Brian McGee, chair of the Kirkland Transportation Commission, said the commission completed a citywide transportation strategic plan in 2024 and is focusing in 2025 on a safety action plan and updates to the city’s speed limit policy.

The strategic plan, McGee said, was a major accomplishment last year and grew from work with city staff and council members to set priorities for safety, mobility and sustainability across Kirkland. “The big 1 last year was the transportation strategic plan,” McGee said.

Why this matters: the commission’s stated priorities shape staff recommendations and project choices that affect walking, biking, rolling, driving and transit in Kirkland. McGee described safety as the top priority and said the commission’s upcoming work will consider speed limits across the city as part of broader Vision Zero objectives.

In the interview, McGee emphasized his professional background and the commission’s practical focus. “By trade, I am a civil engineer. I have a passion for transportation,” he said, explaining that the role allows him to work on how people move around the city.

McGee said the safety action plan and speed-limit policy have been on the commission’s work plan for some time and that recent meetings addressed those topics. He described the review as taking “a very broad lens throughout the city” and tied it to the city’s Vision Zero goals, which the podcast host described as important to city leaders and staff.

The discussion in the podcast was an overview; no formal votes, ordinance references or specific implementation timelines were presented during the interview. Funding sources, exact schedule for policy changes, and any proposed speed-limit values were not specified.

Looking ahead, McGee said the commission will continue to prioritize safety and multimodal mobility as it advances recommendations to city staff and elected officials. The commission’s work on the safety action plan and speed-limit policy is expected to inform staff proposals and, ultimately, any council action that would be required to change city practice or traffic regulations.