Framework for Kirkland to Become a Safe, Inclusive and Welcoming Community 

The City Council continued their discussion of Resolution R-5434: Affirming that Black Life Matter and Approving the Framework for Kirkland to Become a Safe, Inclusive and Welcoming Community Through Actions to Improve the Safety and Respect of Black People in Kirkland and Help End Structural Racism by Partnering with Those Most Affected.

The draft framework is available on the City website. 

A final Resolution will be brought back for discussion at the August 4 City Council meeting.

Fire and Emergency Medical Services Ballot Measure

The Kirkland City Council took final legislative action to place the ballot measure related to Fire and Emergency Medical Services on the November 3, 2020 general election ballot.

After months of discussion, extensive review by a community safety advisory group, and community outreach, the Council determined that though it is a very difficult time to ask for additional funding, it was important to move forward with the ballot measure. Their decision was guided by input from the community, public safety needs, the importance of improving emergency response times and the current and potential future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More information on the potential Fire and Emergency Medical Services ballot measure is available on the City website. You can also watch the discussion at last night's Council meeting.

Since it first hit our community on February 28, COVID-19 has been a rapidly evolving situation requiring close monitoring and the ability to quickly adapt to new health and safety protocols as guided by county and state public health agencies. With the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases across the state, we wanted to provide our community with an update on things the City is doing to help keep our residential and business communities safe, along with the most recent information from the Governor’s Office.   

Updates from the Governor’s Office

At the end of June, Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health John Wiesman issued a statewide mandatory face covering order that currently remains in effect. As such, individuals are prohibited from entering a place of business without wearing a face covering, and businesses may not conduct in-person business with a customer in a public setting unless that person is wearing a face covering. There are specific exemptions, include those with certain medical conditions and children under two, and individuals may remove face coverings while eating or drinking at a restaurant.

In response to the continued increase of COVID-19 cases in Washington, there is an order that bans live entertainment across the state and reduces Phase 3 guidelines for social gatherings from 50 to 10 people. The order, which went into effect on Monday, July 20, implements a statewide prohibition on indoor and outdoor live entertainment, including drive-in concerts, comedy clubs and music in restaurants. King County is currently in Phase 2, and as of July 2, all phasal advancements are halted.  

For more information about face coverings and other orders, visit the Governor’s webpage.
 

100th Avenue Northeast Closure

A short section of 100th Avenue Northeast, just south of its intersection with Simonds Road, remains closed until Aug. 13.

The all-day, all-night closure allows Kirkland’s contractor to replace the three-decade-old Cedar Creek culvert with a new 10-foot-wide, by eight-foot-tall concrete box culvert.

The new culvert will open nearly a mile of upstream habitat to trout, Coho and other salmon. It will also provide enough space for the 100th Avenue Northeast Roadway Improvement Project.

This future project will add two more automotive lanes, sidewalks and sidewalk-level bicycle lanes on both sides of the street between Northeast 139th and 145th streets.

The City is strongly encouraging commuters to use the official detour route—Northeast 145th Street, Juanita-Woodinville Road—while 100th Avenue Northeast is closed. To ensure drivers don’t speed through Juanita’s neighborhoods, the Kirkland Police Department is patrolling the neighborhood roads that connect 100th Avenue Northeast to Juanita-Woodinville Road.

Kirkland is promoting the detour route on the electronic reader boards, in the project flyer and on a pair of community signs its staff installed at the project’s limits. Additionally, Kirkland’s staff members will monitor the area during the closure, and if patrol emphasis is warranted, they will coordinate with the police department.

Visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/100thavedesign

Cross Kirkland Corridor Mowing

The Cross Kirkland Corridor remains open to the public this week while Kirkland’s maintenance staff mows the grass and clears brush along the trail.

Trail users, however, may experience delays as they encounter the work crews, who are working from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The crews started at the south end of the corridor and have been working toward Northeast 124th Street in Totem Lake.

Visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/ckc

Neighborhood Safety Program Drivers should expect minor traffic delays at six locations this month while Kirkland’s contractor implements the 2019 Neighborhood Safety Program. NPM Construction is improving safety on Houghton’s 108th Avenue Northeast, Lakeview’s Lakeview Drive, North Rose Hill’s Slater Avenue, Norkirk’s Northeast 87th Street, Juanita’s Northeast 120th Street, and Kingsgate’s Northeast 132nd Street.

Visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/nsp 

Totem Lake

Drivers will continue to have access to one northbound and one southbound lane on Totem Lake Boulevard between Northeast 124th Street and 120th Avenue Northeast until September, when Kirkland’s contractor expects to complete the Totem Lake Gateway project.

Visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakegateway or www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlake

108th Avenue Northeast

Drivers should continue to expect minor traffic impacts this month on 108th Avenue Northeast while a Kirkland contractor upgrades an aging water and sewer main along the north-to-south arterial.

Marshbank Construction is replacing the two systems—both more than five decades old—to increase their capacities to serve Kirkland’s growing population and to reduce the systems’ needs for maintenance.

That need is most urgent in the sewer line, which runs from Northeast 68th Street to Northeast 53rd Street. Settling soil has created a sag in the sewer line, allowing sewage to accumulate there and requiring maintenance crews to periodically flush the line.

The contractor is also replacing the water main between Northeast 68th and 60th streets.

Marshbank expects to complete the upgrades by spring of 2021. 

Visit: www.kirklandwa.gov/108thavewatersewer