Category: Uncategorized

from Claudia Balducci, touting her work in getting this passed:

the whole document is here

SEPA determination of non-significance – sale of property interests to Sound Transit

Gentlemen:

The description of this proposal states “The property interests proposed for sale do ot overlap with any recreational facilities on the north side of Marymoor…”

This is extremely misleading inasmuch as the proposed transit route obliterates the gap between the East Lake Sammamish trail and the Redomond central connector trail, precluding the completion of a trail that the cycling community has been anticipating for years.

Both trails now dead end at arbritrary, non-destination, points. Considering the energy and resources that the county and city have invested in their fragments, it would be very unfortunate if they were not to be connected. There is no good pedestrian / bicycle access to the bear creek trail system from the east and unless it is expected that all transit users will drive to the train this must be corrected.

Shoreline made trail construction in the right of way a condition for permitting Sound Transit in their jurisdiction. King County should do the same while it still has something that the transit agency wants.  To give them this property without requiring them to build the trail connection would be a serious disservice to County taxpayers.

From the August 2018 ENVIRONMENTAL RE-EVALUATION CONSULTATION filed by Sound Transit:

Different than the 2011 Project, the Proposed Design Refinements would accommodate an at-grade trail connection between the East Lake Sammamish Trail and Redmond Central Connector with a bridge over Bear Creek. If funding is provided by King County, the missing link to the East Lake Sammamish Trail would be built by Sound Transit when the light rail extension is constructed.

UPDATE  9/3 – got this reply:

Thanks for your comment regarding the Sale of Property Interests to Sound Transit. As you likely observed, King County Parks withdrew its SEPA Checklist and Subsequent Determination for this project as it was ultimately redundant to the environmental process undertaken by Sound Transit.

To address your specific comment, King County Parks has been working closely with Sound Transit since the passage of ST3 to ensure that the East Lake Sammamish Trail North Extension is integrated into and constructed concurrently with the Downtown Redmond Link Extension (DRLE) Project. As you’ve noted, this is a critical trail connection that needs to be completed between two significant regional trails and Sound Transit’s project is providing the first real opportunity to complete this connection. When finished, the East Lake Sammamish Trail will pass through the SR 520/202 Intersection, cross Bear Creek and connect directly with both the Redmond Central Connector and Bear Creek Trails in Redmond.

If you have any additional comments/questions related to Sound Transit’s DRLE Project, please contact Sound Transit’s Community Outreach Specialist, Ryan Bianchi at: Ryan.bianchi@soundtransit.org

Mike Ullmer
King County DNRP | Parks and Recreation Division
Desk: (206) 477-4485 | Cell: (206) 258-0615
mullmer@kingcounty.gov

(between the Lake Alice trailhead and the missing trestle)  They looked well fed.

Got an email from Claudia Balducci bragging that they’d passed a supplemental budget.  Hidden in her bulleted list was this item:

• $100,000 to design a commemoration of Japanese American Farmers as part of the Eastrail (formerly the Eastside Rail Corridor) crossing at NE 8^th Avenue in Bellevue;

At least the name “Eastrail” is better than any of the options they put up for a vote – and it’s good to know that they are spending money on what will be a big-deal crossing at NE 8th.

“Hi Jerry,
Congratulations on riding the most miles for the 2019 Bike Everywhere Challenge! As a reward for all of your hard work, UW Transportation Services would like to present you with a trophy recognizing your accomplishments. Stop by the Transportation Services office at 1320 NE Campus Parkway any time between 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday to claim your trophy.Thank you for all you do to make UW a sustainable place to work. Ride on!
Best,
ALICE VEN
Outreach & Marketing Specialist, Commute Options
Transportation Services
UW Facilities”

New bicycle safety policy on the horizon for water taxi sailings

I don’t get how this can comply with ADA – if I’m a blind stoker I can’t ride?  If my arthritis limits me to a recumbent, I can’t ride?

The Summit is going to offer lift-served bike trails around Silver Fir.  Work starts this summer, maybe open next year.

Got an email from the County yesterday saying that by the end of 2021 the ERC would be open and paved across the Wilburton Tressle and from Coal Creek Parkway to the Seahawlks training facility.

It would be better news if they indicated that they planned to connect it to the I-90 trail – they don’t.  “Until the completion of a future trail bridge over I-90 the route follows Lake Washington BLVD and 118th Ave SE for a mile between Coal Creek Parkway and Southeast 32nd Street in Bellevue. ”   It isn’t clear how you’ll get up to the railroad grade at Coal Creek but unless they model it after the Reinig Bridge, they’ll be a ramp.

When Constantine first announced the 2019 press level he said part of the funds would go to regional trails and called out the ERC specifically (he gave that speech at Wilburton.)  The ERC was mentioned in the fundraising emails I got from various King County Council members – Dembrowski, in particular, said “This levy will greatly expand our regional trail network with significant investments to build out the Eastside Rail Corridor, including $4.6 million for a connection to the Sammamish River Trail in Woodinville.”

(Off topic but of interest, Dembrowski continued:  “In addition to other projects, I was pleased to secure funding to: (1) build a new trail connection in Bothell, extending the Tolt River Trail to meet the Burke-Gilman and Sammamish River trails at the former Wayne Golf Course site ($2 million), (2) expand regional trail connections between the Interurban Trail and Burke-Gilman Trail in Lake Forest Park and Shoreline ($7.5 million), and (3) support acquisitions for the proposed Green Loop Trail in Kirkland ($2.5 million).”)

Now the county says that WSDOT is paying for the pavement and the new 405 bridge and that they’re looking for funding for the I=90 bridge.  Not exactly a surprise since it was obvious that the widening of 405 was going to take out the existing trail, but I wonder what they’ll use the levy money for instead?