday, October 19, welcoming over 185 volunteers to North Rose Hill Woodlands, Watershed Park, Juanita Bay East, Edith Moulton and Rose Hill Meadows. Mayor Penny Sweet, Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold, Councilmembers Toby Nixon and Kelli Curtis, and Park Board Vice Chair Susan Baird-Joshi stopped by different events to express their gratitude to the hard-working teams of volunteers who happily spent the soggy Saturday planting native trees, shrubs and groundcovers, and spreading wood chip mulch.
“Events like these are part of the reason I love this community so much,” said Mayor Penny Sweet. “Thank you so much for being here and generously donating your time and your sweat equity.”
The Green Kirkland Partnership is an alliance between the City of Kirkland, nonprofit partners, local businesses and community volunteers dedicated to the restoration of the City’s 500-plus acres of natural areas. Since its inception in 2005, more than 120 acres have been transformed into active restoration sites, with nearly 48,000 native trees, shrubs and groundcovers planted.
Saturday’s Green Kirkland Day events helped establish new homes for hundreds of native plants.
Throughout the year, much of the Green Kirkland Partnership’s work is focused on the removal of nonnative species, which has saved more than 1,000 mature trees from invasive ivy. In total, Green Kirkland has welcomed over 27,000 volunteers who have donated nearly 110,000 hours to the City, at a value of over $2.5 million.
North Rose Hill Woodlands Park benefitted from the efforts of regular Green Kirkland Partnership volunteer group Ismaili Community Engaged-in Responsible Volunteering (ICERV), which brought an industrious team of around 15 workers. ICERV has been volunteering for the City since 2014 and has participated in several Earth Day restoration events.
“EarthCorps and leaders from the City of Kirkland welcomed our ICERV team with open arms and made us feel proud to be part of such an important restoration project,” said Tasnim Rehamani. “Even with the wide age range of our ICERV volunteer group, our EarthCorps guide Nikki did an amazing job of explaining the work we were going to be doing and making it interactive and fun! This helped give our volunteers a personal sense of satisfaction to know we were making a difference in our community.”
Each week we will provide an ongoing list of Kirkland’s capital projects that will impact traffic. Consider checking crowd sourced apps such as WAZE or other traffic apps before you drive. We will list new projects first.
CKC Headwall Trail Impacts
If you're traveling on the CKC Friday, October 25, you may encounter construction on the trail related to the CKC Headwall project. This will not be a full closure of the trail, however the trail will be reduced in width and flaggers will be directing travelers through the impacted area. City contractor, Dungeness Construction, plans to use a 30-foot section of the Cross Kirkland Corridor trail to blow topsoil onto the west slope. A flagger will usher the CKC’s travelers along the still-open half of the trail that traverses through the work zone. The contractor’s workers and equipment will consume about half the width of the trail until approximately 2 p.m. The contractor will place advance warning signs. This work may extend into the week of October 28.
Goat Hill Stormwater Upgrade
Kirkland’s maintenance crews will be closing a section of Northeast 116th Place between 91st Place Northeast and Northeast 117th Place on Friday, October 25, starting at 9 a.m. Crews estimate the work to take up to two hours. Local access will be maintained. A detour route will be in place to direct traffic around the work zone.
Commuters traveling along Juanita Drive should continue to expect traffic delays near Juanita Beach Park until early November while Kirkland’s contractor wraps up a vital upgrade to the Goat Hill stormwater system. Once completely installed, Grade Incorporated will repave the trench. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone, when necessary.
Sixth Street Improvements
The City of Kirkland celebrated the completion of the Sixth Street Corridor Improvement Project on Wednesday, October 23. The final phase of the project activated on October 22 the new signal at the intersection of Ninth Avenue South and Sixth Street South. This intersection now provides a controlled crossing for pedestrians, serving students attending Lakeview Elementary School.
Elementary School Walk Route Enhancements – Northeast 104th Street
Kirkland’s School Walk Routes contractor will continue directing traffic this week onto one lane of Northeast 104th Street, between 126th and 132nd avenues northeast. A-1 Landscaping and Construction will operate the lane-closure from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. while its crews build a new sidewalk that will enable Mark Twain Elementary School students to walk to school.
Totem Lake Gateway Project
Night construction continues until early November on the first in a series of infrastructure projects in Totem Lake. Marshbank Construction is closing one lane of Totem Lake Boulevard, just north of the intersection of Totem Lake Boulevard and Northeast 124th Street nightly through early November. Working hours are between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. The City of Kirkland is encouraging commuters to drive cautiously through the work zone. Once work on this series is complete in early November, work will be suspended until early spring. For more information on the Totem Lake Gateway Project, visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakegateway
Third Street Water Main Upgrade
Shoreline Construction crews are finishing up some of the last tasks on the Third Street water main upgrade. Shoreline is on schedule to complete the upgrade and pave Third Street by the end of October. Flaggers and detour signs will direct traffic around the work zone during road closures along Third Street. For more information, visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/thirdstreetwater.
124th Avenue Northeast Sidewalk
Kirkland’s project engineers expect Allied Construction to complete the new sidewalks along the west side of 124th Avenue Northeast, between Northeast 90th and 108th streets, by the end of October. The new sidewalk will create a continuous walkway between South Rose Hill and Totem Lake, after planned private development occurs. For more information, visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/124thavenue.
Looking for something fun and spooky to do to celebrate Halloween? We’ve got you! Kirkland offers everything from a lurching Zombie Wine Walk to downtown trick or treating to a brand-new family-friendly fall festival called Pumpkins in the Park! Check out our selection of local Halloween events here!
Pee Wee Monster Bash
The 2019 Pee Wee Monster Bash takes place 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, October 25 at the North Kirkland Community Center. Your tiny tykes will love our clever collection of kooky Halloween-themed carnival activities, including a cookie walk, swamp fishing for tasty treats, crafts, a monster movement maze, story time and more! Admission to this open house-style event is $15 and kooky costumes are welcome. Please leave your strollers at home so there’s more room for exploration and fun.
This event is aimed at preschoolers age one through five. Toy prizes will be awarded to all attendees! Register online.
Kirkland Zombie Wine Walk
This week brings Kirkland’s famous Zombie Wine Walk! Hosted by the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce, the Kirkland Downtown Association and Seattle Uncorked, the Kirkland Zombie Wine Walk takes place 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, October 25. This 21-and-over event features sips from local wineries, hosted by downtown Kirkland businesses. Start at the Heathman Hotel and make your way throughout Kirkland’s gorgeous downtown core while enjoying this vibrant wine tasting experience at numerous downtown shops, galleries and boutiques.
Remember, don’t be a ghoul! Drink responsibly by grabbing a room at the Heathman Hotel or appointing a superhero to be your designated driver. Tickets to the Kirkland Zombie Wine Walk are available online.
Pumpkins in the Park and Trick or Treating at participating merchants in downtown Kirkland
Pumpkins in the Park is a brand new, family-friendly event set right in the heart of Kirkland! Come and join the Kirkland Downtown Association’s (KDA) Halloween festivities from 12 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 26, in Kirkland’s Marina Park. This fall harvest festival offers a pumpkin patch, hay maze, a pop-up farmers market, carnival games, goats, food and a costume contest. Pumpkins in the Park is free and fun for the whole family! Trick or treating begins in downtown Kirkland starting at 3 p.m. See you there!
For more information about Pumpkins in the Park, visit the KDA Facebook page.
Halloween Scavenger Hunt at Bridle Trails State Park
Join the Bridle Trails Park Foundation for its third annual Halloween Scavenger Hunt from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, October 26! This fun, free adventure features a one-mile scavenger hunt and Halloween hike, Halloween treats for all and a photo booth with a miniature horse. Come and meet our state parks interpretive specialist, who will be on hand to reveal some "creepy" animal specimens! This is a free community event! A Washington State Discover Pass is required to park in the main Bridle Trails State Park parking lot.
Bridle Trails State Park is located at 5300 116th Ave. N.E. in south Kirkland. Tickets available online.
Trick or Treating at participating merchants in downtown Kirkland
Gather up your favorite monsters and superheroes and head down to Kirkland’s vibrant downtown core at 4 p.m. on Thursday, October 31, for trick or treating at local participating businesses! Visit the KDA Facebook page for more information.
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Help clear invasive plants on the Cross Kirkland Corridor
Monday, October 28, 9 to 11 a.m.
NE 112th Street
Help clear invasive plants such as holly, ivy, blackberry, and laurel that are taking over the corridor and choking out native trees and shrubs. Volunteers meet two Mondays a month. Please RSVP to ckctrailvolunteers@gmail.com.
What should you bring?
- Water to drink (note that there are no bathrooms available)
- Wear long pants, long sleeves, sturdy traction boots or shoes (ground may be uneven or slippery)
- Leather gloves if you have them (extras available)
- Tools provided
- Due to site conditions this event is not suitable for unaccompanied volunteers younger than 18 years old
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Volunteers needed for CERT Drill
Saturday, November 2, 7:45 a.m to 1:30 p.m.
Kirkland City Hall
The City’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is seeking volunteers for its 2019 disaster drill! This dynamic event is meant to realistically simulate what would happen during a devastating earthquake, allowing CERT members to engage in search and rescue efforts as they work to uncover injured “victims.” CERT members will transport “survivors” to a staged triage area for injury stabilization and treatment, where they’ll practice dressing wounds and providing medical assistance.
Volunteers are needed to portray earthquake victims, complete with fake wounds using special effects makeup in order to add a sense of realism to the drill.
Volunteers must be at least 14 years old to participate and minors must have permission from a parent or guardian. This event takes place at Kirkland City Hall, at 123 5th Ave. Lunch and refreshments will be served. To register as a CERT disaster drill volunteer, please visit: https://2019certdrill.eventbrite.com. For more information, please email: kirklandem@kirklandwa.gov or visit the Office of Emergency Management page on the City website.
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