Eastgate, Bellevue

Eastgate is a neighborhood of Bellevue, Washington, United States. The population was 4,958 at the 2010 census. It was annexed by Bellevue in 2012.

Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Eastgate ranked 38th of 522 areas in the state of Washington.

Geography

Eastgate is located at (47.572005, -122.138509) and is a residential neighborhood of Bellevue.

Eastgate is located south of exit 11-A along I-90, which runs east-west along Eastgate's north side. Issaquah is to the east along I-90, and I-405 is a short distance to the west. Much of Eastgate is on the northwest flank of Cougar Mountain. Immediately to the west is Factoria. Immediately to the south is Somerset. To the north is the I-90 Corridor. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.3 km<sup>2</sup>), all of it land.

Economy

Eastgate is nearly completely residential. which includes Somerset Elementary, Eastgate Elementary, Puesta Del Sol Elementary, Tyee Middle School, Tillicum Middle School and Newport High School, and School District 411 Issaquah which includes Sunset Elementary and Cougar Ridge Elementary.

Bus routes

Eastgate is served by the following King County Metro bus routes: 241 and 271.

Politics

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Eastgate is in the 41st Legislative District and has the following precincts: Allen, Vivian, Martha, Horizon, Roanoke, and Eastmont, and is in the 8th Congressional district. It's in the 6th King County Council district.

National elections

On the national level, Eastgate is a stronghold for the Democratic Party. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry received just under 60 percent of the area's vote, while Republican George W. Bush came in just short of 39 percent.

Annexation initiative

Eastgate has tried to get annexed by Bellevue several times in the past. In 1990, the area citizens voted to annex to the city of Bellevue and won by a majority. On the same ballot there was an additional vote for Eastgate accepting a portion of Bellevue's bonded indebtedness. The area's voters rejected that measure. As a result, Bellevue chose not to incorporate Eastgate at that time. Then in 2002, the state Supreme Court decision threw out the main method cities have used for decades to expand. In addition, budget implications further postponed annexation of Eastgate with hopes of trying again in a year or two. According to the 2004's Bellevue's Comprehensive plan, it is a policy to annex all land in the Potential Annexation Area expeditiously. Discussions with Bellevue have been aided by the county's agreement to give the city Coal Creek Park and the Surrey Downs district court property. The city projected an operating deficit of $300,000. Later in November of the same year, a budget was proposed to develop urban design and development alternatives for the Eastgate area and to conduct the first major update of the Eastgate Subarea Plan in 14 years. The Mayor of Bellevue suggested working toward annexation of the remaining unincorporated portion of the Eastgate area and making an effort to update the subarea plan. He also

asked staff to develop a cost estimate for annexing Eastgate. The neighborhoods of Eastgate, Tamara Hills, and Horizon View were annexed by the City of Bellevue on June 1, 2012, adding "about 5,400 new residents, 1,850 residences and 700 acres" to Bellevue.

References

thumb|300px|A typical street in Eastgate