Klahanie-area Transition Committee to focus on traffic, safety going forward

Published 4:23 pm Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Concerns related to traffic and safety are the top priority for the Klahanie-area Transition Committee.

The transition committee, established by the Sammamish City Council in July, met for the first time in the Sammamish City Hall Aug. 12. It will meet the second Wednesday of each month leading up to the Jan. 1, 2016 annexation of some 11,000 people. The committee will act as a liaison for the city, in order to communicate with Klahanie-area residents and to advise the city regarding various issues.

The main arterials, Issaquah-Pine Lake Road Southeast and Southeast Issaquah-Fall City Road, which outline two-thirds of the roughly 2-square-mile annexation area, are the big road projects.

The city of Sammamish put these segments of road on the city’s six-year Transportation Improvement Program this summer, making them eligible to receive state and federal grants. In total, tackling these roads is an estimated $52.5 million project, according to the 2016-2021 TIP.

“I don’t know what the city can do inside this community when there’s such a demand on these bigger roads,” Mike Foss, representing Brookshire Estates, said. Foss specifically referenced traffic issues on Southeast 47th Place.

Other members of the all-volunteer committee brought up smaller neighborhood streets, like Southeast 32nd Place, where public safety and speeding are an issue.

City Manager Ben Yazici said the city is taking a multi-year approach to bring the neighborhoods up to code. The committee’s purpose is to make a list of these concerns and prioritize them.

“It’s going to take some work,” Yazici said. “We feel you. We understand you. We’ve been there.”

Yazici reminded the committee Sammamish residents inherited $250 million in capital deficiencies in roads when it incorporated in 1999. Many of Klahanie streets are in similar disrepair.

Yazici negotiated with King County earlier this summer to provide some long overdue services, including maintaining the Klahanie Park and repairing warped pavement and sidewalks along 230th Place Southeast and roadwork on Klahanie Boulevard. In total, these services are valued at $340,000.

The King County Sheriff’s Office, which provides the city with its police force, fast tracked the hiring of six additional officers. Four will be ready come the new year, with the last two joining February and March, respectively. Yazici also reminded the committee that, after annexation, the area would have much better police response times.

As it is now, the Klahanie Homeowners Association, has been paying, by Brent Marshall’s estimate, $200,000 a year for a private security force.

Marshall, 35, represents the Klahanie Association and was elected co-chair.

Lorrie Schleg, 52, who has represents the Summer Pond neighborhood near Klahanie, was elected chair.

The 16-member board represents about 95 percent of the Klahanie-area population.

“You know your community better than we do,” Yazici said. “That information will be invaluable to us.”

The next meeting is Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in Sammamish City Hall, located at 801 228th Ave. S.E.

The November meeting will be rescheduled to a different day, due to Veterans Day.