City of Kenmore Washington
Home MenuDocuments
January 2020 Open House Juanita Project Boards- January 2020 Open House Juanita Paving Plan
- November 2016 Walkways & Waterways Informational Handout
- Juanita Drive Walkways & Waterways Concept Plan & Sections
- January 25, 2018 Open House Bond Measure Boards
- January 25, 2018 Open House Juanita Project Boards
- January 25, 2018 Open House Juanita Roll Plot
Juanita Drive Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Improvements
On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, Mayor Herbig and Councilmembers Srebnik, Baker, and Pfeil, along with city and project staff, gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Juanita Drive Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Improvements Project. The cutting of the ribbon marked the completion of the fifth and final Walkways and Waterways project, which increased pedestrian, cyclist, and driver safety on one of Kenmore’s busiest arterials.
The completed project provided:
- 1.5 miles of continuous new sidewalk
- Three miles of buffered bike lanes
- Traffic calming and other safety enhancements such as new speed feedback signs, improved lighting, shortened crossing distances for pedestrians, and center medians
- 2,200 feet of center turning lanes for improved safety and vehicle movement
Juanita Drive is now greatly improved from the previous roadway, which lacked continuous sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and other safety features.
The project also provided 7,800 feet of landscaped planter beds, illuminated median art, 46 new LED lights, 25 new ADA compliant curb ramps for wheelchairs, and a stormwater system for water quality and flood prevention. Over 200 new trees were planted along the project corridor.
“I am thrilled to have cut the ribbon on the new and improved Juanita Drive, which celebrates the completion of all five voter-approved Walkways and Waterways projects,” said Kenmore Mayor Nigel Herbig. “The many new enhancements on Juanita Drive and cutting this final ribbon shows the City delivered on its promise in the bond measure to improve safety on Juanita Drive for pedestrians and cyclists in Kenmore for generations to come.”
“Due to issues outside our control, construction took much longer than expected,” said City Manager Rob Karlinsey. “This was a tough project for our residents and businesses along the corridor, and I want to thank them for their patience and perseverance. With new continuous sidewalks, buffered bike lanes, landscape beautification, and new center turn lanes, I hope we can all conclude that the end result was worth the pain.”
“There are so many things to like about this project,” Deputy Mayor Melanie O’Cain said, “including less visible but incredibly important benefits to the environment. I’m referring to the $2.5 million the City and State invested in this project to clean and filter water runoff from the road. This runoff ends up in our streams and in our lakes, which will be cleaner and healthier thanks to this project.”
Juanita Dr NE is a minor arterial roadway, and a significant corridor in both the local and regional roadway network. Before the Walkways and Waterways project was completed, Juanita Drive NE had asphalt shoulders, a 35 mph posted speed limit, and little support for bicycle and pedestrian travel. At its peak, hundreds of cyclists and as many as 15,000 vehicles used this corridor daily. In the ten years leading up to construction there had been 185 reported accidents, 27 of which involved a pedestrian or cyclist including 1 pedestrian fatality, and a history of bicycle and pedestrian fatal and serious injury crashes going back even further. The geometry of the roadway had many elements which contributed to crash risk, including opportunities for high-risk left turns, minimal separation between opposing traffic, no separation between bicycles and motor vehicles, limited sight lines for vehicles trying to enter traffic from side streets, and nearly no support for pedestrian travel at all – these and many other elements were all addressed by the Juanita Drive NE Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements project.
The Juanita Drive NE Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements project was part of the Walkways and Waterways voter-approved bond measure, and the result of the City's "Imagine Kenmore" public outreach initiative. Kenmore residents confirmed that safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists connecting residents with the City's public open space and waterfront were top priorities.