Meeting Notes 01-10-2023

SRHBT General Meeting Minutes 01/10/2023

President Chris Kagen called the zoom meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.

There were eighteen attendees, plus three City staff.

There were no public comments.

Transportation/Parking Plans for the N.E. 85th St. Station Area: City of Kirkland Staff Joel Pfundt (Transportation Manager) and Victoria Kovacs (Transportation Planner and 120th Ave.N.E. Corridor Study)

The plan is to improve pedestrian and bike safety over time through a targeted list of projects. The Stride BRT station construction will begin at the end of 2023-early 2024. Examples of significant transportation projects in the Station Area Plan that will improve pedestrian and bicycle safety include: these areas:

• Intersection of 120th Ave. NE and NE 85th Street 

• Intersection of 120th Ave. NE and NE 80th St.

• 124th Ave. N.E. between N.E. 80th St. and N.E. 90th St.

• 120th Ave.NE between 80th and 90th 

The intent is to leverage Sound Transit’s investment in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along I-405 between Lynnwood and Burien using expanded and extended Express Toll Lanes between Canyon Park (Bothell) Park and Ride and Downtown Renton. This will link to light rail at Bellevue, Tukwila and Lynnwood. Stride BRT will open in 2026-2027, operating 7 days/week between early morning and late night.

The potential for the most intensive re-development around the BRT Station will take place at the sites along NE 85th St. and closest to the new BRT Station. Those sites include where Costco and the Lee Johnson auto dealership are currently located. 

School walk route improvements include completing sidewalks on 116th Ave. N.E. between N.E. 70th St. and N.E. 80th St.,  a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon at 122nd Ave. N.E. and N.E. 80th Street, and an “interim” sidewalk abutting the Kirkland Cemetery frontage on 120th Ave. N.E., and an “interim” sidewalk abutting the Kirkland Cemetery frontage , plus a number of other projects.

How will Rose Hill residential parking be impacted? Streets are public right-of-way, meaning that members of the public have the right to park on them. The City needs to make sure there is “reasonable” access to street parking. Google has committed to monitoring parking on their site and in the neighborhood. A future City hire will be tasked with managing parking and transportation demand management programs, which could include time-restricted parking, residential parking zones, and working with police parking enforcement. Over time, the City will work with stakeholders to manage parking. Right now, specific parking management strategies have not been determined; these will be determined following data collection and feedback from stakeholders.

Can the Houghton Park and Ride lot be used for commuter parking for BRT riders?

The Plan does not include utilizing the Park and Ride lot for this purpose. City Council’s emphasis is that riders will walk, bus, or bike to the N.E. 85th St. BRT Station, and not drive there. The Houghton P&R lot is “too far away”. The City is considering purchasing the Houghton P & R lot for other uses, possibly for a recreation/aquatic center.

120th Ave. N.E. Corridor Study: Victoria Kovacs

The Station Area Plan is a long-term vision of making 120th Ave. N.E. more pedestrian friendly than it is currently. 

Current adopted street standards include widened sidewalks and a shared-use path along the west side of 120th Ave. N.E. (currently the Costco frontage). This Study also evaluated an alternative design of sidewalks on either side of the street with separated  bike/walking lanes that are at the sidewalk level, separated from traffic.

The plan  for the 120th Ave. N.E. and N.E. 85th St. intersection includes adding a second northbound  left turn lane on 120th Ave. N.E. abutting the current Lee Johnson frontage, which will be constructed by Google.  In addition, Google will construct a right turn lane eastbound on N.E. 85th St. to the Google campus. Both of these projects are part of their development agreement. 

Question: Is the City paying for a sidewalk on the east side of 120th Ave. N.E. from N.E. 80th St. to N.E. 85th St.?

Answer: The interim sidewalk will be paid for with State grant funds. The goal is for sidewalks on both sides of streets, especially on collectors and arterials . LWHS students currently overwhelm existing sidewalks.

The next question had to do with a bike lane on 124th Ave. N.E.  between N.E. 80th St. and N.E. 90th St.

Answer: The planned transportation project on 124th Ave. N.E. will create a continuous protected bike lane from N.E. 90th St. to just south of N.E. 85th St. and will connect to existing bike lanes north and south of the project. 

Question: Is the current construction taking place on 120th for the path/sidewalk?

Answer: Yes.

Question/Suggestion: There’s a small City-owned parcel mid-block on 120th that could be the site of a mid-block path that would funnel pedestrians and bikes away from the street.

Answer: This parcel has been identified for a green mid-block connection between 120th Ave. N.E. and 122nd Ave. N.E. that could occur with redevelopment. 

Question: It appears that pedestrians will be crossing a high-traffic intersection at 120th and 85th. Is there any consideration of installing islands at that crossing?

There’s lots to balance here–reducing the curb radii or adding median islands doesn’t fit, but we were able to reduce the number of west bound lanes from three lanes to two lanes, so total pedestrian crossing distance is not increased even though Google is constructing a right turn lane.

Question: Due to the unique nature of peak traffic times and the adjacent areas, are you anticipating the impact on side streets and planning any mitigation?

Answer: We don’t anticipate significant traffic impacts on local side streets. We modeled several intersections throughout the neighborhood and the only significant delay anticipated is for intersections on N.E. 85th St. If traffic issues do occur on side streets, the City would address them through the Neighborhood Traffic Control Program. 

Question: Do you plan to monitor accidents, delays, etc. to gauge impact?

Answer: The City regularly monitors crash rates and vehicle volumes with regular counts. Any large development must submit a transportation impact analysis to evaluate, among other things, safety.

Question: Spillover parking—is it the expectation that all parking will be on the development site, including construction vehicle parking, and not on side streets?

Answer: Construction parking and staging is coordinated through the Development Engineering division. Problems would be handled on a case-by-case basis.That is the Development Engineering department’s responsibility. Problems would be handled on a case-by-case basis. It’s up to the community to reach out to report any problems. 

Comment: It is hard to see where construction workers are going to park other than on side streets and how are we to monitor which vehicles are those of construction workers.

Response from Joel: Kirkland Urban is an example. The garage was completed as quickly as possible so it could accommodate construction worker parking. One possibility is Google could  stage construction parking on their site.  Since the development will be phased,  part of that site could be used for parking.

Question: Will the City consider using the Houghton Park and Ride lot for spillover construction parking?

Answer: That is a good suggestion. We will pass it along to Development Engineering.

Question: Have you raised that possibility to the people looking at the use of the P & R lot? The questioner followed up her question by asking Mr. Pfundt to commit to raising her question to the appropriate staff/elected officials. Mr. Pfundt committed.

Question: Is the plan to do away with on-street parking between N.E. 80th St.  and N.E. 90th St.[on 120th Ave. N.E.]? The questioner stated that she prefers that no parking be allowed on that stretch.

Answer: There is only street parking available on the south end of 120th Ave. N.E. today.The corridor study plan is to eliminate some of that street parking to allow for a southbound left turn lane at the N.E. 80th St. intersection.

Question/Comment: The BRT Station will be of no use to me. It is not feasible to walk from our neighborhood nor to bike there. Without any parking or other way to connect to the BRT, our neighborhood cannot use it.

Answer: A Park and Ride lot was not considered at the N.E. 85th St. BRT station as it would only draw more regional traffic to the station area from surrounding communities. The goal is a walkable, bikeable and transit-oriented station.”First mile-last mile”connection innovations have been implemented at different stations in the region, such as ” Community Ride” - with mixed response. 

Question/comment: The City Council should consider using the Houghton Park & Ride permanently as a community connection site. Be innovative!

Green Kirkland: Jeremy Jones, City of Kirkland, Green Kirkland Partnership Coordinator

Green Kirkland operates within the Parks Department and is funded by the Parks levy.

Mr. Jones discussed the benefits of urban trees and reported that urban forests are endangered by invasive plants, such as English ivy, which prevent native trees from regenerating.

Kirkland has adopted a 20-year Forest Restoration Plan.

Green Kirkland enlists community partners and volunteers who work with City staff and contractors in activities led by Green Kirkland Stewards. Stewards are responsible for outreach to enlist volunteers for projects including planting, mulching,summer watering,  and invasive plant removal in 31 city parks.

Get involved by attending a Stewardship event or becoming a Green Kirkland Steward.

In our neighborhood, Green Kirkland Stewards are active at Rose Hill Meadows, North Rose Hill Woodlands, and South Rose Hill Parks.

For more information, visit www.greenkirkland.org or call Jeremy Jones at 425-587-3306.

Question: How do we find out about Green KIrkland events in our neighborhood?

Answer: Stewards create and host events.

Question: Can we contact a Steward directly to suggest projects?

Answer: No. Contact Jeremy to be put in touch with a Steward.

Comment: Steward could partner with our Neighborhood Association. 

ACTION: Discuss at February Board meeting.

Question: Is there a new South Rose Hill Park Steward? We haven’t seen any events there.

Answer: Contact Jeremy to get in touch with the Steward.

Question: Is there funding to add plants to traffic circles?

Answer: Funding is for designated natural areas. Talk to Jeremy off-line.

Neighborhood Safety Projects: Jim Hoff

Jim submitted four projects to the City for consideration. Funding is available this year for four projects per neighborhood, up from two projects/year.

Contact Jim at jnlhoff48@gmail.com for more information.

Straw Poll on resuming in-person meetings

Discussion ensued. Some favored continuing zoom meetings, some interest in hybrid meetings, some would like to resume meeting in-person.

Meeting adjourned at 8:38 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Betsy Lewis

Secretary