Preserve Access for Local Businesses & Emergency Pet Care at SR 522 & 61st Ave NE

The Issue: Our local small businesses are the heartbeat of Kenmore. They are where we build relationships, support local families, and seek care for our beloved pets. Today, eight independent, family-run businesses in Uplake Plaza—at the corner of SR 522 and 61st Ave NE—are facing an unprecedented threat to their survival due to recent road design decisions and median restrictions.

Among these dedicated local establishments is an animal hospital providing essential surgical and medical care. When neighbors bring sick, injured, or distressed pets traveling from the west, the current median barrier on 61st Ave NE completely blocks direct access to the plaza. Disoriented drivers and worried pet owners are forced to wander through nearby residential streets, making dangerous U-turns and continuous circles just to find a way in.

We all care deeply about community safety and transit improvements along the SR 522 corridor. However, safety and vibrant small businesses can—and must—go hand in hand.

The 9 Local Businesses Directly Impacted:

• Holly Vet Clinic (Surgical & Emergency Pet Care)
• Uplake Mini Mart
• White Dove Wellness & Massage Therapy
• Acapulco Fresh Mexican Grill
• Buddha Bruddah Kenmore
• Pretty Nails
• A Better Day Salon
• Uplake Barbershop
• United Pest Solutions

Why We Need Action
While city staff and engineers have cited safety standards as the primary reason for denying access changes, critical details show that workable solutions are within reach if our leaders step up to collaborate:

• Inconsistent U-Turn Requirements: City staff noted that a 50-foot gap is required for a U-turn provision on SR 522. Yet across our city and along the state route, other intersections accommodate U-turns without this restrictive measurement.
• WSDOT & Sound Transit Openness: Sound Transit has confirmed that as part of the Stride S3 project, they are ready to provide any data needed, and WSDOT is open to reviewing formal requests regarding traffic flow adjustments. However, the City has yet to submit a formal inquiry on behalf of these local businesses.
• Unaddressed Economic Impact: As nearby properties like Jack in the Box are demolished and others like Savage Moose are planned for city acquisition, the eight remaining Uplake Plaza businesses are absorbing full revenue losses without design mitigations or economic impact studies from the city.
• A Need for Responsive Leadership: Repeated outreach to local city staff and elected representatives—including congressional staff—has resulted in shifting excuses and silence rather than open-minded problem-solving.

Our Call to Action
We love our Kenmore community and believe in collaborative solutions that protect pedestrians, respect transit, and support local entrepreneurs. We respectfully petition the City of Kenmore City Council, Kenmore Traffic Engineering, WSDOT, Sound Transit, and our elected representatives to:

1. Modify the 61st Ave NE Median: Work with traffic engineers to create safe, direct turning access into Uplake Plaza, ensuring pet owners and customers can arrive safely without driving through neighborhood streets and making unsafe U-turns on 61st.
2. Formally Request WSDOT U-Turn Reviews: Submit an official request to WSDOT and Sound Transit to evaluate safe U-turn provisions for eastbound travel on SR 522.
3. Partner with the Business Community for Objective Solutions: Collaborate directly with the Bothell-Kenmore Chamber of Commerce and affected business owners to commission a joint Traffic & Safety Impact Study. This independent evaluation will identify fair, engineering-backed compromises—such as ingress-only channelized turn lanes, swept-path analysis for passenger vehicle U-turns on SR 522, and smart signal phasing—that protect pedestrian and transit safety while preserving direct access for these 9 essential local businesses.

Please sign and share this petition to show your support for safe streets, thriving local businesses, and responsive community leadership in Kenmore!