Published August 9 2024
At Tuesday’s meeting, the City Council heard an update from staff and the Transportation Commission on their work on Bike Bellevue, a project aiming to improve the bicycle network in the city’s urban core through rapid implementation of bicycle facilities along key corridors.
Work began on Bike Bellevue in March 2023. In March 2024, the council directed the Transportation Commission to recommend categories for the 11 Bike Bellevue corridors. Categories range from implementation as soon as possible to dropping proposed projects altogether.
The Transportation Commission has finalized recommendations for nine of the 11 corridors and will next discuss Bike Bellevue at its Sept. 12 meeting. The commission’s recommendations are provided to the Transportation director for final determination and implementation.
During Tuesday’s meeting, councilmembers discussed the recommendations. They thanked the Transportation Commission for their work on this project and members of the public for their input. The majority of councilmembers concurred with Transportation Director Andrew Singelakis’ decision to follow the commission’s recommendations for the majority of the corridors and to study options for the Bel-Red Road corridor.
Information on the status of each corridor is available at Bike Bellevue. At the conclusion of the discussion, Mayor Lynne Robinson asked acting City Manager Diane Carlson to schedule another study session for Bike Bellevue in the future. The full discussion can be watched on Bellevue TV’s YouTube channel.
Sign code update launched
The council initiated a comprehensive update to the city’s sign code to better support the needs of local businesses and ensure compliance with constitutional requirements mandated by the U.S. Supreme Court. Updating the code will provide the opportunity to align it with community needs and incorporate contemporary sign design, technology and construction methods.
Feedback from the public and city staff has highlighted areas for improvement in interpreting and administering the code. The updates aim to simplify and streamline the sign code, while upholding the community’s design preferences. More information is available in the meeting materials.
Proclamations for Black Business Month, International Overdose Awareness Day and India Day
The council also read three proclamations at Tuesday’s meeting, proclaiming August as Black Business Month to highlight the vital contributions of Black-owned businesses in Bellevue and Aug. 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day to encourage community members to support education, awareness and increased access to life-saving treatment options. The council also proclaimed Thursday, Aug. 15 as India Day to celebrate the 78th Independence Day of India, inviting the public to a celebration at City Hall Plaza in Bellevue.
Bellevue Children’s Business Fair winner
Samaira Bhatia, the winner of the Bellevue Children’s Business Fair held Aug. 4 at Downtown Park, spoke about how her mother’s celiac disease inspired her to found a gluten-free baking business. The fair is an opportunity for children to showcase and sell their creations while learning business basics.
Note: The next City Council meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 10.