Council Seeks to Accelerate Investments in Safer Routes to School
Published on August 30, 2022
Media Contact:
David Wolbrecht
Communications Program Manager
dwolbrecht@kirklandwa.gov
(425) 587-3021
Community Invited to Town Hall on October 3 to Discuss Potential $20 Car Tab Fee
The Kirkland City Council seeks to accelerate Safer Routes to School and Active Transportation investments and is considering implementing a $20 vehicle licensing fee (car tab) to pay for the 45 highest priority projects identified in the City’s Safer Routes to School Action Plans and Active Transportation Plan. Those project would make walking and bicycling around Kirkland's 15 elementary schools and its business districts safer for students, families and workers.
“We’ve heard from our community in a variety of forums over many years that they want the City to improve conditions for walking, bicycling and riding transit, particularly around schools,” said Kirkland Mayor Penny Sweet. “With current funding, paying for the plans’ 45 highest priority projects would take 20 to 30 years. With revenue from a car tab-backed general obligation bond, the City could pay for those 45 improvements within six years.”
To help inform the City Council’s decision later this year, the community will be able to participate in forums, meetings, and listening sessions this fall. The first opportunity will be a community forum on October 3, 2022, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The forum is currently scheduled as a hybrid meeting at this time, both in-person at City Hall and online, but may shift to completely online depending on current health recommendations. Although not required, those interested in attending are encouraged to register in advance to receive reminder emails about the Transportation Benefit District Community Forum: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/transportation-benefit-district-community-forum-tickets-408163155987
“The City Council wants to hear from our community about this approach to meeting the urgency we’ve heard from the community to build safer routes to schools,” said Mayor Sweet. “Please get engaged in this community conversation.”
More information is available on the City’s website: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/TransportationBenefitDistrict
Update 9/1/2022: The community forum event originally scheduled for September 26 has been rescheduled for October 3.