Active Transportation Plan

Increased numbers of people using active modes for transportation has many benefits within the community. These include increased public health outcomes, benefits for the environment, and reduced traffic congestion. The city is also experiencing unprecedented growth, so to keep people moving active transportation must be a comfortable and safe option for many trips. 

The purpose of the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) is to reaffirm Kirkland’s commitment to a multi-modal system of transportation choices by providing network and infrastructure improvement recommendations to enable people of all ages and abilities to safely walk, bike, and roll in Kirkland. The implementation of these recommendations is intended to increase the number of people using active modes for transportation. This plan also addresses a City Council goal for more balanced transportation and to reduce reliance on single occupancy vehicles.  

The plan is built around three primary goals:

  1. Create a safe, connected pedestrian network where walking is a comfortable and intuitive option as the first choice for many trips.

  2. Create a connected bicycle network that accommodates people of all ages and abilities to get to destinations such as activity centers, parks, and transit.

  3. Encourage and incentivize more people to walk and bike and encourage safe behavior for all users of the transportation system.

Public Engagement

The plan was also based on an extensive public outreach process.  This included:

  • an online survey coordinated with the Safer Routes to School planning effort
  • over 20 meetings with various groups
  • online materials
  • several open public meetings
  • nine briefings with the Transportation Commission
  • two study sessions with Council

Council Meeting materials:

April 20, 2021 Study Session

March 15, 2022 Study Session

May 3, 2022 Council Meeting (business item)

June 7, 2022 Council Meeting (consent)

More information can be found in Appendix A.

Background

The update of the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) was based on the 2009 Active Transportation Plan(PDF, 8MB) and the Transportation Master Plan(PDF, 19MB) (adopted 2015). In the Transportation Master Plan the first three goals are:

T-0 Safety: By 2035 eliminate all transportation related fatal and serious injury crashes in Kirkland.

T-1 Walking: Complete a safe network of sidewalks, trails and crosswalks where walking is comfortable and the first choice for many trips.

T-2 Biking: Interconnect bicycle facilities that are safe, nearby, easy to use and popular with people of all ages and abilities.

The ATP focuses on bicycle and pedestrian connections in city right-of-way that connect to activity centers, transit, parks, and to the Cross Kirkland Corridor (CKC). This builds upon other planning efforts such as (but not limited to):

  • CKC Master Plan
  • Safer Routes to School Action Plans
  • Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan
  • Vision Zero Action Plan
  • NE 85th Street Station Area Plan
  • Neighborhood Safety program
  • Sustainability Master Plan

Where the ATP overlaps these plans and other planning efforts and programs, the City coordinates priorities and implementation so that overlapping benefits are identified, and implementation can be coordinated.