Former Mayor Ives Challenges Staff On Puget Sound Energy Plan

Rosemarie Ives

Good evening Mayor and Council Members,

Rosemarie Ives, former mayor 1992-2007

I am speaking again against the Sammamish Juanita Transmission Line.  Though much information was provided,  I have one question:  why did City staff support Puget Sound Energy’s business interests over the environmental interests of the people of Redmond AND the Puget Sound region who have committed to preserve the Sammamish Valley farmlands and open spaces for decades? 

After becoming mayor in 1992, the  Comprehensive Plan  identified  the east-west Transmission line at NE 95th Street as the northern boundary for manufacturing and industrial uses and with everything north  remaining  rural.  The owners of the land north of that transmission line  approached the City with a proposal for a golf course that is Willows Run today.  After  extensive  negotiations, the City agreed to zone the property “urban recreation” with the understanding that this land would remain “open space,”  with the owners required to uphold a long list of environmental regulations and responsibilities, and that in perpetuity, the golf course would remain open to the public.  I believed strongly that zoning for a golf course was the best way to preserve the historically rural Valley, protecting it from any kind of business, manufacturing or industrial intrusion.

$3,900,000 price tag for Redmond Central Connector extension

photo credit / Berger

Project Purpose Phase II construction of the Redmond Central Connector project provides a paved multiuse trail extension from the end of Phase I at the Sammamish River Trail to the 9900 block of Willows Road.  Total Project Cost:  $3,912,877.49.

Background:

In June 2010, the City purchased the four miles of former BNSF Railroad right-of-way in Redmond and immediately began planning for the development of the corridor for city and regional projects such as a stormwater trunk line, a regional trail and linear park, northsouth transportation connections, and future light rail.In June 2011, the City adopted the Redmond Central Connector Master Plan for the corridor, which identified a phased approach to building the regional trail and linear park.

Project Description:

Redmond Central Connector project, Phase II provides a paved multiuse trail connection from the end of Phase I at the Sammamish River Trail to the 9900 block of Willows Road. The route of the new trail construction primarily follows the BNSF railroad corridor (see Attachment A). The project construction includes: • Installation of more than 1.3 miles of a paved trail. • Redevelopment of two existing rail bridges for pedestrian use. • Development of adjacent pedestrian features for park use. • Complete pavement, curb, gutter and sidewalk at NE 90th Street, NE 95th Street and private driveways along the corridor in support of the new trail crossings.

Citizen recommends Sammamish River Trail improvements to promote safety and traffic flows

Letter by Brent Schmaltz to city planner Carolyn Hope

Carolyn, as you are aware, a cyclist was injured in Bellevue the last week of March 2016. The cyclist was hit by an automobile and thrown 100 feet. The cyclist was admitted to the hospital and was in critical care. The accident occurred where the biking trail near I-90 crosses a roadway on 118^th Ave SE. This is indicative of the type of accident that occurs when automobiles cross trail ways.

Carolyn, your current plan is for the City of Redmond to develop a hiking, biking trail alongside the major Willows roadway.  It will pass through 8 intersections with automobiles. In these intersections, automobiles will need to cross the trail to access businesses or partake in other activities in Arena Sports, Overlake Church, Willows Golf Course, 60 Acres Soccer Fields. Your main argument for investing in this improvement stems from the desire to provide cyclist a route to get to the technical hub near DigiPen.

I suggest it is possible to have those cyclists use the Sammamish River Trail and then improve the trail alongside Overlake Church perhaps on the Puget Power Trail or along side Willows Golf course.  You resisted as this would require cyclists to ‘go out of their way’. However, anyone cycling from Woodinville or the East side of the Sammamish River Trail will have to ‘go out of their way’ to use this new trail, unless however the Puget Power Trail is improved....which would result in NO interaction with automobiles right to DigiPen. 

We also discussed that cyclists who have lived on Education Hill for 25 years have not been provided with a way to cycle to the trail, it was mentioned a plan is being developed but, ‘it is not optimal and cyclists will need to go out of their way’.

I agree that providing a safe cycling route to this technical area is a worthwhile investment. I disagree with the scale of the improvement and the plan to promote this trail as a recreational area. Providing a safer cycling route could be achieved simply by paving the trail or finding an alternative. I believe that substantial investment in this area to make it ‘park like’ is not well spent. That money should be spent along the natural place for a park, the existing Sammamish River Trail. While the intentions seem to be in the right place, I feel the plan developed by the City of Redmond is not in the best interests of the residents of Redmond.

I have proposed to both King County and The City of Redmond a better place to invest that will provide for existing and future residents of Redmond that would be safer (no interaction with automobiles), more enjoyable (it is by a river) and provide for an simpler traffic alternative route around Redmond.  The alternative is to work with King County to improve the Sammamish River Trail:

1.       Would have no interaction with Automobiles, therefore there would be no such accidents such a noted above.

2.       Maintains the ability to develop a natural traffic pattern from 520 / Leary Way to Woodinville and north Redmond.

a.       The current high density building in downtown Redmond merges with travelers who use 202 to get to the north end of Redmond or Woodinville.

b.      By developing this new trail, the complexity to widen Willows is increased.

I feel there has been some excellent work performed by King County and City of Redmond with regard to cycling. Bellevue is way behind our efforts, but we have the river a natural corridor. On this particular issue, I think we are missing the mark.

Brent Schmaltz.

UPDATED: Costs of the "The Redmond Central Connector" linear park and open space.

You may have seen the BNSF railroad rails stripped from their beds along Redmond Town Center this summer. Soon thereafter, a large stormwater trunk line was buried under the rail bed.  Next will be an expensive one mile linear trail and initial 10 acre downtown park installation.  The costs? 

In 2010, the City purchased four miles of former BNSF Railroad right-of-way in Redmond for $10 million.   In 2011, the City identified a phased approach to building a regional trail and linear park called the "Redmond Central Connector Master Plan."

Phase I of the Connector is a 1.1 mile regional trail from the junction of of East lake Sammamish Trail/Bear Creek Trail to the Sammamish River Trail. In addition, initial development of 10 acres of park space in the heart of Downtown Redmond is planned.

On June 21, 2011, City council approved the following expenditures for Phase I of the Central Connector:

• $395,000. LEGAL: *Stoel Rives, JD. for acquisition, easement agreements with King Cty, Sound Transit and Puget Sound Energy; DOT Surface Transportation Board meeting, possible BNSF Corridor litigation claims.
• $870,000 PROJECT MANAGEMENT, LANDSCAPE DESIGN: The Berger Partnership. (Includes $119,600 contingency)
• $90,000: CITY ADMINISTRATION: City of Redmond
• $115,000, John Flemming for Artistic Services (approved 12/2011)
• `$2.5 million for 1.1 mile of the four mile, $10 million corridor acquisition. [purchased earlier]
• _____________ cost of 10 acres open space (Downtown Park).  est.  $20 -30 million.

$3,855,000:  COSTS OF PHASE I, not including (1) open space land acquisition or other expenses.

The cost of 10 acres of downtown park space is significant, but unknown at this time.  I'll update this post, or another, when the figure's available.  Acquisitions and demolition of the Brown office building, Redmond Bicycle Shop, Quesnos, and small shops will be expensive.  Nonprofit  "Realize Redmond" is charged with raising downtown parkland funds.  Does anyone want to estimate the final cost for this "Master Plan" project?

(1)  "The Redmond Central Connector is on the former BNSF rail corridor that the City purchased for multiple city infrastructure projects including the nearly complete downtown stormwater trunk line, NE 161st Ave NE extension (complete), NE 164th Ave Extension (construction planned in 2012), and a future Avondale Way Extension.  The purchase price for the [four mile] corridor in 2010 was $10M."

Read about the project, see the consultant renditions here.
http://www.bergerpartnership.com/redmond-central-connector-moves-into-phase-1/

*Ref: AM NO. 11-128 (C.12)
Salvaging the Rails of the Redmond Central Connector, By Berger Consultants.
Central Connector City Site.
(1) Carolyn Hope, Senior Park Planner and Project Manager

By Bob Yoder
Updated, 12/15/2011

City Invites Feedback for Redmond Central Connector

City Invites Feedback for Redmond Central Connector

Redmond, WA – The City of Redmond invites you to provide feedback on the draft design for the Redmond Central Connector at a community meeting on Thursday, January 27 from 6:30 to 8:30pm at Redmond City Hall, 15670 NE 85th Street.

This draft design is part of the Master Plan process the City is currently undertaking for the Redmond Central Connector. The design that will be presented at this meeting is derived from the comments and suggestions given to the City through the many public meetings, stakeholder interviews and City Commissions.

“The redevelopment of this corridor will both redefine the heart of Redmond and respect Redmond’s history,” stated Carolyn Hope, Senior Park Planner and project manager. “Creative input from Redmond’s residents and business people is important to develop a plan that reflects the community’s values.”

The Redmond Central Connector includes a 3.89 mile long linear corridor extending from the east end of the Bear Creek Trail in Redmond Town Center to NE 124th Street. This area will build community through enhanced pedestrian and transit connections, personal interaction and opportunities to engage businesses with customers.

For more information on the meeting, contact Carolyn Hope at 425-556-2313 or cjhope@redmond.gov .
For more information on the project, visit the City’s website at http://www.redmond.gov/PlansProjects/Parks/RedmondCentralConnector/

Announcement by City
Graphic by City

East Redmond Park & Trail Corridor Plan

Eastern Corridor Park Property Master Plan - "String of Pearls"

The City of Redmond Parks and Recreation recently held its first of two community workshops on our Eastern Corridor of parks and trails. Linkage of five creek-lined, parks with trails and ideas for "best uses" were discussed. Parks planner, Linda Frkuska facilitated the meeting stating: "This collection of Parks is a tremendous asset to Redmond and we want to make sure we are shaping them for the people that will use and enjoy them.". The Eastern Corridor parks, from north to south, are Juel Community Park, Ferrel-McWhirter, Conrad Olson, Perrigo and Arthur Johnson. Approximately 20 citizens attended, including councilmembers Nancy McCormick and briefly, Hank Margeson. Hank was past Vice-chair of the Parks Commission. Hank's family enjoys the Pony Club at Ferrel-McWhirter and soccer fields at Perrigo. Three citizen interest groups were noticeably present:

• Equestrian interests - horse trails at Juel and Perrigo; preference for soft trails; a covered arena at Farrel-McWhirter; signage to warn mountain bikers near the Avondale-PS trail.
• Bear and Evans Creek natural area interests - pervious, narrower trails; attention to the preserving the natural environment; environmental education; trail location & best use.
• Sports interests - Cricket use of Juel Park. Disc golf at Juel. Mountain biking clubs did not attend.

Guy Mikelson, a Seattle consultant of Berger Partnership, led discussion by suggesting three themes for the eastern corridor: 1) history, 2) environmental, 3) "linear arboretum" . Bear and Evans Creek riparian habitat touches all five parks and is the signature piece connecting all parks. Historical buildings add interest and possible uses by "artists in residence" and heritage exhibits.

Miguel Llanos, Redmond Historical Vice President, recommended signage along the future connecting trail to explain the area’s natural (salmon and other wildlife) and human (Native Americans, loggers, farmers) heritage. He suggested the historic Conrad Olsen barn, Juel house and Perrigo Park barn as possible locations for heritage displays and a quasi-museum.

Citizens having interests in using this corridor should contact the Parks Commission or a staff. A final meeting will be held on Thursday, June 5th, 7pm, Old Redmond School House Community Center. Public is invited.  

-- Bob Yoder & Richard Morris, Education Hill neighborhood