One of the most important things we do as City of Redmond council members is get out in the community to hear from our citizens. During this summer’s Derby Days and National Night Out events, we had an opportunity to talk with a diverse cross section of our community. As folks shared what makes Redmond a great place to live, work and play, along with their issues and concerns, we were inspired by our residents’ pride in our community.

People expressed their appreciation for Redmond’s parks, trails and green character. The many new places to eat, the Redmond Central Connector walking and biking trail, and hip new events like So Bazaar are seen as great additions that have helped create a more vibrant and lively downtown. People feel safe in Redmond and are overwhelming positive about living here.

Folks also shared their concerns and questions about growth and traffic. While some people suggested specific intersection improvements or sidewalk repairs, many were more concerned about how much longer it takes to get to other places in the region like Bellevue or Seattle. This feedback underscored our continued commitment to push for regional transportation solutions.

Residents in older, more established neighborhoods shared their concerns about transportation impacts from the growth that is occurring in downtown, wondering what would happen when people moved in to all the new multifamily housing. What they did not realize is that the new downtown housing creates many fewer car trips than a single-family house. In fact, many of our neighbors were surprised to learn that the new downtown residences are almost fully leased when they open! Those new Redmond neighbors are already here.

Our downtown residents raved about the desirability of their neighborhood and the benefits of not having to own a car to get to work, shop or play. In talking with people, it reinforced for us that the deliberate choice that our community made in the mid-1990s to focus growth in our urban centers to preserve our single family neighborhoods was the right one.

On behalf of the entire Redmond City Council, we thank you for taking the time to talk with us. While we will continue to make improvements, overall what we heard is that the majority of folks believe that Redmond is a great place to be!

Redmond City Council President

Hank Margeson,

Redmond City Council Vice President

Kim Allen