Walkable Communities

Kirkland's 1st Annual Health and Wellness Fair

2010-05-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

June 19, 2010 Marks the First Annual Kirkland Health and Wellness Fair.

Located at Parkplace, the fair will include vendor booths, screenings of recent movies discussing our countries food supply, a variety of speakers a walking tour of Kirkland as well as a variety of events for the children.

Sponsored by Bastyr, Lake Washington Technical Institute and Evergreen Hospital, the fair will no doubt be a first of many to come. So jump on your bike, walk or ride the bus and spend the day learning about what is happening in your community and ways we can all become healthier. You can find more information at http://kirklandhealthfair.com/

City of Bohell starts construction on a more Vibrant, Pedestrian Friendly and Walkable Downtown

2010-04-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Mayor Mark Lamb climbed into a backhoe and started demolition of an old brick building located in the City of Bothell. This marks the beginnier of a revitalization plan that includes investing $150 million into the downtown core. The plan includes moving the highway, expanding the park at Bothell Landing and adding a new City Hall.

The redevelopment will incorporate the most important features of Bothell: The Sammamish River and Bothell Landing Park into its downtown. Future additions to the downtown park will include canoe-and-kayak launching area, public paths, and bike and boat rentals. Re-routing of 522 will also create three new downtown blocks, adding to the retail core, making downtown Bothell more walkable and restoring its historic charm.

The makeover includes:
• Demolishing 15 buildings.
• Moving Highway 522 one block south and disconnecting it from Main Street, helping traffic move faster through downtown, and also widening it at a corridor known as "Wayne Curve."
• Extending Highway 527 and broadening it into a pedestrian-friendly boulevard.
• Expanding Main Street with new buildings that have ground-floor stores with office space or residences above.

2010-03-11T15:56:00.001-08:00

Google engineer's have developed a bike route feature to accompany the pedestrian, public transit, and yes automobile route maps previously available. The bike mapping not only shows you how to get there, but also recommends preferred routes that are less hilly and or avoids heavily congested streets making your commute, weekend adventure or a simple trip to the store as enjoyable as possible.

To use, simply visit http://www.google.com/ and click on the maps page. In the upper left hand corner of the page, click on the “bicycling directions” link. Input your to and from addresses and voila, a map is created for just for you. Once your map is created you can click and drag the actual route shown on the map screen if you think you know better than Google. Information such as estimated time, distance and alternative routes are also shown. In addition to bicycling maps, the top of the page has a drop down menu in which you can choose “walking”, “by public transit” or “by car” and the map will change accordinfly giving you Google’s recommendations for the best route. With great riding weather upon us, plan a couple bike trips, print them out and hit the road.

Happy Safe Cycling

New Partners for Smart Growth arrive in the Emerald City February 4-6, 2010

2010-01-27T15:37:00.000-08:00

The 9th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth “Building Safe, Healthy and Livable Communities”

Conference is being held next week in Seattle. The conference will tackle the balancing of environmental, economic and livability issues in our cities and towns necessary in order for the Pacific Northwest to continue being a most desirable place to live and work. Seattle was chosen due in part to its being named one of the top 10 green cities in the U.S. by National Geographic’s “The Green Guide”, (2005). In addition, the Seattle area has a variety of healthy, walkable, bicycle and transit friendly, livable towns and cities that will are models for the rest of North America making Seattle a very desirable venue for such a conference.

Last year the conference was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico and was heralded as a huge success bringing together local elected officials, city and county staff, landscape architects, developers and builders, planners, transportation professionals and traffic engineers, public health professionals, architects, bankers, realtors, urban designers, parks and recreation professionals, school superintendents and board members and facilities staff, environmentalists and a host of civic advocates.

The conference will include “a dynamic mix of plenaries, breakouts, implementation workshops, specialized trainings, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and coordinated networking activities”. Most exciting will be the tour of local model projects in Seattle and the greater Puget Sound Region. This tour includes cities and towns such as Kirkland, Mercer Island, Mill Creek, Snohomish, Highpoint, Bainbridge and others. Overall there will be information and examples that will interest just about everyone with close to 90 sessions and workshops, tours and a wide variety of speakers. Registration is still open for the conference.

Making changes in 2010

2010-01-11T06:05:00.001-08:00

Another new year has arrived and with it come resolutions for a healthier, happier more financially stable you. Some of the most popular resolutions are: Get in Shape, Lose Weight, Save Money, Buy a house and help others…

Every year, the resolution part is relatively easy, however it is the follow through that is most difficult. In my opinion, the reason we often do not achieve our resolutions is simple, we demand too much from ourselves. Creating a list of 20 life changing resolutions to accomplish in a year is easy on paper, but difficult if not impossible in our already hectic day to day life and will ultimately result in disappointment. So be real, focus on what is truly important and put together a specific yet simple plan that you can achieve. List out the small interim steps that will help you achieve your goal and will serve as a map to getting results. Make sure to put this plan somewhere you see it often and take necessary time each day to review it and determine where you are at and what is next. Most importantly stay positive and keep moving in the right direction.

So how does this relate to “walkable communities” you ask? As I stated at the beginning the most widely held resolutions are always: get in shape, buy a house, save money and get out of debt. A simple way to achieve a couple of the top ten resolutions is to make some minor changes in your lifestyle that over time will result in these outcomes. For example, instead of going to the gym which will only cost you additional money, resolve to ride your bike or walk to work. Start with just 2 to 3 days a week and build from there. This seemingly simple change will save you money, provide the exercise you need, help the environment, reduce traffic and increase your quality of life.

In Bellevue, City officials have recognized this demand and are working to make commuting via bike and feet safer, easier and faster. In the fall of 2009 City Planners conducted a survey of walkers and riders and found that a majority of them were commuting to work, (66 and 77 percent respectively). The study found the median length of commute approximately one mile for pedestrians and nine miles for cyclists. As a result, the City plans to make changes to infrastructure to further increase the safety and capacity of streets to handle the expected increase of pedestrian and cyclists commuters.

Oh, and one of my resolutions is to update this blog at least once a week so look for upcoming posts!!

The True Cost of Commuting

2009-12-03T15:33:00.000-08:00

We are all looking for ways to save money in these tough economic times. Even better, how about earning extra cash amidst all the negative news?
One simple and guaranteed way is to put away the car (or better yet sell it) and begin walking and biking.

It is common knowledge that most households spend more than necessary on their vehicles. The American Automobile Association estimates that operating a typical SUV exceeds $8000 per year. Increase your commute distance and this can easily reach $10,000 - $12,000 based on the True Cost of Driving Calculator.

Now let’s say you buy a used but reliable car or sell an extra car and minimize your driving by utilizing transit, biking or walking you can easily cut your expenses in half. This results in an annual saving of $4000 - $8000 dollars.

This saving invested with a rate of return of 7% would yield $60,000 to $130,000 over ten years and $190,000 to $380,000 over twenty years. Do this for forty years and you would earn over a million dollars just by reducing your automobile use by half!!!!

This may seem far fetched, but combine this with rising fuel cost, climate change and ever increasing infrastructure cost paid for by the taxpayer and this represents real savings.

In fact, the Urban Land Institute recently reported in “Creating A Framework for a Green Economy”, Spring 2009 that families are searching for “foreclosure resistant neighborhoods where transit costs are low (about 9% of household expenditures)” as opposed to the “foreclosure-risky neighborhoods in the exurbs where transportation costs are high (25% of household expenditures)”. In this scenario, say the family expenditure is $4000 per month. If transportation costs are 25% of that number or $1000 versus 9% or $360 this represents and annual savings of $7680.

Put another way, by using the True Cost of Driving Calculator a home buyer can determine the real cost of choosing a “walkable” neighborhood versus a home requiring commuting and additional vehicle trips for all of life’s necessities. Using the cost savings of $8000 per year discussed above, a family could afford an additional $650 dollars per month. This monthly savings represents an additional $100,000 in home purchasing power. By utilizing this buying power a family could choose a home in a walkable neighborhood which reduces transportation costs and thereby reduces impact to the environment, is healthier for the entire family while improving the sense of community and for all these reasons is a significantly better financial investment.

UW Bothell Sets Fall Enrollment Record

2009-11-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

Founded in 1990, the University of Washington Bothell was created to bring the world-renowned University of Washington traditions of academic excellence to residents on the Eastside, North King and Snohomish counties, as well as from around the state, the nation and the world.

The campus, which is shared with Cascadia Community College is situated on a 128-acre site and is home to one of the States most successful wetland restoration projects. Bordering this important area are trails connecting the UW to the Sammamish River and Burke Gilman Trails. Originally, this property was home to the Boone-Truly Ranch.

The UW Bothell’s architecture truly stands out by combining modern architecture with an emphasis on blending into the surrounding environment. Construction materials and techniques used were environmentally friendly and the buildings utilizes advanced technology for both faculty and student use. As a result, the campus received the American Institute of Architects 2002 Honor Award for Washington Architecture.

The UW Bothell is an accredited unit of the University of Washington and home to more than 2600 students. Both graduate and undergraduate programs are offered at the UW Bothell campus.

By participating in and hosting locals events, attracting the brightest students and educators and being located less than a mile from Downtown Bothell the University of Washington brings economic stability, diversity and vitality to the entire region, and specifically to the Bothell area.

Whether simply using the grounds to take a scenic run, visiting the library, attending special events or actually attending classes at the UW Bothell, this important amenity guarantees the continued growth and vitality of the Bothell area. In fact, this year’s fall enrollment set an all time record with 2,374 full time equivalent (FTE) students, or a headcount of 2,801 walking through the doors. This represents an overenrolled at 116% and in comparison, 2008 enrollment included 1,899 full time equivalent students and a headcount of 2,288.

Both Village Walk and Ross Road Communities were designed to take advantage of all that Downtown Bothell has to offer. Restaurants, Civic Buildings, Recreational Opportunities, Shopping, Libraries and of Course the UW of Washington Bothell Campus are all located in safe and walkable distance from these two new and exciting communities within Downtown Bothell.

Village Walk is located just under 1 mile from UW Bothell

Ross Road Townhomes is located just half mile from UW Bothell

Google unveils the new Kirkland Campus Wednesday

2009-10-30T12:19:00.001-07:00

This past Wednesday, October 25^th, Google held a ceremonial opening of the new Kirkland Campus located at 747 6^th Street South. Brier Dudley of the Seattle Times attended the opening and discusses the reasons why Google selected Kirkland for its new campus:

“best high-tech places in the world” states Alan Eustace, Google Senior Vice President.

“I’d rather be part of a community than just another building.” states Larry Page, Google Co-Founder.

Google’s reasons for choosing Kirkland are not only held by the business community but echoed by residents and employees as well. First and foremost whether resident, employee or employer we are all striving to be part of a larger community and in turn, community needs all these components to thrive. The pieces need to be thoughtfully designed, compact, sustainable and with a focus towards quality of life. Something Kirkland has.

A walkable community (i.e. Kirkland) by definition fulfills all these criteria by putting work, play, home and the environment together in a safe and thoughtfully designed way that merges resident, employee and employer into one.

The Google campus is another significant addition to the areas cluster of high tech companies, higher education such as the University of Washington, and other businesses together creating collaboration and synergy that will foster stability and confidence in our region for both residents and employers. This confidence in turns supports necessary infrastructure required to sustain a vibrant urban area.

Similarly, the new Nettleton Community is also a significant addition to the City of Kirkland, in response to the demands to live closer to employment, entertainment, schools… The new community provides a variety of housing to the area, maintains the look and feel of Kirkland through classic Northwest Architecture and the restoration of the Nettleton Mansion a local landmark all within an once underdeveloped urban infill site. The location of the Nettleton site is only a little over quarter mile from the new Google Campus making living and working here “eco” and “economically” friendly (i.e. lose the car), and healthy and sustainable, (i.e. walk and frequent local businesses).

Why Is a Walkable Community Important?

2009-10-22T16:32:00.001-07:00

The simple fact is, if you live in a walkable community, one that has some where to walk to, you are more apt to get out and do it. This motivation over time will lead to a better quality of life, better health and is fun.

This is becoming more and more important as our hectic lives, modern conveniences and electronic age reduce our our activity levels significantly. This has led to increasingly sedentary lifestyles for more and more people. In fact the percentage of adults who spend MOST of their day sitting increased from 36.8% in 2000 to 39.9% in 2005. This inactivity is now the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, second only to tobacco use. Walking is considered by many fitness professional as a way to supplement or begin an exercise program, add to quality of life and reduce stress. Medicinenet.com created an important list of 10 reasons we should all walk get out and walk more:

1. Walking prevents type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program showed that walking 150 minutes per week and losing just 7% of your body weight (12-15 pounds) can reduce your risk of diabetes by 58%.

2. Walking strengthens your heart if you're male. In one study, mortality rates among retired men who walked less than one mile per day were nearly twice that among those who walked more than two miles per day.

3. Walking strengthens your heart if you're female. Women in the Nurse's Health Study (72,488 female nurses) who walked three hours or more per week reduced their risk of a heart attack or other coronary event by 35% compared with women who did not walk.

4. Walking is good for your brain. In a study on walking and cognitive function, researchers found that women who walked the equivalent of an easy pace at least 1.5 hours per week had significantly better cognitive function and less cognitive decline than women who walked less than 40 minutes per week. Think about that!

5. Walking is good for your bones. Research shows that postmenopausal women who walk approximately one mile each day have higher whole-body bone density than women who walk shorter distances, and walking is also effective in slowing the rate of bone loss from the legs.

6. Walking helps alleviate symptoms of depression. Walking for 30 minutes, three to five times per week for 12 weeks reduced symptoms of depression as measured with a standard depression questionnaire by 47%.

7. Walking reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer. Women who performed the equivalent of one hour and 15 minutes to two and a half hours per week of brisk walking had an 18% decreased risk of breast cancer compared with inactive women. Many studies have shown that exercise can prevent colon cancer, and even if an individual person develops colon cancer, the benefits of exercise appear to continue both by increasing quality of life and reducing mortality.

8. Walking improves fitness. Walking just three times a week for 30 minutes can significantly increase cardiorespiratory fitness.

9. Walking in short bouts improves fitness, too! A study of sedentary women showed that short bouts of brisk walking (three 10-minute walks per day) resulted in similar improvements in fitness and were at least as effective in decreasing body fatness as long bouts (one 30-minute walk per day).

10. Walking improves physical function. Research shows that walking improves fitness and physical function and prevents physical disability in older persons.

Village Walk in Bothell Scores 88 on Walkscore.com

2009-10-02T16:19:00.001-07:00

Walkscore.com a website that allows you to find a walkable place to live by calculating a Walk Score for any address ranks Village Walk in Bothell an 88 which equates to “Very Walkable”. Walk Score uses a patent-pending system to measure the walkability of an address. The Walk Score algorithm awards points based on the distance to the closest amenity in each category. If the closest amenity in a category is within .25 miles (or .4 km), it assign the maximum number of points. The number of points declines as the distance approaches 1 mile (or 1.6 km)—no points are awarded for amenities further than 1 mile. Each category is weighted equally and the points are summed and normalized to yield a score from 0–100. The number of nearby amenities is the leading predictor of whether people walk.

The ranking goes from Car Dependant to Walkers Paradise. The general guidelines for interpreting your score:

· 90–100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.

· 70–89 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car.

· 50–69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.

· 25–49 = Car-Dependent: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.

· 0–24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

In addition to your walk score, Walkscore.com provides great information on what makes a neighborhood walkable, why walking matters and provides links to a host of related websites and blogs.

Feet First Maps Kirkland

2009-09-22T14:54:00.001-07:00

Feet First a non-profit organization serving Washington State to “promote the rights and interests of pedestrians and encourage walking” has mapped the City of Kirkland.

“Neighborhoods on Foot series” as the maps are called are “periodicals” and include current events, schools, parks, transits, trails, civil buildings and more. The maps are easy to use and include radius markers that give walkers a general idea how long it will take to walk to a certain location. For example, the Nettleton Commons Community, a new housing community near downtown Kirkland is shown within a 5 minute walk of Peter Kirk Park, Kirkland Transit Center, Kirkland Library, Performance Center, Lee Johnson Field and many other popular destinations.

The maps can be found online (not all maps are available) or free from and many shops, cafes, libraries, and community centers.

Walking towards better health

2009-09-22T13:25:00.001-07:00

Most of us can definitely use more exercise in our daily routine. Let’s face it, without your health, what do you have? So, every year we set out with lofty goals to go to the gym, run, swim, bike and so on. By March gym attendance drops, motivation wanes and we set aside our goals because getting to the gym or pool was time consuming, traffic and parking was stressful, the gym was crowded, expensive and quite frankly we just got bored with the whole thing. So what can we do? A simple answer is walk. Walking is the oldest and least expensive form of exercise and most importantly it works!! About.com reports that “Walkers have less incidence of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other killer diseases. They live longer and get mental health and spiritual benefits.” USA Today reports on a recent study conducted by The Active Living Research Program at San Diego State University, that “People did 40 to 50 minutes more physical activity per week if their neighborhoods were designed for pedestrians…” which ultimately led to the conclusion that these people were healthier and leaner overall.

In addition, walking can be the easy, inexpensive and fun way to get started on a new fitness lifestyle. The Walking Site, a website dedicated to walking, says it best, “The toughest thing about starting a fitness program is developing a habit.” Too many of us rush out in the beginning and push ourselves too hard. This can result in fatigue, possible injury and worse burnout. To combat this, start off slow. Walkingsite.com recommends, “…walk for 10 minutes, and walk back. That's it? Yes, that's it. Do this every day for a week. If this was easy for you, add five minutes to your walks next week (total walking time 25 minutes). Keep adding 5 minutes until you are walking as long as desired.” Not only will this plan get you healthier in the process, it is attainable, and will start to modify your behavior until physical activity becomes a part of your everyday life. Most importantly make sure to do this regularly for at least a month as 21 days of routine behavior is the widely accepted time frame for creating (or changing) a habit. This accomplishment, change in everyday activity and how you feel will no doubt take you on your way to a healthier lifestyle.

As well as being healthy, walking is a peaceful and interesting way to get exercise. As opposed to squeezing into the gym and watching TV while you walk on a device that tries to mimic the natural world, instead get outside and see what your community has to offer. Watching the seasons change, visiting a new business in your community, walking your kids to school are all fun adventures that will surely take your mind off the fact that you are actually getting exercise. Yes, sometimes the weather can be less than perfect, but with the right preparation a brisk walk to a local coffee shop can be a healthy and invigorating adventure during any season. So, gather up your family, friends and neighbors and get out and walk to your health, the rewards tomorrow could Literally change your life.

Kirkland Triathlon September 20, 2009

2009-09-18T16:21:00.001-07:00

Kirkland will be hosting the Kirkland Triathlon at Carillon Point on September 20th starting at 7:00 AM. The Kirkland Triathlon debuted in 2002 and included over 1300 athletes which made it one of the largest first year sprint Tri’s in US history!!!!

This year will no doubt be full of energy and excitement brining athletes from all around to downtown Kirkland. Even if you have not participated in a Triathlon or even watched one, don’t miss it, it is always exciting and motivating.

Ever thought about competing in a triathlon, marathon or other athletic event? Or maybe you just want to get into the gym more frequently, run a couple days a week? Well where you live matters. Having the right amenities near you is crucial to maintaining your schedule and motivation. There is nothing more frustrating than working late and having to drive in traffic to your gym, pool or lake to get your exercise.

In contrast, downtown Kirkland offers EVERYTHING you need to, recreate, maintain your health and train to the next level. Several gyms are located in Downtown Kirkland including my favorite Kirkland Crossfit. In addition, ball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, skate park and outdoor pool are all centrally located in Peter Kirk Park. Of course Mother Nature provided the most amazing of all training grounds, Lake Washington which is an integral part of downtown Kirkland and provides endless opportunities for exercise including open water swimming, jogging (around) and kayaking. Last but definitely not least is biking. Biking is not only embraced in Kirkland, it is encouraged and many residents preferred mode of transportation. Just recently, The City of Kirkland installed a new sensor system that is used by bikers to activate traffic signals similar to how automobiles do currently. Very Cool!!!!

So considering your health and activities when choosing a home is crucial and will pay “quality of life” dividends everyday. Consider something that is close to everything, easy to maintain and has some room for all your exercise necessities: Mountain Bike, Road Bike, Tri-Bike, Kayak, Roller Blades, Skateboards, Paddleboard, Basketball, Football, Tennis Racket (you get the picture) A perfect example is the Nettleton Commons located a stones throw from downtown Kirkland offering beautiful new (which means very little maintenance) single family homes with garages (to hold all your equipment) and grounds that are maintained by the Homeowners association, so you can focus on having fun!!!! Come check out Nettleton Commons after you watch the finishers accomplish their goals at the Kirkland Triathlon.

Walkable Neighborhoods equals Housing Recovery and Increased Value

2009-08-27T14:08:00.001-07:00

When I think of “Walkable Neighborhoods” the first thing that comes to mind is Quality of Life.

The idea that I don’t have to get into my automobile and instead being able to get outside, exercise and visit places where I want to be on foot is all that I need. However, there is also a direct economic benefit to Walkable Neighborhoods that may not always get recognized and in these difficult times may present buyers a great opportunity. The Concord Group, (a leading real estate strategy firm with offices in Newport Beach, San Francisco and Boston. TCG's employing 40 consultants completing over 350 assignments annually in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Latin America). recently prepared a report titled “United States Housing Outlook, When Will Markets Recover?” In this report, The Concord Group forecasts the U.S. housing market and discusses both risk and opportunity in real estate. The report shows significant variations in regional real estate markets based on a wide variety of contributing factors. One such area that was discussed was the opportunities that exist within specific submarkets even when the greater region may be suffering. The report specifically states “Locations with proximity to quality schools, accessible leisure and entertainment options and diversity of jobs will also outperform recover timeframes. Submarket-level analyses will identify opportunities and constraints that diverge from the regional average. Regions with strong long-term growth fundamentals and diversified economic bases will emerge earliest, whereas the outlying commuter markets will lag”. It goes on to say that “quality new housing” in core employment centers are expected to be an opportunity, particularly in competitive infill environments.

Another report, "Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities," commissioned by CEO’s for Cities which is a national network of urban leaders from civic, business, academic and philanthropic sectors look at 94,000 real-estate transactions in 15 markets. In 13 of those markets, higher levels of "walkability" were DIRECTLY linked to higher home values. The report is one of a kind in that it looked solely at the economics of living within a Walkable community and left other items such as the health and environmental benefits alone. One example was two neighborhoods in Charlotte N.C. where one neighborhood with a walk score of 54 had median home prices of $280,000 while in Whilmore, where the average score was 71, median prices of similar homes were $314,000 with each point increase in Walkability resulting in a $500 to $3000 increase in value. In the end the report concludes with the idea that "This is not about people having to live without cars." Rather, it's about giving people the option to use them less often. "They don't need to use them for every single trip, and when they do have to, they don't have to drive as far,"

Simply put, communities that are close to jobs, schools, restaurants, retail etc…are the homes that depreciate the least in tough economic times and the first to recover when things improve. So while your walking to your favorite restaurant, park or walking the kids to school, not only is your quality of life improved, by you can be secure in knowing that you’ve made the best possible investment in your home possible.

Bothell RiverFest August 30th

2009-08-27T10:49:00.001-07:00

Sunday August 30^th marks the 9^th Annual “Riverfest” in Bothell. The event is FREE and will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in downtown Bothell between Main and NE 185^th Street. Some of the events will be a car show, live music, local merchants market, hobby and volunteer expo along with a variety of fun events for the kids. So make sure to come out and participate and support your community!!! While your there take a stroll to two exciting new residential communities in downtown Bothell. Village Walk and Ross Road Townhomes located just a stones throw north of NE 185^th Street. Who knows maybe next year you can leave the car at home and walk to RiverFest and every that downtown Bothell has to offer!!!!

City of Kirkland gets 5th in America's Most Walkable Cities

2009-08-13T14:00:00.001-07:00

The City of Kirkland was ranked 5^th in walkable cities with a population of 500,000 or more by Runtheplanet.com. The article praises the City of Kirkland for their significant efforts to create a truly pedestrian friendly community. In fact, Kirkland was described as a “model of institutional pedestrian protection”.

The article also does a great job of outlining what makes a walkable city and thus what is so great about living in a walkable community. They are:

1. Compact and diverse development: A great example is the latest Kirkland Community “Nettelton Commons” Located near everything, this community has access to it all!!!

2. Places to walk: The Waterfront, Peter Kirk Park, Kirkland Library, Kirkland Performance Center, Shops and Restaurants, the list goes on and on….

3. No Impassable Barriers: The City of Kirkland was the first city in Washington State to adopt a Complete Streets Ordinance which provides for the design of streets that will enable safe access for all users.

4. Beauty: The City of Kirkland is one of the most scenic cities anywhere with it tree lined streets and one of a kind waterfront.

5. Safety: Among the many safety, traffic calming and other pedestrian improvements found throughout the city, Kirkland is credited with creating and implementing the pedestrian flag!!!! This program is now used throughout the U.S. and provides a safe and efficient way to move residents throughout the community.

Kirkland Prioritizes "Walkability"

2009-07-14T08:54:00.001-07:00

The below link will take you to a great King 5 Report with Jane McCarthy regarding what the City of Kirkland and a local developer are doing to help make our Cities Walkable. Check it out.

http://www.king5.com/video/featured-index.html?nvid=375959&shu=1

Top 10 Benefits of a Walkable Community

2009-07-14T08:44:00.001-07:00

There seems to be more discussion everyday regarding walkable communities. Why is this topic on peoples mind? It can only be the benefits of a walkable community that makes this issue important.

Benefits are of course different for each of us, but for the sake of discussion I have attached a list of 10 benefits that seem to show up in almost every list. From this list I will go into further detail on each in subsequent blog posts.

So here are the most common benefits of walkable communities. Please feel free to provide your own or comments about these!!!!

1. Less traffic congestion: According to the Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey, 25 percent of all car trips are less than a mile. Sidewalks and safe crossings enable you to reach destinations on foot, which reduces traffic congestion and air pollution.

2. Higher property values: Homes in pedestrian-friendly communities make good investments. Sidewalks and quiet, tree-lined streets boost the value of your home. A 1999 study by the Urban Land Institute showed buyers willing to pay a $20,000 premimum for homes in walkable/ pedestrian friendly areas verus homes in surrounding areas.

3. Lower transportation costs: Fewer car trips = lower gasoline costs. Each time you walk instead of drive, you save money on gas and maintenance.

4. Stronger local businesses: A walkable downtown attracts more stores and creates a thriving place to shop, eat, and find entertainment. Dense, walkable neighborhoods offer places that are easier for pedestrians to shop at many stores in one trip, eliminating the need to drive between destinations. Furthermore, walkable communities seem to attract tourists who are interested in these active, safe and interesting neighborhoods. In turn, tourism helps maintain a thriving local economy!!!

5. Sense of community: Where pleasant walking conditions exist, residents are more likely to know their neighbors and feel connected to their community. In addition, walking increases social capital by promoting face-to-face interaction with neighbors. According to studies published by Cascadia Scorecard, for every 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, time spent in community activities falls by 10 percent.

6. Reduced crime: Vibrant, walkable neighborhoods have more eyes on the street both in the form of people and the orientation buldings making Walkable neighborhoods a safe place to walk, work, live and visit.

7. Better health: People who live in walkable communities are more active and enjoy cleaner air. Studies are showing that the residents of walkable communities have a lower BMI number (Body Mass Index) than that of someone who lives in a more suburban neighborhood. Additionally, residents of walkable neighborhoods drive less and suffer fewer car accidents, a leading cause of death between the ages of 15–45.

8. Less stress: Making multiple car trips per day, shuttling children and driving in commuter traffic can be a stressful undertaking. On the otherhand, Being outdoors and walking with your family to your desinations can improve your health, reduce stress, save time and provide quality time together as a family.

9. Less pollution: Walking creates no harmful emissions.

10. Increased pedestrian safety: With increased pedestrian activity comes improved pedestrian facilities which in turn leads to more pedestrians which ultimately leads to streets that are safe to cross and comfortable for pedestrians, of all ages and abilities.

Daily Journal of Commerce Report on CamWest's Latest Walkable Community

2009-07-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Daily Journal of Commerce
June 26, 2009
Mansion moved to make way for 24 new homes in Kirkland
By JOURNAL STAFF

Image courtesy of CamWest Development

The Nettleton Mansion was moved to a new location on the site. CamWest is selling the home for $1.2 million.

These days when it comes to residential development, walkability trumps location.
The two factors are tightly intertwined, yet developers such as CamWest Development like to feature the pedestrian experience.
In launching Nettleton Commons, a project with 25 single-family homes about a quarter-mile from downtown Kirkland, CamWest directs reporters to WalkScore.com, which calculates an area's walkability.
The 2.5-acre project site's highest score is closest to downtown. That area rates a 97 out of 100, or what WalkScore says is a “walker's paradise.”
Go to the point farthest from the city center and the score drops to 82, which the site still considers “very walkable.”
“We've always been focused on infill,” said Eric Campbell, president of CamWest, which was formed 20 years ago at about the time the state approved the Growth Management Act, whose aim is to combat urban and suburban sprawl.
As more people moved to the Puget Sound region from the East Coast and other countries where walkability is prized, CamWest began adding pedestrian amenities to its developments.
A curving sidewalk cuts through the middle of Nettleton Commons.
A curving sidewalk serves as the spine of Nettleton Commons, Campbell said. Residents and neighbors will be able to cut through the approximately $12 million project as they walk or bicycle to and from downtown rather than walking along State Street.
Drivers will also be able to traverse Nettleton Commons, though the street, Third Lane South, curves and would be slower than traveling on State.
The key to developing a walkable community is to work with consultants “who can work with and be creative with the topography,” Campbell said. “What you don't want is a team that comes in with a pre-conceived design package.”
The 1914 Nettleton Mansion, a southern-colonial revival style home built for former Seattle Post-Intelligencer publisher Clark M. Nettleton, was on the site. It was designed as a replica of his wife Jennie's childhood home in Missouri.
The mansion later became a funeral home.
CamWest worked with the city of Kirkland and Kirkland Heritage Society to preserve the mansion, which was moved to a different location on the site and refurbished. The Robinson Co. of Snohomish County moved the mansion.
CamWest is selling the home, which is slightly less than 3,000 square feet, for $1.2 million.
The 24 new homes are sized from nearly 2,200 square feet to slightly more than 2,800 square feet. They will range in price from the high $600,000s to the high $800,000s, Campbell said.
The three-star BuiltGreen homes were designed to capture natural light. The homes have open floor plans, high-end kitchens and hardwood floors.
CamWest, which is its own general contractor, began construction late last year. The project is to be done in September.
Campbell said there still is demand for close-in locations. With lower interest rates and lower construction costs, he said today's purchasing power is as much as 25 percent greater than it was 18 months ago.
Triad Associates did the site plan and landscape architecture. The Dahlin Group is the architect. False Creek Design Group of Vancouver, B.C., designed the interiors. Site Development Co. of Bothell is the project civil engineer. David Little of Windermere is the listing agent.

Welcome to our "Walkable Community Blog"

2009-07-01T07:44:00.001-07:00

Finally after entirely too long we have our Walkable Communities blog up and going. The idea is to create a place for residents, business owners, public officials (just about anyone) who utilizes their neighborhood by foot or on two wheels the opportunity to share events, discussions, information, photos, opinions etc. related to Walkable Communities here in the Pacific Northwest.

Our hope is that this forum will become a positive place that both provides information and fosters community and maybe even elicits change for the better.

To start things off lets define what a “Walkable Community” is:

From my perspective a Walkable Community is where there are a variety of home choices located within close “walkable” proximity to the services and amenities that sustain residents. For example, such services could include retail stores, restaurants, grocery stores, employment, schools, parks, libraries, etc.

For a second and more official opinion, Wikipedia defines walkability as "The extent to which the built environment is friendly to the presence of people living, shopping, visiting, enjoying or spending time in an area".

Thanks for taking time to check us out and we look forward to hearing from you!!!