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172nd Avenue NE Gate

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1. Why is the gate being opened?

It’s a valuable connection for Redmond and King County alike and is a public roadway intended to be used by all.

2. If the gate only costs a few minutes of travel time per driver, why is it important for it to be opened?

Opening this connection provides travel options and improves overall system circulation.

3. What is the plan for the 172nd Avenue NE Gate?

Traffic calming features will be installed before opening the road. These include:

• A traffic circle at the intersection of 172nd Avenue NE and NE 124th Street
• A streetlight at the intersection of 172nd Ave NE & NE 124th St
• Intersection narrowing with traffic delineators at the intersection of 172nd Avenue NE and NE 124th Street
• Corridor lane lines to separate vehicles and pedestrians
• A traffic circle at the intersection of 172nd Avenue NE and NE 126th Place
• Two speed cushions between NE 125th Street and NE 126th Place
• Intersection narrowing with traffic delineators at the intersection of 172nd Avenue NE and NE 126th Place

The original three-phase plan to install traffic calming features and open the gate has been condensed. All traffic calming features of phases one and two will be installed prior to opening the road. The gate will be removed to make space for the construction of traffic calming features, but temporary barriers will block the road until construction is complete.

4. Why aren’t all the traffic calming measures being built before opening the road?

King County and Redmond have agreed to install all the traffic-calming features before opening the gate. The timing for installing the traffic signal at the intersection of 162nd Place NE and NE 124th Street is still being determined. Funding for the traffic signal is not yet available.

5. Why is there a focus on traffic calming on this road?

The City of Redmond is continually working to implement traffic calming across the City. This project is a priority because it will be a new connection, and the City wants to minimize cut-through traffic and reduce speeding.

6. How can increased volumes of traffic use such a narrow road, and how can large trucks navigate the narrow roads? Isn’t the road too narrow to open the gate?

No, the roadway is designed to be narrow. The narrow roadway is a traffic-calming feature designed to keep speeds down, and it is wide enough to accommodate all types of vehicles.

7. How will this project affect traffic volumes on other routes?

It is expected to reduce volumes on NE 116th Street and 162nd Place NE through volume redistribution.

8. How will King County be involved in completing the plan?

King County will coordinate with Redmond on design and installation throughout the project.

9. How will pedestrians and bikers be kept safe both north and south of the gate?

Lane lines and traffic delineators will be installed to help separate vehicles from pedestrians and cyclists north of the gate. Traffic calming features along the corridor are designed to reduce speeds for motor vehicles. South of the gate, sidewalks will help separate pedestrians from vehicles, and north of the gate, the roadway is wide and has ample room for cyclists and pedestrians to use the shoulder outside the driving lanes.

10. How will traffic laws be enforced in this area?

Once the roadway is opened, the City will request that Redmond Police and the King County Sheriff’s Office frequent the area. City staff will also observe the driving behaviors and conduct several traffic speed and volume studies over the next few years. If you witness dangerous or illegal behavior, please report it to law enforcement. Call 425-556-2500 to report non-emergencies to Redmond Police. During an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.

11. Will more streetlights be added?

Lighting will be added at the intersection of 172nd Avenue NE and NE 124th Street, at the speed cushions and at the intersection of 172nd Avenue NE and NE 126th Place. 

12. Why aren’t pedestrian and bicycle safety being addressed before opening the gate?

Traffic calming features, including roadway channelization to separate bikes and pedestrians from vehicles, will be installed prior to opening the road.

13. What are the roles and responsibilities of Redmond and King County in this project?

Redmond and King County will be partnering together throughout this project. The specific responsibilities for construction are still being worked out.  

14. Have you included the pedestrian, bike, and animal traffic at the entrance to Smith Wood Park in planning for this project?

Yes, the driveway entrance to Smith Wood Park is for utility access, and a new driveway entrance will be constructed.

15. What authority does the City have to make changes to these streets?

The City of Redmond has the authority to make changes on city streets and can make changes on King County roads with permission from the county.

16. Why is the City using traffic data from 2019? How can years-old data be accurate?

The 2019 North South Study was used in earlier planning for this project. New traffic counts were conducted in May 2023. The more recent North South Corridor Study uses updated traffic volumes when calculating the projected volumes on the north side of the gate.

17. What are you doing to fix the current traffic calming measures that are not working?

We will review the traffic circle at 172nd Avenue NE and NE 112th Way for potential improvements. Otherwise, the installations are effective at keeping speeds down for most vehicles.

18. Why do we keep hearing different traffic numbers for this project?

The City of Redmond has only provided one traffic count number for 172nd Ave NE. We do not know where these other numbers have come from. Based on the recently drafted North-South Corridor Study, the projected number of trips north of the gate is projected to be 3,285 in the year 2030, with traffic measures installed.

19. Why wasn’t the meeting recorded?

Normally, only City Council and Planning Commission meetings are recorded. Most boards, commissions, and other public meetings are not recorded.

20. What is the difference between traffic counts, traffic models, and evaluation?

Traffic counts like the one conducted earlier this year count the number of vehicles, their speed, and direction at the point on the road where the measurements were taken. Traffic models use traffic counts as inputs and are meant to calculate predicted traffic volumes. Evaluation refers to observing and measuring volumes to determine if actual traffic volumes are less than, more than, or equal to their predicted amount.

21. Are there plans to open the gate at 172nd Avenue and 145th Street NE?

This location is outside the City of Redmond limits. Please contact King County for more information.

22. What feedback have the Redmond Police and Fire Departments provided regarding the gate?

They support the removal and agree that response time will be reduced with this connection.

23. Why aren’t you using the funding for this project to improve roads with poor pavement first?

The Pavement Management Program prioritizes which roads receive improvements.

24. What is the total cost and funding source to pay for all the traffic calming features?

The money for traffic calming features in this project comes from the City of Redmond General Fund. The Budget for all traffic calming features to be built is $880,000. With the City crews constructing the traffic circles, the installations are expected to cost $250,000. The traffic signal will require upwards of $1,000,000, which will include work on 162 Place NE. King County and the City of Redmond are discussing how to fund the traffic signal.

25. Why aren’t there sidewalks on the King County side of the gate?

When the neighborhood was built, King County Road Standards did not include adding sidewalks. Given the size of the lots in the neighborhood, they would still not be included if built today.

26. What is the timing for installing traffic calming features?

The City of Redmond and King County will be working together to ensure that all the traffic calming features on the 172nd Avenue NE corridor, north of the gate, are installed before opening the gate. The timing for installing the traffic signal at the intersection of 162nd Place NE and NE 124th Street is still being determined. Funding for the traffic signal is not yet available.

27. Will more streetlights be added?

Lighting will be added at the intersection of 172nd Avenue NE and NE 124th Street. King County and Redmond are in discussions about also funding lighting at the speed cushions and at the intersection of 172nd Avenue NE and NE 126th Place. 

28. How does this plan account for the Monticello Watershed?

The Monticello Watershed will not be affected by the addition of traffic calming on this route or the removal of the gate. https://www.letsconnectredmond.com/monticello/maps/monticello-creek-watershed-map