Northeast Recycling & Transfer Station project

  Proposed project schedule

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  Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station study area/service area

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Four potential sites being considered

In 2020, King County's Solid Waste Division began a process to find a site for a new recycling and transfer station in northeast King County. The new facility will replace the aging and limited Houghton Transfer Station in Kirkland, in operation since the mid-1960s. After considering many locations, King County has selected four possible sites for the new station.

The addresses of the four sites are:

• 11811 Willows Rd NE, Redmond 98052 Download PDF 100 K
  (SW corner of Willows Rd NE and NE 124th St)
• 16111 Woodinville-Redmond Rd, Woodinville 98072 Download PDF 100 K
• 11724 NE 60th St, Kirkland 98033 Download PDF 100 K
• 7024 116th Ave NE, Kirkland 98033 Download PDF 100 K

Community input will help inform which two or three sites the County selects for further study in an Environmental Impact Statement. Please take the survey by Feb. 9 to make your voice heard.

The Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station is scheduled to open in late 2027 and will serve the growing communities of Kirkland, Redmond, Woodinville, and Sammamish, as well as unincorporated Northeast King County.

Results of fall 2020 public survey

Thank you to the nearly 800 people who responded to last fall's survey about the Northeast Recycling and Transfer Station project. The survey asked community members about their use of the existing Houghton Transfer Station in Kirkland, and their thoughts on impacts and benefits of a new station. See survey results here Download PDF 125 K. These survey results will be used by the project's community-based Siting Advisory Group to develop community criteria for evaluating possible sites for the new station.

What is a recycling & garbage transfer station?

King County recycling and garbage transfer stations provide a convenient location for residents, businesses, and hauling companies that provide curbside collection to drop off waste and recyclable materials. Garbage is consolidated at each station and brought to King County's Cedar Hills Regional Landfill. Recyclable materials are brought to private facilities and made into new products. Learn where your curbside recyclables and garbage go Download PDF 150 K.

Why a new recycling & garbage transfer station is needed

The Houghton Transfer Station is Kirkland is one of King County's busiest transfer stations, but it offers limited recycling services, and it lacks the capacity to expand or to provide more recycling services to meet the needs of the growing population in northeast community.

Replacing the Houghton station with a larger, easy-to-use facility with more recycling options will make services more convenient and accessible and keep recyclable materials out of the landfill. Many people in northeast King County now have to drive 30 minutes or more to access some recycling services.

King County's 2019 Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan, which was adopted by 24 cities and the Washington State Department of Ecology, identified the need for a new station to replace the Houghton station.

The new station will be a modern, enclosed facility that meets the latest environmental standards and best practices

The facility will be designed to serve as a community asset and to aesthetically compliment the community in which it is located. It will feature a fully enclosed waste transfer building to control noise and odor, and provide larger and easier-to-use unloading areas to decrease customer wait times. Modern equipment will include waste compactors, which will reduce truck traffic and road impacts.

The new station will provide convenient, accessible recycling services for a variety of items and materials

Proposed project schedule
(For more detail, see project schedule)

Help shape decision making

The location of the new station has not been determined yet. King County's Solid Waste Division project team will work with the community to identify and evaluate possible sites. Due to COVID-19, we are not currently hosting in-person meetings or events. However, we remain committed to keeping the community informed and involved in the siting process.

We want to involve traditionally underrepresented and underserved communities, businesses, neighbors, Tribes, cities, school districts, environmental groups, and others to understand their values, concerns, insights and ideas about the siting, design, construction, and operation of a new station.

King County is also working closely with the cities of Kirkland, Redmond, Woodinville, Sammamish and unincorporated King County to identify and consider potential sites for the new station.

After carefully weighing technical requirements, environmental considerations, costs, and community input, the King County Executive will make a decision on the selected site by late 2022.

Here's how you can get involved:

• Follow the progress of the Siting Advisory Group
• Invite a member on the project team to give a presentation to your organization or group
• Sign up external link to get project updates by text or email.

Siting Advisory Group

The Siting Advisory Group (SAG) is a community-based group that will advise King County on how and where to site the new station, possible locations, and design. Members of the SAG will meet regularly to learn about the siting process. SAG members will be expected to share information about the process with their communities. And finally, SAG members will listen to community concerns and hopes and share them with the County throughout the site selection process.

SAG meetings are open to members of the public, who can observe and make comments to the group at the end of each meeting. Due to Covid-19, all meetings are currently planned to be held virtually. Instructions for accessing SAG meetings will be posted here.

See Project schedule for list of SAG meeting dates. All SAG meetings will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Meeting notes will be posted on this website after each meeting.

• SAG Kick-off meeting – Oct. 14, 2020
• Agenda Download PDF 150 K
• Draft charter Download PDF 200 K
• PowerPoint presentation Download PDF 850 K
• Meeting summary Download PDF 65 K
• SAG meeting # 1 – Oct. 28, 2020
• Agenda Download PDF 100 K
• PowerPoint presentation Download PDF 3.5 MB
• Charter Download PDF 50 K
• Meeting summary Download PDF 75 K
• SAG meeting #2 – Nov. 18, 2020
• Agenda Download PDF 150 K
• PowerPoint presentation Download PDF 350 K
• Meeting summary Download PDF 50 K
• SAG meeting #3 – Dec. 16, 2020
• Agenda Download PDF 35 K
• PowerPoint presentation Download PDF 500 K

Project schedule

Stay informed, stay involved

Sign up for our free GovDelivery service, and get the latest project updates by email or text external link , including information on ways to participate in the siting process. You can sign up or opt out at any time.

Project library
(additional materials coming soon)

• Public involvement
• Siting Advisory Group fact sheet Download PDF 350 K (includes purpose and meeting dates)
• Meeting notes/summaries
• Advisory group notes
• Newsletters
• Technical documents, drawings and maps
• Environmental review

Project contacts

If you have questions or comments about the project, please contact the project manager or call the Solid Waste Division.

Project manager

Margaret Bay email the Northeast Recycling & Transfer Station project – Project manager
King County Solid Waste Division
Telephone: 206-263-5851, TTY Relay: 711

King County Solid Waste Division
Telephone: 206-477-4466, TTY Relay: 711