As part of our mission to make the Eastrail an exceptional trail for everyone, every day, we are tracking the following legislative priorities at the state and federal levels:

State Priorities

• City of Kirkland’s CKC/Eastrail HAWK Crossing: Move funds appropriated in the State’s 2025-2027 and 2027-2029 transportation biennial budgets for the Cross Kirkland Corridor HAWK Crossing and 132nd Intersection Improvements (awarded to the City as a grant by WSDOT) to the State’s 2023-2025 transportation biennial budget.
• City of Woodinville’s SR 202 Eastrail Trestle project: obligate Move Ahead Washington‘s $5M in Eastrail funds (programed in a “future biennium”) to this next biennium so federal funds for the project are not put at risk.
• City of Bellevue’s Mountains to Sound Greenway trail segment: Move Ahead Washington included $6.9 million for this section of trail between 142nd Place SE and 150th Avenue SE. We support City of Bellevue’s requests that the Legislature rephase $6.6 million in Move Ahead Washington funding for construction in the 2025-27 biennium, enabling the City to leverage $2.37 million in federal funds that must be obligated by June 1, 2025.
• Support for 2021 Climate Commitment Act: This is a market-based program to reduce carbon pollution and achieve greenhouse gas emissions. It generates revenue by requiring polluters to pay. We support policies that accelerate CCA investments.

Federal Priorities

• City of Woodinville: Support to obtain funding for the planning of the city-owned section of Eastrail between Wilmot Gateway Park and the King County line.
• King County: Support with acquiring capital funding for the final gap in the southern segment of the trail, with the crossing over I-90 and adjacent trail segments.
• Snohomish County: Support the County in acquiring funding for planning of the trail from the King County line to the town of Snohomish, where it will connect to the existing Centennial Trail.

Post-Session Updates, 4/12/2024

Eastrail Partners is excited to update that several of our highest priority issues at the state level were successful. Kirkland, Woodinville, and Bellevue’s trail segments were all advanced to earlier funding timelines. At the Federal level, we will continue to support both RAISE grant applications by Woodinville and King County. Unfortunately, Snohomish County was not successful in their federal funding request, but we hope to continue to support Snohomish County as they look for funding sources to extend the Centennial Trail to Eastrail in Woodinville.

There is a ballot initiative that could impact the Climate Commitment Act. It’s not clear if or what Eastrail project funding could be impacted by this, but in general, it could negatively impact multi-modal transportation projects. We will look for ways to support this important funding in the coming months.