City Invests in Safety Improvements for Municipal Parking Garage

Published on January 17, 2020

Media Contact:
Kellie Stickney
Communications Program Manager
kstickney@kirklandwa.gov
(425) 979-6562

KIRKLAND, Wash. – The City is investing in safety improvements to the municipal parking garage under the downtown library at 308 Kirkland Avenue.

A series of improvements scheduled to begin this winter will replace inoperable or damaged vehicle and pedestrian doors. In late January, the parking garage entrance/exit off Third Street will be inaccessible to vehicles for a few days while crews replace the doors. During this period, the entrance/exit leading to Kirkland Avenue will remain open. Subsequently, the garage entrance/exit down the ramp off Kirkland Avenue will be inaccessible to vehicles for a few days while crews replace the rolling gate. Signage will redirect drivers to use available entrances. By the end of March, pedestrian doors will also be repaired or replaced.

“These investments are in response to concerns we’ve heard from community members regarding the need for increased safety measures in the municipal parking garage below the library,” said City Manager Kurt Triplett. “We’re pleased to be implementing these safety upgrades so that all members of our community see the garage as a safe place to park their vehicle to enjoy our downtown businesses and surrounding amenities.”

When the project is complete this spring, the garage will be able to be closed and locked for a set period during the night. This is part of a series of efforts to improve the safety, cleanliness, and management of the garage. The City will be hosting conversations through a variety of forums to discuss nighttime closure hours and operations of the garage moving forward. If you are interested in participating in these conversations, or you would like additional updates on this project, please sign up for emails at http://bit.ly/KirkGarage.

The Peter Kirk Municipal Garage is owned and operated by the City of Kirkland and is located at the southwest corner of Peter Kirk Park on the corner of Third Street and Kirkland Avenue in downtown Kirkland. The Kirkland branch of the King County Library occupies the 63 stalls on the top, and the City of Kirkland manages the lower two levels with 344 stalls. The middle level of the garage is available to the public with a 4-hour limit while the lower level is used for permitted downtown employees until 5 p.m. during the weekdays and converts to 4-hour general public parking on nights, weekends and holidays.