The City of Redmond and Port of Seattle will celebrate the city’s acquisition of the Redmond section of the former Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Corridor in a signing ceremony and reception on Tuesday, June 22 at 10:30 a.m. (or immediately following the 10 a.m. Port Commissioner’s meeting to be held in Redmond Council Chambers) at Redmond City Hall, 15670 NE 85th St.

This Redmond corridor is 3.89 miles long and runs from milepost (MP) 7.3 at the end of King County’s East Lake Sammamish Trail, just west of SR 520 and Bear Creek, to Northeast 124th Street.

The City of Redmond has been planning for this acquisition for over 10 years.

This property will allow the city to meet many Comprehensive Plan goals from implementation of capital projects to spurring economic development in the downtown neighborhood.

This purchase will also allow the city to control the uses within this corridor more effectively, beginning with the 161st Street Northeast Extension project, which is underway, and the Downtown Stormwater Trunk Line that will be constructed in 2011.

The city is currently seeking funding to implement other projects in the vicinity such as the 164th Street Extension, the development of a regional trail through downtown, and returning Cleveland Street and Redmond Way to two-way operation.

For more information on the reception, contact Jill Smith at (425) 556-2448, jesmith@redmond.gov

For more information on the rail corridor, contact Craig Larsen, Director of Parks and Recreation at (425) 556-2310, clarsen@redmond.gov.