The
Cross Kirkland Corridor traverses Kirkland, from the South Kirkland Park and Ride to the City’s northern boundary in the Totem Lake Business District. In 2012, the City of Kirkland purchased a 5.75 mile segment of the Eastside Rail Corridor and has been actively embracing the community energy around the corridor’s future development as a multi-modal transportation corridor. For more current information on our interests, see the
April 2013 Overview.
To allow active use of the Corridor, the City will build an
interim trail by the Spring of 2014. Rails and ties will be removed in early 2013. If you have an idea about the design of the Interim Trail,
submit it here. For more information on the Interim Trail,
download the brochure.
Much of the entire Eastside Rail Corridor which extends from
Renton, Washington to
Snohomish, Washington, is abandoned railroad. Kirkland’s portion connects eight of the
City's 13 neighborhoods, two of its major transportation hubs, and three business districts. To get a better view of the Cross Kirkland Corridor, visit our
Photo Gallery.
The Eastside Rail Corridor is 44 miles of existing rail line and was first developed in 1904 as part of the Lake Washington Belt Line. The Belt Line extended from
Renton to
Woodinville and was initially built to haul coal and lumber, but transitioned to hauling more agricultural products after the turn of the century as farming expanded into the eastside communities during the early to mid-1900s. From the late 1900s until recently, the rail line was used primarily by light indu
strial companies. Rail spurs previously extended to several adjacent businesses along the length of the
Cross Kirkland Corridor; most of these spurs have been removed, although some remnants remain.
The segment purchased by the City starts in the south in the
Yarrow Bay Business District and the
proposed Transit Oriented Development at South Kirkland Park and Ride. It ends in the
Totem Lake Business District which is the focus of many revitalization efforts.
The City will keep the possibilities open for the Cross Kirkland Corridor and hope that you keep informed. To receive updates via email,
subscribe here.