City Council reschedules Route 200 discussion
March 1, 2011
The plan to extend Route 200 from downtown Issaquah and the business district to the Issaquah Highlands and Talus is due to reach the City Council soon.
The free bus route had been scheduled to extend to the highlands and Talus in September. The city and Metro Transit had planned to start collecting fares on Route 200 in the months ahead.
Port Blakely Communities, the highlands developer and a partner in the effort to expand transit service, requested last month for the extension to be delayed until at least 2013.
Council Transportation Committee members agreed last month to push the implementation date to February 2013.
The council had been scheduled to discuss the proposal March 7. Members plan to consider the measure March 21 instead.
Municipal and Port Blakely staffers continue to work on the proposal.
Metro Transit and Issaquah officials could also establish a route, 928, to offer additional service on Squak Mountain.
In order to fund the additional service, the proposal calls for Metro Transit to charge fares on Route 200 buses. In the meantime — due to the delayed extension — rides along the route remain free.
Route 200 bus remains free as extension stalls
February 15, 2011
City delays planned service to Issaquah Highlands, Talus
The long-established plan to expand free bus service to the Issaquah Highlands is on hold, after a financial backer pulled out of the public-private partnership behind Route 200 service.
In the meantime, the city and King County Metro Transit delayed a plan to charge for Route 200 bus service until the route expands in the future.
Route 200 had been scheduled to extend to the highlands and Talus in September 2011. The city and Metro Transit had planned to start collecting fares on Route 200 in the months ahead.
Instead, the line could be extended to the highlands and Talus in February 2013. Under the current arrangement, Route 200 buses circulate through downtown Issaquah and the business district.
“The tradeoff is you don’t get the expanded service,” Councilman Joshua Schaer said. “You’re not paying, but on the other hands, you’re not getting the routes that we said we’d give.”
Council Transportation Committee members discussed Route 200 service Feb. 11. The committee sent the measure to the full council for discussion on March 7.
Press Editorial
January 4, 2011
2011 goals: Building on success of 2010
Issaquah reached numerous milestones in 2010.
In the steps to preserve Park Pointe on Tiger Mountain, the city inched closer to a lasting environmental legacy. The bevy of road upgrades offered real transportation solutions and quality-of-life improvements for Issaquah residents.
Though many of the main city issues attracted attention in 2010, the ramifications should continue to be felt in 2011.
Here, then, is our list of our goals — some significant and some small — for the year ahead: Read more
City Council adopts lean budget for 2011
December 28, 2010
City Council members adopted the 2011 municipal budget in a unanimous decision Dec. 20.
The council endorsed the lean spending plan after months of deliberations. The budget did not include property tax or rate hikes. Read more
Truck topples downtown traffic signal at Front Street
December 22, 2010
Debris left from a fallen light pole litters the corner as police direct traffic away from the intersection of Front Street and Sunset Way. Photo by Tim Pfarr
UPDATED — 10:30 a.m. Dec. 22, 2010
A large truck knocked down the traffic signal and pole on the southeastern corner of the Front Street and Sunset Way intersection at about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.
2011 municipal budget clears City Council hurdle
December 8, 2010
NEW — 8 a.m. Dec. 8, 2010
The trim 2011 city budget inched closer from plan to reality Monday night.
City Council members offered another round of comments about the spending plan, and then — in a unanimous decision — directed city staffers to prepare the formal budget ordinance for adoption. The council is scheduled to adopt the budget Dec. 20.
Discussion centered on the general fund — the $30.4 million budget piece used to fund police and fire services, community development and planning, parks and recreation, and municipal government.
“It’s a $30 million budget for the city of Issaquah, and I think people assume there’s a lot of money flying around,” Councilman Mark Mullet said. “When you’re actually in the meetings, it’s very impressive how everything does get analyzed down to that last decimal point.”
2011 city budget brings end to free bus rides
December 7, 2010
City highlights transportation upgrades in spending plan
The free ride could end for Route 200 bus riders next year.
City Council members plan to recommend for regular King County Metro Transit fares to be collected on the route.
Every dollar of property tax money is used by numerous local, regional and state agencies to fund services. Issaquah uses the dollars to fund police and fire services, parks and recreation, roads and municipal government. By Dona Mokin
Leaders intend for Route 200 fares to be used to help expand transit routes throughout the city and perhaps to Squak Mountain.
The recommendation and more than a dozen others outline a series of goals and initiatives in the 2011 municipal budget. Transportation — including the Metro Transit proposal and dollars for road upgrades — forms the basis of the plan.
The council is scheduled to adopt the spending plan Dec. 20.
The recession forced city leaders to slash spending and lay off employees late last year. The budget for the year ahead is not as austere as the most recent spending plan.
“The buzzword now is talking about resetting budgets, and I would say that this is a reset budget,” Mayor Ava Frisinger said. “It continues the resetting that was started in 2010.”
The council called for funds to be transferred from long-term road projects to pay for $530,000 in short-term street upgrades — dollars to fill potholes and apply fresh asphalt on trouble spots.
The fund for such street projects had been diminished to about $150,000 as leaders assembled the 2011 budget.
Press Editorial
December 7, 2010
Budget keeps service, reflects priorities
Last December, as the City Council pieced together a tight budget for 2010, Mayor Ava Frisinger described the spending plan as lean but not mean. The same could be said for the proposed 2011 budget expected to be passed Dec. 20.
The plan for the coming year is a reflection of residents’ priorities and council members’ goals. Though some of the ideas recommended by the council seem destined to wither before winter is over, the overall plan is smart.
The council spent a good deal of time discussing transportation, a critical issue in gridlocked Issaquah. Members’ recommendations to the mayor include a smart and savvy blend of transportation projects that can be completed in the near future.
Offer opinions on 2011 city budget at Monday council meeting
December 5, 2010
NEW — 6 a.m. Dec. 5, 2010
The free ride could end for Route 200 bus riders next year.
City Council members plan to recommend Monday for regular King County Metro Transit fares to be collected on the route.
The recommendation is part of the 2011 municipal budget. Residents can offer opinions about the budget at the 7:30 p.m. Monday council meeting. Members meet in the Council Chambers at City Hall South, 135 E. Sunset Way.
The meeting includes the final public hearing on the budget. The council is scheduled to adopt the spending plan Dec. 20.
Leaders intend for the Route 200 fares to be used to help expand transit routes throughout the city.
Issaquah driver receives Metro’s highest honor
August 3, 2010
Countless miles of pavement behind him, Issaquah resident Marvin White manages to get his passengers to their destinations safely and with a smile.
After 31 years with King County Metro Transit, White, 58, was given the organization’s highest achievement for drivers Aug. 2 — the Operator of the Year award for 2009.
County officials, fellow drivers and friends gathered en-masse at the Eastside Base Operations Campus in Bellevue to celebrate White, saying his dedication, work ethic, skill and enthusiasm for his job more than qualified him for the honor.
“This is a great surprise,” White said. “It is a great honor and I thank everyone here for attending.”
