Letters: On growth in Lake Washington School District, the bond money and more

Susan Wilkins said...

The school district's long-term solution to the lack of elementary classroom space in Redmond is to tear down and rebuild Rockwell Elementary and to build a new school at the corner of 172nd Ave NE & NE 122nd Street. If the district follows its current building standards, each school will have enough space for 400 students. This is the only elementary school construction proposed for Redmond on the February 2014 ballot. When these schools open, they will probably have portables. Horace Mann, Redmond El and even Einstein all have room for portables, so it's just a matter of time until each school has its own village of portables.

The school district asks for bond money, builds small schools that are overcrowded when they open, adds portables and then asks for more money to build more schools because the district is "running out of space." This has been going on for as long as I can remember.

Maybe we should put up signs along NE 116th Street and in the downtown where all the construction is occurring that say: NO ROOM IN OUR SCHOOLS - DON'T MOVE HERE.

August 22, 2013 at 8:50 AM

Anonymous said...

During the last housing bubble, Redmond should have doubled it's building permit fees and given the money to LWSD to help build new schools - or at least pay for it's infamous portables. Growth should pay for growth, shouldn't it?
Too bad our liberal city government missed the opportunity!

Lake Washington District Students More Likely to Meet ACT College Readiness Standards

Redmond, Wash. – Lake Washington students who take the ACT, a standardized test widely used in college admissions, continue to be more likely to meet college readiness standards than other students in Washington state or in the U.S.  Far more district students score high enough on each of the four ACT tests to meet the college readiness benchmark that ACT has set for all four subjects – English, math, reading and science. While nationally only 26 percent of students met this standard for all four subjects and 39 percent met it statewide, 57 percent of the students in LWSD who took the ACT qualified. That maintains last year’s gains.  Ninety-two percent of LWSD students taking the ACT met the college readiness benchmark score in English, compared to 75 percent statewide and 64 percent nationwide. In math, 78 percent of district students met the readiness benchmark, while at the state level it was 60 percent and 44 percent nationally. For reading, 75 percent of district students met the benchmark compared to 58 percent statewide and 44 percent nationally. In science, 68 percent of LWSD students met the readiness benchmark while 49 percent statewide and 36 percent nationally met that standard.  Read More >>

Lake Washington District students score above state in standardized tests

Continued improvement in math shown;  writing scores down

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Redmond, Wash. –  Lake Washington School District students scored above state averages on state standardized tests, performing particularly well in mathematics. Math scores improved in five grades and the two high school end of course exams and fell in parallel with state scores in grade six. 

“Our staff and students have worked hard in mathematics to improve scores,” noted Dr. Traci Pierce, superintendent. “In most grades, we are seeing a clear upward trend over the last five years.”  Read More>>

King County Parks to smooth bumpy stretch of Sammamish River Trail through Bothell

Work gets under way Sept. 3 to remove intrusive tree roots, repave trail stretches; Trail users should expect short re-routes, delays during tree removal

Users of King County Parks’ Sammamish River Trail through Bothell will soon experience a smoother walk, run or ride, thanks to a King County project to remove protruding roots and repave portions of the trail.
Beginning Sept. 3, crews will remove trees with roots that are coming up through the surface along portions of the westernmost 2-½-mile-long stretch of the trail. A new root barrier system will also be installed, and all areas where the work occurs will be repaved.
While the scope of work does not warrant the closing of the trail, users should expect delays of up to 15 minutes during tree removal activities. Bicycle users should be prepared to dismount and walk around the construction zone, as directed by flaggers.  Read More >>

Lake Washington Schools Foundation Awards over $72,000 in Grants to 25 Schools

 Redmond, WA.  Lake Washington Schools Foundation is pleased to announce it has awarded over $72,000 in grants to schools across the Lake Washington School District for the 2013-2014 school year. Reaching for Success grants fund programs and equipment that provide valuable tools to students, teachers and principals such as online math practice, tutoring, student leadership opportunities and musical instruments. Grants give teachers an opportunity to implement proven programs or to create new approaches to learning, while helping schools meet their state-required, but unfunded, improvement goals. All district schools were invited to apply for grants of up to $3,000 each. Twenty-eight grants were awarded to 16 elementary, four middle and four high schools.  Read More >>

A Debris Pile Fire Prompts a Six Agency Response

Redmond, WA – The Redmond Fire Department, along with crews from Bellevue, Woodinville, Eastside Fire, Kirkland and Seattle are currently fighting a fire stemming from a large debris pile at All Wood Recycling located at 8504 192^nd Ave NE, Redmond.  *Note: this business is often referred to as residing at 19200 Union Hill Road as well.

Redmond Fire began receiving phone calls around 10:30 am on Wednesday, August 21^st regarding a fire in a debris pile. Crews arrived and discovered a large pile of wood debris on fire.  The debris are mainly from land clearing projects and include stumps, trees and other similar items.  The pile is estimated to be at least a couple of hundred feet wide and 70 feet tall.

There are no injuries and all major roads are open at this time.  The fire is fully contained to the debris pile.  Fire crews and heavy machinery crews from All Wood Recycling are working in conjunction to dismantle the debris pile and continue to apply water to the smoldering pile until it is fully extinguished.  At least 66 Fire Personnel have been fighting this fire so far today.  This work is expected to continue for at least 24 hours, if not longer, due to the sheer size of the debris pile.

At this time crew exhaustion, heavy smoke and water are major concerns.  Fire crews are working in rotation to ensure the safety of all teams.  Nearby roads are being constantly assessed for visibility issues and any road closures will be announced via press release. 

LETTER: We have an immediate crisis at Rockwell NOW

Jill Stoddart said...
 

While the Levy is an important topic, we have an immediate crisis at Rockwell NOW. As already mentioned, our enrollment is at 650+ (and certain to grow in the final weeks before school starts). We must put a serious plan in place to stop the overcrowding at Rockwell even before the Levy vote next February.

A number of Rockwell parents have made an urgent plea to LWSD to prevent any new neighborhoods from being added to the Rockwell population. Currently, there is a new development for 180 residences on 116th St. Additionally, there is a request for a new neighborhood off of Redmond-Woodinville Road (across from Kensington neighborhood and Washington Cathedral) for 33 new residences.

Our ask is that these neighborhoods under development be moved outside of the Rockwell school boundaries before the developers put any of these houses on the market. Additionally, the preschool should be moved out of Rockwell and allow for our elementary students to use this classroom.

Rockwell is now Rosa Parks II. If we wait for the Levy vote to make decisions on how to deal with the existing overcrowding emergency at Rockwell, then we will have lost our opportunity to move these new developments outside of the Rockwell boundaries without pain to new families.

LETTER: Do we really need another elementary school on Education Hill?

 Susan Wilkins said...

Do we really need another elementary school in North Redmond? Better question: Do we really need another elementary school at the top of Education Hill? We already have three: Mann, Rockwell and Einstein. Or would Redmond be better served by a new elementary school on the valley floor to serve all the students who live there - and there are many. Einstein Elementary gets hundreds of students from along Avondale Road. Rockwell Elementary gets hundreds of students from the condos and apartments near the Bella Botega QFC. Why aren't these students walking to neighborhood schools in the downtown or along Avondale Road where they live? Because the school district never figured out where to put new schools that would serve students living in the downtown areas. Redmond Elementary is the only elementary school for all the students in the downtown area and it is full. The school district should have built additional schools for all the downtown children long ago. Students from southeast Redmond in the Woodbridge neighborhoods have to leave the city and go 3 miles out to Alcott or Dickinson because there is no room for them at Redmond Elementary. (It would have made sense to build a school in southeast Redmond when Woodbridge was developed but instead 9 portables were added to Alcott. This is not wise planning.) Redmond has become a city without adequate school facilities for its students and families. The problem has been slowly festering for about 15 years as Redmond has added more and more housing units without the addition of adequate school facilities. Adding an elementary school in North Redmond isn't really the right solution to address the lack of adequate school facilities for residents in the downtown.

The school district should have seen this coming - literally. Their main office is at Towne Center in downtown Redmond. All they had to do was look out the window to see all the new buildings going up!

Besides purchasing the Washington Cathedral site and turning it into a K-5, K-8, 6-12 or 9-12, the district should look for other school locations in downtown Redmond. (Note that the Washington Cathedral site could be easily accessible by *walking* from the new neighborhoods being built along NE 116th Street.) The Woodbridge area still has medium sized parcels that aren't fully developed. It's unfortunate that the district didn't look to build a school there when Woodbridge was being built and large tracts were more easily available. There are also medium size parcels in the Willows Office Park area. The school district has said that it needs 10 acres to build an elementary school, but on closer investigation, this claim is not valid. The Washington Administrative Code (WAC 392-342-020) recommends 10 acres for elementary schools but it doesn't require 10 acres. (This explains why many elementary schools in Seattle are on only 4-6 acre parcels.)

Another large parcel that needs to be brought to the district's attention is the Keller Farm on Avondale Road. The northwest corner of the farm is zoned high-density. In 2007, the City of Redmond created the Bear Creek Overlay district and designated the 8.8 acres where the fruit stand is located as high density (for a retirement center that was never built.) A requirement of the plan was that the remaining 120 acres of the farm be left as permanently undeveloped. The City of Redmond is looking to purchase the farm for flood control and as an environmental mitigation bank. In a joint partnership, the school district and city could jointly purchase the property with the district getting 10 acres for a school and the city getting the rest for flood storage. The school would be an excellent location for students who live along Avondale Road and on the eastern edge of Redmond in the Woodbridge neighborhood.  It's just an idea

Redmond Historical Society Announces Saturday Speaker Series

 Speakers to Address Topics of Local, State and Regional Historical Interest

REDMOND, WA (August 16, 2013)  The Redmond Historical Society is pleased to announce its Saturday Speaker Series that will begin this fall on September 14^th.   The monthly program features eight speakers addressing topics of local, state and Pacific Northwest historical significance or interest.   Read More >>

Community news site Patch pulls plug in Washington State

An article in Geekwire and the Seattle Times reported today that hyperlocal community news site PATCH is laying off 500 staff and pulling the plug on all PATCH sites in Washington State.   Redmond Patch, Kirkland Patch, Edmonds Patch are a few of the sites that will be discontinued.

To read the Geekwire article click this link:
http://www.geekwire.com/2013/community-news-site-patch-pulls-plug-washington-state-lays-staffers/

Reported by Bob Yoder

Volunteer Naturalists Needed for Cedar River Salmon Journey

Interested in fish? Good with people? Sign up to be a volunteer naturalist on the Cedar River this fall. Naturalists will receive 20 hours of training from fish and watershed experts in September and early October. Then they'll spend three weekend days along the river, talking to the public about the spawning salmon and the natural and human history of the Cedar River Watershed.

Sponsors of the program, now entering its 16th year, include Friends of the Cedar River Watershed, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle Public Utilities, King County Flood Control District, City of Renton, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the WRIA8 Salmon Recovery Council.

Call Charlotte Spang at (206) 245-0143, email charlotte@cedarriver.org or visit www.cedarriver.org for more information.

So tell me about Redmond's Heron Rookery forest!

I found this 2.5 minute video on the City of Redmond's forested "Heron Rookery".  It's located across Leary from the Saturday Farmer's Market.  Presently the city is asking citizens for their ideas on what to name it.  (The herons have moved onto Marymoor and Issaquah.)  You can send your name nominations to Sharon Sato, Parks Dept. at SSato@redmond.gov.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL1T0anc-kzY9y6SZgPSstALPumAzmw4uk&v=SC5p_ovmEYk&feature=player_detailpage

LWIT Offers Early Achievers Opportunity Grant

 

Kirkland, Wash.: Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWIT), in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Early Learning’s Early Achievers program, is offering opportunities for childcare professionals to earn certificates and/or an associate degree in Early Childhood Education.  Read More >>

Lake Washington school board proposes levy and bond measures

Funding measures provide for operating budget, costs of buildings

Redmond, Wash. – At its August 5 meeting, the Lake Washington School District Board of Directors voted to place two levies and one bond measure on the ballot in February 2014. The levies would replace current measures that expire at the end of 2014. The bonds would build schools to house projected enrollment growth and to replace existing aging schools.

                The board reviewed information from community meetings, surveys and feedback from community partners. An advisory committee developed the measures considered by the board based on this information.

                The first of the three measures, the Educational Programs & Operations Levy, will replace the expiring levy.  It will cost $1.85 per thousand dollars of assessed value on each home in their property taxes. The EP&O levy funding makes up about 23 percent of the district’s general fund revenues. It provides funding for basic items such as textbooks, insurance, utilities and maintenance; teacher planning, preparation and training; and athletics and activities.

                The proposed capital projects levy will replace an expiring levy to fund both facility and technology projects. The levy would cost 91 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value. This measure would raise:

·         $21.2 million for building systems replacement & improvements, such as new roofs

·         $4.8 million for site improvements, including athletic field and playground upgrades

·         $9.3 million for school and program building improvements

·         $6.3 million to for code, compliance, health and safety projects

·         $20.7 million for technology infrastructure and support

·         $28.5 million for technology equipment, including replacement of student computers on a four-year lifecycle

·         $9.3 million for instructional software & support systems

·         $8.8 million for business system & technology operations software and support

·         $18.3 million for technology training and professional development

The bond measure would raise $755 million to build new schools needed to accommodate growth and to modernize existing schools. The new schools are needed based on the district’s projections of enrollment growth of 4,200 students over the next four years. Over the next eight years, the bond will enable the district to build new schools and space for students:

·         three new elementary schools,

·         one middle school,

·         additions for Lake Washington and Eastlake High Schools,

·         a STEM-focused high school on the west side of the district and

·         an international-focused high school on the east side of the district.

The last two schools would enroll students from throughout the district.

The funds for modernization would replace three schools in Kirkland (Juanita High School, Kamiakin Middle School and Kirk Elementary School), two in Redmond (Evergreen Middle School and Rockwell Elementary School) and Mead Elementary School in Sammamish.

The overall tax rate with the replacement levies and the new bond measure would be $4.73 per $1000 of assessed value.  The increase for the average valued home in Lake Washington School District would be $365 per year, or $30 per month.

The bond measure does not include funding to replace the Juanita High School pool; however, the scope of the Juanita High School modernization project does include replacement of the current field house and theater. Dr. Pierce noted that when asked to rank order priorities for potential additional funding for playgrounds and sports facilities, parents who were surveyed ranked the Juanita pool fourth out of five items. She stated that she does not want to see high school swim teams disappear and understands the desire of the community to keep the pool.

Dr. Pierce suggested that if the bond does pass, the school board could take action to dedicate money left from the Phase 2 modernization program to partner with cities or other organizations to build a new community pool. She estimates that $10 to $12 million will remain once all the school projects are completed.  Read More >>

Redmond celebrates Great Day of Play

Redmond, WA  —Join the fun when Redmond celebrates the Great Day of Play, on Friday, August 23rd, at the Redmond City Hall Campus, 15670 NE 85th St. “For families who value health, fitness, recreation and bringing ‘play’ to their lives, this is a great event”, states Lisa Rhodes, Parks & Recreation Event & Marketing Administrator. 

Boys and girls in grades 3-8 can Hoop it Up with Redmond’s 3-on-3 youth basketball tournament. The tournament will run from approximately 2:00pm - 7:00pm. Games will be played outdoors rain or shine, at the Redmond City Hall Campus. Teams are limited to a maximum of four players; the team entry fee is $60.00. To enter, as individuals or as a team, register online at www.redmond.gov/econnect. 

On your mark, get set for a 5K run/walk and join the fun along the paved Sammamish River Trail. Competitive and non-competitive racers will find the course flat, fast and family friendly. Prizes will be awarded in top categories. On-site registration begins at 4:00pm at Redmond City Hall Campus and the race starts at 6:00pm. Pre-race entry fee $30.00 expires August, 20th at noon, onsite registration $35.00, youth 15 and under $15.00. Register online a twww.runsignup.com/greatday5K. 

For additional information visit www.redmond.gov/play or 425-556-2300.

The City of Redmond's press release on Tree Canopy

Trees - Planting Today for the Future

Redmond, WA  —With the recent burst of construction projects in the Downtown core and the beginning of a new era of construction in the Overlake District, Redmond stands poised to launch a new investment in its urban tree canopy. Three major projects will add substantially to the tree canopy in Downtown. The landscaping for the Redmond Central Connector, a trail currently under construction along the former BNSF rail line, will include 320 trees and numerous shrubs and plants in this new open space through the center of the city. The upcoming Cleveland Streetscape improvements will provide a unique approach to street trees. Instead of single trees evenly spaced, the project will provide planting beds that cluster trees, shrubs and grasses together, fronted by playful, lighted custom-designed benches that create a great spot to sit and catch up with a friend or finish a cup of coffee.


And finally, the master planning of the Downtown Park will provide the opportunity to create an urban oasis that meets the needs and desires of the community. The public will have the opportunity to weigh in on Park Master Plan design concepts in the fall of this year. “We want to provide the tree canopy that our population has come to expect,” said Craig Larsen, director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Redmond. He adds, “While the residential population is growing in Downtown, we want to ensure we are making contributions to our citizen’s quality of life. This will include a new downtown park along with regional trails and open spaces which promote livability, and balance the benefits of an urban city with the comfort of a small town community.”


Redmond’s current tree canopy includes more than 7,000 street trees along major arterials and in downtown, more than 1,000 acres of forested park land, an uncounted number of trees in private developments with protected Native Growth Protection Areas, as well as many other trees in neighborhoods and on private property. In addition to the shade and beauty trees provide for our streets and neighborhoods, they are important environmentally in helping to reduce storm water runoff, improving water quality, reducing erosion, improving air quality and providing habitat for bees, birds, and other wildlife. Recycling of materials and plant matter contributes to the natural habitat and supports a healthier ecosystem.  Read More >>

LETTER: A solution to the growing problem of portables and overcrowding at LWSD

By Susan Wilkins

Remember that the district gave the dire warning that if voters didn't approve the 2011 levy to build additions at Redmond High School and Eastlake High School that students would end up in portables? It turned out that all along the construction plans for the RHS Addition included site preparation for 10 portables next to the bus lanes. In Sept 2012, RHS opened with the new addition and 2 portables already on site. 

Portables are ugly and they isolate students from the rest of the school. The portables at RHS take up a lot of space on what was once a nice field. The site prep alone for the 10 RHS portables cost more than a million dollars - and then there was the cost of each portable. 

The district currently has 140 portables. It projects 4000 new students in the next 10 years. They are asking voters to approve the 2014 Bond Measure to add space for the 4000 new students. And then they tell us that they're adding portables because they don't want to "over build" and end up with too much space! Do they listen to themselves talk?

Both Redmond High School and Redmond Middle School were at capacity for 2012-2013 with more overcrowding expected when classes start this fall. Halls are crowded. Lunchroom, library and restroom facilities are inadequate - and more students will end up in portables. It's too bad since taxpayers have spent a lot of money over the past 15 years on new buildings all over the district. Students deserve better than portables.

Here's an idea - the Washington Cathedral Site at the corner of NE 124th Street and Redmond-Woodinville Road is for sale. It includes a 50,000 square foot building on 15.5 acres for $19,500,000. The district normally spends $60 million on a new middle school - built on land that the district already owns. The Washington Cathedral Site includes the building and the land. The 6-Year Capital Facilities Plan shows that the district is budgeting $98,000,000 of the upcoming bond measure for property acquisition and construction of a new middle school that would be ready in 2018. The Washington Cathedral Site could be used as a new middle school. Or it could be used as a K-8 to address overcrowding at Redmond Middle School, Rockwell and Einstein that has been created as the whole North Redmond Corridor is developed into new houses that will add lots of new students. What's great about Washington Cathedral is that it's already built so it could be ready for students in about 2 years. (The district would need to ask Redmond to rezone it for school use and do some remodeling and some traffic mitigation. And if the district provided efficient bussing for all eligible students and started classes at 9:15 AM, traffic would be manageable.) The site is also easily accessible to east Kirkland and the north Avondale area students. How to pay for it? The school district owns 9 acres at the corner NE 122nd Street & 172nd Avenue NE that it could sell for about $9,000,000. (The district is planning to put an elementary school on this site using $34,000,000 from the 2014 bond measure, but do we really need another elementary school half-way between Rockwell and Einstein?) The district also needs to sell 20 acres in the Bear Creek basin and has small surplus parcels around the district that it could sell. 

The district needs space for students in Redmond NOW and the Washington Cathedral Site would easily provide classroom space at a bargain price. 

It's just an idea.

Thousands to Participate in Inaugural Obliteride Bike Ride Party

Fred Hutch’s new movement to obliterate cancer comes out big and bold the first year

Look for Obliteride Bike Riders in Redmond till October 1

SEATTLE, Aug. 6, 2013 – The first-ever Obliteride is expected to draw large crowds of people to Gas Works and Magnuson Parks this weekend. Cancer survivors, cyclists, and musicians are all gathering in support of a common goal: to accelerate local cancer research to save lives faster and ultimately end cancer.

Michael Franti & Spearhead will perform at Obliteride’s kick-off celebration at Gas Works Park at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 9, 2013. “I'm proud to be playing at the Obliteride party,” Michael Franti said. “Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is doing amazing work each day finding new and unique ways to prevent, treat and detect cancer.” All riders registered to participate in Obliteride will receive two complimentary tickets to this exclusive party. Famed Seattle chef Tom Douglas is catering a delectable salmon dinner for the event. “It's not too late sign up,” Franti said. “So come on out and ride the ride that saves lives!”

“We’re trying to raise over $2 million for cancer research at Fred Hutch through the inaugural Obliteride,” said Amy Lavin, Obliteride’s executive director. “We have a ways to go, so register to ride and support the incredible research going on right here in our state. Riders still have nearly two months to fundraise. We’re not done till Oct 1.”  Read More >>

PEPS Group for Dads to Start in Redmond

PEPS Group for Dads to Start in Redmond September 26

In 2012, PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support) launched  PEPS for Dads, a group for primary caregiver dads with babies between 0-12 months old. As a result of the success of this program and the clear need for more support for primary-caregiver dads, PEPS added an Eastside PEPS for Dads Group last spring. Want to know more? Read about how PEPS for Dads got started.

Starting September 26, a new Eastside PEPS for Dads Group will meet in Redmond on Thursdays from 12:30 to 2 p.m. for 11 weeks at the HappyNest Play Center. 
Registration is open now - space is still available!  Read More >>

Field tours of archaeological excavation conducted in Bear Creek Rehabilitation Project

On Saturday August 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Charlie Hodges, principal of Pacific Geoarchaeological Services (and formerly a principal of Northwest Archaeological Services) will lead short field tours on a half hourly basis of a current archaeological excavation being conducted in Redmond near Bear Creek Parkway during construction of the Bear Creek Rehabilitation Project.  Please feel free to invite anyone who might benefit from this learning opportunity.

Short term parking is available nearby at the Claim Jumper restaurant, 7210 164th Ave NE (between 73rd Way & Bear Creek Parkway). 

This City of Redmond project will rehabilitate the lower, channelized 3,000 feet of Bear Creek from the mouth a previously completed stream restoration project upstream.  The current project will relocate this mostly straight, channelized segment of Bear Creek into a meandering, reshaped, revegetated channel within existing open space.  The newly rehabbed channel will have vegetated stream buffers consistent with the Redmond’s CAO and allowance for WSDOT’s “Stage 3” widening of SR520 adjacent to Bear Creek.  An existing asphalt path is being relocated and augmented with a soft-surface parallel path and stream viewing areas along the newly restored channel.  The rehabilitated overbank areas will address flood conveyance issues as well as improve habitat.  Read More >>

County Parks Levy Renewed

Park closures and layoffs avoided by voters

The Yes on Parks Campaign announced on Tuesday evening that the initial returns indicate that the parks levy renewal, known as Proposition 1, will ultimately be approved by voters.

“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the 75^th anniversary this year of King County Parks,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “Thank you to the voters who value our shared regional open space!”

The levy renews funding that currently provides more than 70 percent of the funding to operate and maintain King County’s network of parks, 26,000 acres of open space, and over 175 miles of regional trails and 185 miles of backcountry trails. The additional 30 percent of parks funding comes from revenue collected through efforts including Concerts at Marymoor Park, and swim meets at the Aquatic Center in Federal Way.  Read More >>

BurkeGilman Trail among nation's best, according to USA Today

Managed by King County Parks and Seattle Parks, popular trail is named a ‘top urban bike path’ -- connects to Sammamish River Trail

The Burke-Gilman Trail – a mainstay for alternative commuters, weekend warriors and families enjoying a stroll on a warm evening in King County – has been named one of the best urban bike paths in the country by USA Today newspaper.

“The national media is discovering what thousands of walkers, runners, and bikers have known all along – that King County parks are a treasure, and the Burke-Gilman Trail is just one of the jewels in our system,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine.

USA Today noted the Burke-Gilman Trail’s plentiful access, flat terrain and tremendous views as reasons for this trail’s inclusion on a list featuring fewer than 20 trails across the nation.  Read More >>

Downtown Transformation Enters Next Phase Construction - Will Close Streets and Reroute Traffic

Redmond, WA  —In the next few weeks, Cleveland Street in downtown Redmond will enter its next phase of construction work which may result in disruptions to traffic and pedestrians as they are re-routed through the Downtown core. Work will commence over the next two weeks to two months, beginning with sewer line improvements to Cleveland Street, followed by actual demolition of the buildings that remain (as part of the Master Plan for the Downtown Park site). Removal of the four Elm trees located in front of the historic Stone House (located at 16244 Cleveland Street) will also get underway during the next two weeks.

“After all of our efforts these projects are aligning in a way that will still inconvenience folks,” states Lisa Singer, City project manager. During the sewer improvement work and building demolition, the street will close or be narrowed to traffic during peak and non-peak hours from 7:00 am to 3:30pm. Traffic along 161st Ave. NE and Leary Way will be impacted. The actual demolition of the buildings which had housed Redmond Cycle, Quiznos/Vet, and Brown St Square will commence and will last about two months. This critical demolition work makes way for the rest of the Downtown Park Master Plan.

During construction, Brown St. (between Cleveland St and Redmond Way) will be permanently closed to traffic and parking to accommodate construction staging and routing. “The east half of the Downtown Park will be fenced off during this time for use as a key staging area during the Cleveland Streetscape construction. This allows for fewer impacts to the public by having materials and equipment staged adjacent to the project,” states Singer. Once the Cleveland Streetscape construction is completed, Brown St. paving will be removed to make that area part of the Downtown Park.

“In spite of long and hard efforts to save the four elm trees, including extensive trimming this past spring, the trees are too damaged and diseased to remain. They pose too great a risk and need to come down; this is a particularly hard decision.” states Teresa Kluver, arborist for the City of Redmond. She adds, “Although Redmond will be losing four of its wonderful old elms, they will live on in a new role as part of the City’s goal to recycle natural resources.” The elm logs will be placed along Bear Creek, which is also undergoing restoration and changes to support a critical natural Salmon habitat. The logs will help create habitat for wildlife. Landscape planters will temporarily fill the void left by the elm trees until the Cleveland Streetscape project is completed.

As Cleveland Street emerges out of construction, new lush clusters of trees and shrubs will be planted during the later stages of this project. Cleveland Street will not only become the promenade as the part of the City’s vision for Downtown, it will also serve as a corridor from the Redmond Central Connector to the Downtown Park. When completed, its unique design features will allow for sections of the road to be closed to through traffic to accommodate cultural and arts events.

To learn more about the Downtown construction or various projects, visitwww.redmond.gov/downtown

Community Celebrates 100th Anniversary of Red Brick Road

The Redmond Historical Society Announces...

REDMOND, WA, 2013 –Redmond Historic Society along with Red Brick Road residents and members of the community will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Red Brick Road.  The Red Brick Road was built in 1913, it is one of Washington’s most historic roads which used to connect Seattle to Boston.  The historic Red Brick Road is located on 196th Ave NE in King County.  Redmond Historic Society and the residents have planned this celebration to bring attention to city, county and state officials to help preserve the historic road and surrounding habitat – from damage by increased traffic, speeding cars, and trash dumping that destroys the character of this important historical and natural resource.    Parking can be found at the Enzo Center (8708 196th Ave NE and Ewing Fruit Produce (19700 Union Hill Road). 

Costs go up to replace synthetic turf at Grasslawn

Redmond Council authorized the Mayor to sign an agreement with the King County Directors' Association
(KCDA) Purchasing Cooperative in the amount of $626,393.46 to replace the existing
synthetic turf softball infield and soccer field at Grass Lawn Park with new synthetic turf.
This item came before you on July 16, 2013. At that time, Council approved this item as part
of the consent agenda. Following Council's approval, but prior to final processing of the
contract with KCDA, the City was notified of a pricing error by the vendor. This new
agreement reflects the revised cost of executing the turf replacement contract. The
amendment to the agreement has increased the cost of the project by $31 ,689.38.