Public Meeting on Eastside Rail Corridor Set for Wednesday

The Eastside Rail Corridor project will be the focus of a public meeting held on Wednesday, July 31, at Bellevue City Hall.

The meeting runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will follow an open-house format. Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions, discuss issues and offer feedback on preliminary plans for project.

The Eastside Rail Corridor stretches 42 miles from Snohomish to Renton along former Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks through the cities of Woodinville, Kirkland and Bellevue (map). A 3.9-mile spur also extends from Woodinville into downtown Redmond.

East Link light rail will eventually run through a portion of the corridor in Bellevue and into Redmond.

Earlier this year, King County purchased 15.6 miles of the corridor from the Port of Seattle, securing portions that were not already acquired by Sound Transit or the cities of Redmond and Kirkland. The county also purchased a new 3.6-mile trail easement from Woodinville into unincorporated Snohomish County.

The City of Kirkland finalized its purchase of 5.75 miles of the corridor in 2012 and has since begun converting that portion into a bicycle and pedestrian path.

Work has also begun on the Redmond Central Connector, a linear park that will run through downtown Redmond on the former rail line and include a paved path for bicyclists and pedestrians as well as interactive art pieces. Phase 1 of that project is expected to be completed this summer.

Bellevue City Hall is located at 450 110th Ave. NE. For more information, visit the Eastside Rail Corridor's website.