Editing Bothell, Washington (section)

===21st century===

The city government commissioned a plan in 2000 to address worsening traffic congestion throughout Bothell that was blamed, in part, on recent development. The plan would use additional street connections to form a more cohesive grid, but was negatively received by residents who opposed higher traffic volumes.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tarpley |first=Catherine |date=March 26, 2001 |title=Bothell road plan drives a wedge |page=B2 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Fisher |first=David |date=January 24, 2001 |title=Street plan for Bothell is stirring opposition |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> A separate plan to widen portions of [[Washington State Route 527|State Route 527]] (the Bothell–Everett Highway) was completed in 2005 using funding from commercial development along the corridor.<ref>{{cite news |last=Brooks |first=Diane |date=May 24, 2006 |title=Loggers to latte stands: Route spans history |page=I14 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20060524&slug=highway24n |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=May 14, 2024}}</ref> In the late 2000s, the city government adopted a downtown plan to revitalize Main Street and add denser housing and [[mixed-use development]] in the area. The plan involved the acquisition of various parcels and demolition of 15 buildings to allow for roadwork and the expansion of the Park at Bothell Landing.<ref name="Times-Downtown2023">{{cite news |last=Beekman |first=Daniel |date=December 17, 2023 |title=Bothell just built a downtown. A new crop of leaders will tackle what's next |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/bothell-just-built-a-downtown-new-crop-of-leaders-will-tackle-whats-next/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=December 17, 2023}}</ref>

Construction of the $150&nbsp;million downtown redevelopment program began in 2010 with the realignment of State Route 522 at its intersection with the Bothell–Everett Highway, which was completed in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tsong |first=Nicole |date=April 6, 2010 |title=Bothell breaks ground on a grand plan to fix its downtown |page=A1 |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/bothell-breaks-ground-on-a-grand-plan-to-fix-its-downtown/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 2, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Sheets |first=Bill |date=August 12, 2013 |title=Highway 522 project designed to ease Bothell traffic |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/highway-522-project-designed-to-ease-bothell-traffic/ |work=The Everett Herald |accessdate=February 17, 2022}}</ref> The Bothell–Everett Highway was rebuilt as a wide [[boulevard]] in 2017 that includes separate laneways for parking and landscaped dividers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Slager |first=Melissa |date=August 23, 2017 |title=Bothell leans European with its new multiway boulevard |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/bothell-leans-european-with-its-new-multiway-boulevard/ |work=The Everett Herald |accessdate=February 17, 2022}}</ref> A new city hall opened in October 2015 to consolidate several city departments into one building.<ref name="BR-CityHall"/> The city also annexed {{convert|1,005|acre|ha|adj=pre|additional}} of King County in 2014 and added 6,000 residents.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 26, 2013 |title=Bothell City Council passes ordinance completing the annexation of 6,000 residents |url=https://www.bothell-reporter.com/news/bothell-city-council-passes-ordinance-completing-the-annexation-of-6000-residents/ |work=Bothell-Kenmore Reporter |accessdate=May 14, 2024}}</ref> The downtown redevelopment yielded 1,300 new apartment units and townhouses by 2020, including [[Missing middle housing|middle housing]]. Between 2010 and 2020, Bothell's population increased by more than 40&nbsp;percent and the share of minority residents also increased to 33&nbsp;percent.<ref name="Times-Downtown2023"/>

A major fire in downtown broke out at the Mercantile Building on July 22, 2016, damaging and closing more than 20 businesses. Among the destroyed buildings was the Bothell Mall, which housed several small businesses. The fire hindered the Main Street portion of the redevelopment program and required $4.7&nbsp;million in state aid for rebuilding.<ref>{{cite news |last=Coleman |first=Vernal |date=July 22, 2016 |title=Downtown Bothell blaze deals blow to redevelopment efforts |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/buildings-ablaze-as-huge-fire-sweeps-through-downtown-bothell/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=September 2, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Times-Main2016">{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=Lynn |date=December 26, 2016 |title='Our link to the past': Bothell reviving its fire-ravaged Main Street |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/eastside/bothell-reviving-fire-ravaged-main-street-help-from-state-grant/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=May 14, 2024}}</ref> Main Street was rebuilt as a [[shared space]] between vehicles and other modes with curbless sidewalks and parallel parking separated by dining areas and planter boxes. A one-block section was closed to all vehicular traffic in June 2020 during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] to encourage its use as an outdoor gathering space and dining area to revitalize business in downtown.<ref name="Times-MainCars">{{cite news |last=Beekman |first=Daniel |date=April 6, 2022 |title=Bothell banned cars from Main Street in response to COVID. They may never return |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/bothell-banned-cars-from-main-street-in-response-to-covid-they-may-never-return/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=May 14, 2024}}</ref> The program was successful and became a permanent fixture during the summer months.<ref name="Times-Downtown2023"/><ref name="Times-MainCars"/>