This evening, Tuesday March 15, the Kirkland City Council is planning on voting to ratify a letter that, among other things, contains the following statement.
“If light rail on the Cross Kirkland Corridor is included in the ST 3 package, Kirkland would have to oppose the ballot measure.”
The Council’s opposition to light rail comes from a misguided support of BRT. BRT which is extremely unpopular among Eastsiders. It isn’t helped by early Sound Transit Study work which Seattle Subway has suggested improvements to since 2014. ‘Yesterday on STB Zach Shaner took it a step further and suggested an incredible Eastside network.
Due to their opposition to light rail and pressure from anti-transit homeowners near the ERC the Kirkland City Council wants ST to spend $250 million on trail improvements to the ERC while punting on transit until ST4.
Let’s be clear, there will be no ST4. Once the spine is completed, there will be no major projects for the suburban subareas, at least any time soon. They will have no reason to vote for another regionwide package. This is the last regional package from Sound Transit as we know it.
So the Kirkland Compromise of punting on transit until the next regional vote is no compromise, it is capitulation.
Tonight is a critical meeting. If you live, work or play on the Eastside, please show up and let the Kirkland City Council know you want a rail extension in ST3. The fate of ST3 could hang in the balance.
Kirkland City County Meeting
Tuesday 3/15, 7:30 PM
Peter Kirk Room
123 Fifth Avenue
Kirkland, Washington 98033
Photo Credit: Oran Viriyincy
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