July 26, 2019

Dear Friends,

Hope you are enjoying the summer!

Things continue to be busy here at the King County Council and there are a number of important topics that I would like to update you on, including upcoming road projects, the Puget Sound Regional Council Draft VISION 2050 Plan, exciting events, and more.

It's a pleasure to represent District 3.

Kathy Lambert

In this Issue:

      1. Upcoming road construction
      2. Puget Sound Regional Council Draft VISION 2050 Plan
      3. Metro Park & Ride SOV Permitting survey results
      4. Coffee with a Cop and your Councilmember – Redmond Ridge, Friday, August 9
      5. Emergency preparation
      6. King County overdose data
      7. National Night Out – Tuesday, August 6
      8. Get ready for wildfire season

1. Upcoming road construction

I am so thankful to see these road projects being done. Road construction funds are based on a BROKEN state funding formula which I will be getting more in depth about. This week our Director of the Department of Local Services, John Taylor, and the Director of the Roads Services Division, Rick Brater, gave us important insights – which you can view by clicking here.

SE David Powell Road lane restriction, July 22 – September 13



Beginning on Monday, July 22, riverbank repair work will take place along the Snoqualmie River next to SE David Powell Road. The work includes repairing the scoured riverbank near the intersection of SE 56th Street, near house number 36621, and repairing the riverbank toe near house number 36601. During construction, SE David Powell Road will be reduced to one lane. Stop signs will be installed at both ends of the construction area to help guide traffic. Work is expected to be complete by Friday, September 13. Visit the My Commute webpage to view the map.

NE 170th Place road closure, July 22 – August 9



Beginning Monday, July 22, at 7 a.m., there will be a full road closure for three weeks on NE 170th Place approximately 150 feet west of driveway #22123 as County crews replace a box culvert. This location is just north of NE Woodinville Duvall Road, between the cities of Woodinville and Duvall. Work is expected to finish on Friday, August 9 at 3 p.m. Visit the My Commute webpage to see the map.

Lake Dorothy Bridge No. 359B lane restriction, August 12



On Monday, August 12, a bridge inspection will take place on Lake Dorothy Bridge No. 359B. The bridge spans the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River and is located east of the City of North Bend on SE Middle Fork Road. An Under Bridge Inspection Truck (UBIT) will be used during the inspection which requires a lane restriction on the bridge from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Motorists will be directed through the work zone and should expect delays.

Visit the My Commute webpage to view the map.

2. Puget Sound Regional Council Draft VISION 2050 Plan

Earlier this month, the Puget Sound Regional Council released their draft VISION 2050 plan for public review. VISION 2050 is the long-range plan for how and where the region’s growth will occur. The Puget Sound Regional Council has put together an online open house and will host a number of public workshops (that you can view the details of in the graphic below) where you can learn more about the plan draft and give them your feedback. To view the draft and learn more, click here.

This is important as it impacts so many aspects of our lives to 2050.

3. Metro Park & Ride SOV Permitting survey results

Thank you to everyone who filled out my survey on the King County park and ride single-occupant-vehicle (SOV) permitting program. There were over 100 responses to the survey before the program was voted on by the Mobility & Environment Committee. Your feedback helped inform my vote on this issue, and I voted “no” on this plan. Below are some of the results from the survey that I would like to highlight:

• When asked if they would consider buying an SOV permit, 95.92% of respondents said no.
• When asked why they would or would not consider buying a permit, some responses explained that it was too expensive, that the plan makes it more reasonable to just drive into work rather than take the bus, and more.
• 90% of respondents voted that they would be less likely to use a King County park and ride with an SOV permit parking system.

As a reminder, the plan will allow SOV drivers to purchase a parking permit in park and rides that have 90 percent or greater weekday occupancy. These permits will not exceed 50 percent of total stalls in a given park and ride, so there will still be free parking and carpool parking available.

The park and rides where these SOV permits will be made available in the future are the Bear Creek Park & Ride, Redmond Park & Ride, Issaquah Highlands Park & Ride, Northgate Transit Center, Aurora Village Transit Center, Bothell Park & Ride, Kenmore Park & Ride, South Kirkland Park & Ride, Tukwila Park & Ride, and the Shoreline Park & Ride. Permits will cost between $60-$120 per month for most drivers, or $20 per month for ORCA LIFT drivers. Carpool monthly permits will still be free.

4. Coffee with a Cop and your Councilmember – Redmond Ridge, Friday, August 9

I will be joining in for this event. The King County Sherriff’s Office North Precinct is partnering with Cypress Coffee on Redmond Ridge for a “Coffee with a Cop” event on Friday, August 9th from 10:30am-12:30pm. The address is 22310 NE Marketplace Drive, #102, Redmond, WA 98053. “Coffee with a Cop” is national program that allows residents to get to know their law enforcement officers in an informal way and vice versa. Stop by Cypress Coffee on Friday to talk with your law enforcement officers and your Councilmember.

5. Emergency preparation

As you may know, being prepared individually and as a community is vitally important to me. I have been through two eathquakes, one tornado, one forest fire, and numerous floods as well as gone to many classes on emergency preparation, including one after Hurricane Katrina. I also attended a conference a few weeks ago where we had classes on emergency preparation including information on mass shootings. These experiences and classes have made it very clear that preparation is vital.

Each of us can help be prepared for emergencies by having emergency kits for ourselves and our family, and having enough food and water to “make it through,” which is the name of the County preparedness campaign that can be found here.

After the recent minor earthquakes throughout the region, now is a good time to remember to be prepared for a significant emergency. Below is a great graphic from the Kitsap Sun on how to prepare:

6. King County overdose data

Earlier this month, Public Health – Seattle & King County announced there were 415 deaths of King County residents caused by drugs and alcohol in 2018, which is up from 379 deaths in 2017. The two reports from Public Health and the University of Washington’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute site an increase in fentanyl and methamphetamine overdoses. To read more, click here.

7. National Night Out – Tuesday, August 6

Many cities and neighborhoods are having events in lots of communities. For example, the Sammamish Police Department is putting together a “National Night Out” event on Tuesday, August 6, from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm at the CWU Sammamish campus. The City of Issaquah will also be hosting an event on the same evening at the Issaquah Police Department from 5pm-7pm, and many other neighborhoods across District 3 will be putting events together as well. For more information on the Issaquah event, click here. To learn more about the Sammamish event, check out the flyer below:

8. Get ready for wildfire season

Wildfires and their smoke have made their presence felt in western Washington for the past two summers, and hot, dry weather may bring them back again. King County is partnering with the City of Seattle, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, and other regional stakeholders to help our communities prepare for—and function during—what's expected to be another busy wildfire season.

Learn what you and your community can do to prevent wildfires, how to protect your health when the air is smoky, ways to keep your pets safe and comfortable on the King County Emergency News Wildfire and smoke Info page and on the Public Health Insider blog.

Here are some tips from King County to protect your health when it is smoky outside:

“Check the air quality forecast. Air quality conditions may change quickly. Go to Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s website at pscleanair.org or follow them on Twitter (@pscleanair) for the current smoke level report for King County.

Stay indoors when possible. Limit your physical activity outdoors (including running, biking, physical labor, and sports) when:

• the smoke level is “moderate” or worse if you have a health condition (like asthma, heart disease, diabetes, or a cold)
• the smoke level is “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse if you are pregnant, over age 65, a child or an infant
• the smoke level is “unhealthy for everyone.”

Keep indoor air clean. Close windows and doors. Don’t smoke, use candles, or vacuum. Use an air cleaner with a HEPA filter if possible. Use fans or an air conditioner (AC) when it’s hot, if possible. Set your AC to recirculate, rather than bringing in fresh air. If you don’t have AC and it’s too hot to stay home, go to a place with AC like a mall, the library, or a movie theater. If you do use AC, be sure to check and clean or change the filter regularly.

If your health conditions get worse around smoke, contact your health care provider. Call 9-1-1 if you or someone else has serious symptoms, like trouble breathing.

Check on others. Check on elderly or at-risk neighbors. Make sure they have what they need. Offer them a place with cleaner indoor air if available.”