Planning for a bike-friendly Eastside

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Whether you live, work or just ride your bicycle on the Eastside, you’ll be pleased to hear about the myriad of bicycling-related improvements coming your way. Between planning our regional trail networks—like the Eastside Rail Corridor—to updating bicycle and pedestrian transportation master plans, the cities of Bellevue, Kirkland and Redmond are poised to become thriving bike-friendly cities over the next decade. Fortunately, Bellevue, Kirkland and Redmond are already invested in the process.

Here is a snapshot of the current plans and progress that will turn the Eastside into a region where bicycling thrives:

Bellevue will update its Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.

The city of Bellevue is in the process of updating their 2009 Ped-Bike Plan, which lays the foundation for 90 more miles of sidewalks, 144 miles of bikeways and 20 miles of trail facility improvements. In light of a quadrupled downtown population since 2000 and projected growth over the next 30 years, implementing this network will be essential to comfortably accommodate everyone living and working in Bellevue. Cascade looks forward to working with the city of Bellevue throughout the planning stages and hopes to engage community members in the process as well. You will be hearing more about ways you can be involved later this year and in early 2015.

Kirkland will make updates to its Transportation Plan and is currently building the Interim CKC.

Kirkland is already a recognized leader in walkable communities and is focused on creating a healthy and livable city as part of the Kirkland 2035 initiative, which will ignite conversation around the city’s comprehensive plan updates. The city will soon update its Transportation Master Plan and include more neighborhood greenways and protected bicycle infrastructure in the city’s expanding network of routes.

The interim trail along the Cross Kirkland Corridor—a 5.75-mile segment of the Eastside Rail Corridor from the South Kirkland Park & Ride to Totem Lake—is under construction and will serve as an exemplary project that will improve biking and walking in Kirkland. This corridor will not only become a destination for recreation and tourism, but will serve as the spine for a bicycling network that connects neighborhoods across the city. Innovative plans, such as a structurally dramatic bridge at the crossing of 124th and Totem Lake, will highlight the ecologically rich character of Totem Lake while providing a safe facility for biking and walking in a heavily trafficked intersection.

Redmond focuses on wayfinding and planning phase two of the Redmond Central Connector.

The city of Redmond wants to make it easier for bicyclists to find their way around the city. They’re in the process of drafting a wayfinding design manual and plan to roll out new signage along with other Eastside jurisdictions to help create a more integrated and connected network.

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A critical link to this connected network is Redmond’s portion of the Eastside Rail Corridor. Known by Redmond as the artery of the city, the Redmond Central Connector is a four-mile section of the Eastside Rail Corridor that links Sammamish, Redmond and Kirkland. Last year, Redmond completed phase one of the project, which runs from the Bear Creek Trail to the Sammamish River Trail.

The city plans to start construction on Phase two in 2015, extending from east of the Sammamish River to the 9900 block along Willows Road. This project incorporates the rail corridor’s history through thoughtful trail design, and will connect the Redmond Town Center, historic Downtown, Glass Lawn neighborhood and Willows business district, making it easier for people to take more trips by bike.

Sound Transit plans for bicycling accommodations on East Link Light Rail.

Sound Transit is one step closer to bringing light rail to the Eastside. Designs are coming to fruition. By 2023, light rail will serve Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue, Bel-Red and Overlake in Redmond.

Cascade is working with Sound Transit to ensure that East Link will accommodate those who wish to travel by bike. Station designs include bike cages, lockers, short term bike racks, runnels and easy access to stations from on-street bicycling networks.

We believe light rail has enormous potential to make bicycling more possible and prevalent on the Eastside. Trip distance often inhibits Eastside residents from choosing to bike commute, but light rail will enable more people to conveniently become multi-modal commuters when they have the option of easily bicycling to a light rail station, leaving their bike at the station (or bringing on board) and taking the rail into work.

Complete with the latest and most innovative bicycle infrastructure, the Eastside will soon become a place where parents feel comfortable letting their children bike to school.

Planning and implementing this kind of transformation requires entire communities, from city staff and elected officials to neighborhood groups and interested individuals. We look forward to working with you!

If you would like to become active in making this vision a reality, email McKayla

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