Debra Sinick

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What’s Really Going On With The Eastside’s BNSF Rail Line?

In Kirkland WA, rails to trails on February 5, 2010 at 2:30 pm

The following is a copy of my post on Kirkland Views regarding the most recent information to come to light about the rail corridor that runs through many eastside cities. The big question we are all facing right now:  “Will a private rail group try to buy or take over the line for commuter rail without going through the proper public process?’  Check out the link below to The Seattle Times article which reports on the active effort to put a train on the line in 6 months to a year.

It seemed like a done deal, the news media reported the sale of the BNSF line to The Port of Seattle at the close of 2009 with plans to sell the line to King County in 2010.

Seattle-Eastside BNSF Rail Line

Keith Ervin of the Seattle Times said,

After acquiring the rail line (which the Port has now done), the Port would sell the southern portion to King County and other buyers.

According to the news media, King County had planned to use funds from The Conservation Futures Fund to pay for the purchase. All was well and good on Seattle’s eastside.  The rail line might be developed as a trail with the possibility of future rail, if needed.

The Bellevue Reporter stated in a November, 2009 article:

County Executive-elect Dow Constantine said the agreement will fulfill a promise to the region that the Eastside Rail Corridor will receive long-term protection from development and that it will be made available for recreational uses.

“By keeping this key transportation and recreational corridor in public ownership, we are making a major commitment to our shared future in King County,” Constantine said.

However, a King County official recently said the County Conservation Futures funds slated to purchase the line can only be used for dedicated green space, not if there’s the possibility of a future rail line.

Herein, lies the dilemma.  The line must be rail banked to meet federal requirements.  So the Conservation Futures Fund might not be the source of funds to buy the rail line.

Conservation Futures Tax (CFT) levy funds are collected from property taxes levied throughout King County and its cities for the purchase and permanent protection of open space lands.

Is there a private group working very hard to put a commuter line on the rail line? Most people do not realize there’s an active group out there hard at work, hoping to acquire the rights to put a commuter rail line on the existing tracks.  The talk is to put a commuter line on the tracks that currently exist, even though they are in poor repair.

So here are my questions:

  • Will King County close on the deal and buy the rail line?
  • How will this acquisition be funded?
  • Will the line become a trail, with the line rail banked for possible future motorized travel?
  • Will a private concern put Commuter rail, DMU’s, Diesel Motor Units, not light rail on the line?
  • Will the line become a dual use trail/train?
  • Will the proper public process be followed to determine the best use of the line?

How can you find out about the future of the BNSF rail line?

Join the Eastside Trail Advocates at:

The Houghton Fire Station

6602 108th Ave NE, Kirkland

February 10th at 7 PM

Join Eastside Trail Advocates on Facebook to be learn about the latest updates.

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Hot Price Range of the Week for Kirkland Home Sales, 2-3-10

In Kirkland WA, Kirkland, WA Real Estate, Real estate, market statistics, sellers on February 4, 2010 at 11:57 pm

The hot price range of the week in Kirkland?   $400-499,999

  • Most number of home sales in Kirkland: $400-499,999  5 sales.
  • Most number of homes for sale  $700-799,999 ( a new price range for this category)  39 homes, $400-499,999 is right behind it with 38 homes for sale.
  • There were 310 homes for sale in Kirkland and 20 homes sold last week.  There’s been great real estate sales activity each week of 2010.
  • Most number of homes for sale in the last 7 weeks:  12-23-09,  334 homes for sale.
  • Highest number of homes sold in Kirkland in the last 7 weeks:  1-20-10,  with 24 homes sold.

  • Peak  of homes and condos for sale in King County in 2009?
  • July 27th marked a high of 13,861 homes and condos for sale in King County.
  • Week of 1-18-10   10,735  A few less than last week, but 1000 more homes and condos for sale in King  County than the first week of the year.

There are only 84 days left to use the home buyer’s tax credit. If you’re going to sell your home, do it soon, so you can take advantage of more buyer activity.  For Kirkland home sellers, there’s less homes to compete with and more homes are selling.  The buyers benefit from the 2010 home buyer tax credit and great interest rates.  Is the best win-win situation we’ve seen in real estate for years.  Home buyers and sellers both benefit in this real estate market.

Buyers, if you want to buy, start looking soon, so you’re not rushed to buy a home during the last weeks of April.  If you start now, you’ll be able to learn the market and choose the home that works best for you.

Kirkland Home Sales 2-3-10

Kirkland Real Estate Sales, 2-3-10


This chart is updated weekly by (Windermere Real Estate/East, Inc., using MLS data) to show the price ranges of the homes sold each week.  Here’s how it’s set up:The colors show who has the advantage in a particular price range.

  • Green means the buyer has the advantage with many homes to choose from and not that many selling.
  • Yellow means the number of homes for sale and the number of sales in the price range is balanced between the buyer and the seller.
  • Red indicates a sellers’ market where the seller may have the advantage as more homes are selling when compared to what’s available.
Down the side of the chart, the home sales activity is broken down into a price bracket of $99,999. All the homes priced between $400,000-499,999, as an example, are put together in one price category in the chart.
Across the top, the chart is broken down into real estate activity by the week.If you take the $400-499,999 line and follow it across the chart, you’ll see what has happened each of the last seven weeks.  There are three columns under each week. On the left side of the column is the number of homes for sale in Kirkland.  The middle column shows how many homes sold that week, and the final column under the date shows the months supply of homes for sale.  In other words, if no other homes came up for sale, it would take an average of 2.0 months to sell all the homes in the $400-499,999 price range.The last section shows the 7 week average of each category, the number of homes for sale, the number sold, and the months supply.
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2010 U.S. Census Workers Needed in The Kirkland Highlands

In Kirkland WA on February 2, 2010 at 3:47 pm
2010 US census

US Census

The Kirkland Highlands and the downtown core need residents to work on the 2010 Census.  This is the Decennial census–to count every resident once every 10 years.  Census employees will be hired to work in every neighborhood.  Hopefully, Highlands and other Kirkland residents will apply, because neighbors are the best way to contact neighbors.

These temporary jobs pay $17.50 per hour.  To apply, call 425-749-5110 and choose an Application and Testing Session.  For information go to The U.S. Census Bureau’s job page. There you can see a practice test and application form.  The recruiter for our area is Kirkland resident Gail Gorud.  She can be reached at : gg2010@comcast.net.

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