We’re in for several more cold days, with snow in the overnight forecast and sustained freezing temperatures heading into the weekend. We appreciate the patience of our community as we work through this winter storm system. Our crews are already out working hard to clear our priority route streets and prepare for additional snowfall anticipated overnight. Per our Snow Response Plan, our crews focus first on the “lifeline” routes in and around Evergreen Hospital, some fire stations, the Kirkland Justice Center, and freeway interchanges in the Totem Lake area as their top priority. They then move to the remaining arterial streets throughout the city, then onto collector streets as they are able. 

For sustained freezing temperatures like we have been experiencing, we approach road treatment in stages. Our crews have been mindful of changing conditions throughout the days and nights, and they adapt their approach to provide the best roadway conditions as possible given the micro-conditions they are in. Our goal is to get down to pavement, but plowing down to pavement is not always possible due to the presence of thicker ice. Intermediate steps of applying sand and salt are often how we get there.

Even if your neighborhood street hasn’t been plowed, please don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1 if you are experiencing an emergency. Our police and fire first responders are actively responding to calls, and they get assistance from our Public Works crews if needed to reach you.

We approach every event with the utmost dedication to helping keep our community safe, and we take our responsibility before, during, and after events very seriously. We have deployed all available resources in alignment with the City’s Snow Response Plan, and we appreciate the dedication and commitment of our crews.

Please continue to be prepared if you need to go out and stay aware of conditions. Here is some important information to keep in mind for the next few days:

➡️ If you’re able to do so, consider staying home until the roads are clear and safe for traveling, or consider using public transportation. Visit the King County Metro website for more information on bus service during inclement weather.  

➡️ If you do need to go out, the most up-to-date info on road closures can be found in the newsroom on our homepage.  

➡️ And check street conditions with the City’s nearly 30 real-time traffic cameras, accessed here. 

➡️ If you’ve been out and about in your vehicle, please park in your driveway or garage to give our snow plow crews and first responders access to the street. If a vehicle blocks snow and ice response activities, police may utilize towing services to clear roads of these vehicles.  To check if Kirkland Police removed your vehicle, contact the NORCOM dispatch non-emergency number at 425-577-5656.

➡️ In Kirkland, it’s the property owner's responsibility to clear the sidewalks next to or in front of their home or business.

➡️ If you are experiencing an emergency, don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1.  Our police and fire first responders are actively responding to calls, and they get assistance from our Public Works crews if needed to reach you.

Puget Sound Energy:

To report a power outage or view the power outage map, download the PSE app or visit the PSE website, or call Puget Sound Energy at 1-888-225-5773.  For tree issues on or near power lines, contact PSE at 1-888-225-5773 to report.

Waste Management:

Track WM Service Alerts for Kirkland here: https://servicealerts.wmnorthwest.com/kirkland/  

Stay Informed:

The most important thing you can do is stay informed and arm yourself with information.

➡️ For road conditions beyond Kirkland: WSDOT Twitter @wsdot_traffic 

➡️ Updated weather warnings from the National Weather Service Seattle office at: National Weather Service Seattle Twitter @NWSSeattle 

➡️ Important information from the City will continue to be posted on our website. 

Thanks, and continue to be stay safe out there, Kirkland!

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority is maintaining a list of warming centers located throughout King County, including in Kirkland and Bellevue, and can be found on the KCRHA website.

Current open warming centers in Kirkland and the surrounding area include:

• Peter Kirk Community Center, 352 Kirkland Ave
• The Sophia Way Helen’s Place, 8045 120th Ave NE, Suite 200
• The Sophia Way Sophia’s Place (women or women with children only), 3030 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue
• New Bethlehem Place, 8045 120th Ave NE, Suite 100

The Kirkland City Council’s next meeting takes place Tuesday, January 4, 2021 via Zoom. The regular business meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. and is preceded by a 5:30 p.m. study session. The agenda for the January 4 meeting will be available on the City website prior to the meeting at: Kirkland City Council agendas. You can also receive meeting agendas in your inbox by subscribing to City Council Agendas on the Kirkland email lists subscription page. Please note: City Council meetings will remain virtual until further notice.

More ways to watch!  Kirkland City Council meetings are streamed live on the City of Kirkland Facebook page and the City YouTube channel, in addition to the livestream on the City website. Meetings are also televised on Comcast Cable Channel 21 and Ziply Cable Channel 31.

Here are a few highlights from the upcoming meeting agenda:

Study Session: Draft Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Five Year Roadmap: The Council will be discussing the preliminary draft Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Five Year Roadmap. This draft document is based on the work of the City’s equity consultant who has been conducting an equity gap assessment as part of the City’s work of Resolution R-5434. Based on Council feedback and direction, staff intend to update the preliminary draft Roadmap informed by community feedback and return to Council in the first quarter of 2022. 

Proclaiming January 17, 2022 as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service: The Mayor, on behalf of the Council, will proclaim January 17 as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.  Community members interested in participating in the Day of Service can join the Green Kirkland Partnership for a day of environmental stewardship. Green Kirkland is hosting three events this year at South Rose Hill Park, Juanita Beach Park, and Crestwoods Park. All events are open for additional volunteers and teams to help plant trees, pull invasive weeds, and nurture Kirkland’s parks in celebration of Dr. King’s legacy of community service. More information can be found on the City’s website under Community Events.

Tree Code Amendment – Framework for Completion: The Council will review Part 2 of the draft amendments to Kirkland Zoning Code Chapter 95 (also known as the “Tree Code”).  These include moderate/major amendments with a focus on a Landmark Tree mitigation and private property owner tree removals. 

The full agenda and details will be available on the Kirkland City Council agendas page. Council will accept live spoken commentary under 'Items from the Audience' or ‘Public Hearings’ at regular meetings via Zoom audio/video on a computer or telephone connection. The connection links are provided on each individual meeting agenda. Please see www.kirklandwa.gov/council for more information on how to provide spoken comments. Written comments can be submitted to CityCouncil@kirklandwa.gov. For additional questions, please call the City Clerk’s Office at (425) 587-3190.

Congregations for the Homeless, one of the City's human services agency partners, has an immediate need for the following items to be delivered to the men's shelter located at Lincoln Center in Bellevue.

Desired items include:

• Large to 3X men's coats
• Blankets
• Hand and toe warmers
• Boots
• Towels

Please find more information on the Congregations for the Homeless website. Congregations for the Homeless is located at 515 116th Ave. NE in Bellevue. If you have any questions, please reach out to them at: kaylah@cfhomeless.org.