New Chair Chosen For Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

There's a new head of the Republican Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Bill Shuster (R-PA) was chosen to replace former chair John Mica.DC Streetsblog has more on this choice.

Six Transportation Policy Questions For 2013

Let's pull out the crystal ball, or Magic 8 Ball if you have one, and look into the faraway future of transportation- let's say the year 2013. Okay, that's only about a month away but when you sometimes can't remember the day before, it seems like an eternity.

And with a new Federal transportation bill, MAP-21, and new leaders following the election, the new year could be a whole new world for transportation. Or not. That's the problem, there are still a lot of questions about where we're headed.

So as 2012 comes to a close, Governing's FedWatch explores six questions worth asking including:

• Is the gas tax still untouchable?
• What does new committee leadership mean?
• Is Ray LaHood in or out? (this is my favorite. Been waiting a while to hear about this)
• Can states continue to pick up the slack?
• Could tax reform be troublesome for infrastructure financing?
• Does the White House take a lead on infrastructure?

What? You thought I was going to actually answer those questions here? Sorry but Iyou're going to have to read the article yourself to get the answers.

Spokane's Transit System, In Lights

By popular demand (two of you requested this after seeing the post below), I present the video of a day in the life of Spokane's own transit system, Spokane Transit Authority.

This one is cool cause you can sure see where the center of the STA universe is in this video. Stuff starts happening on the edges, but every time the movement is toward the "hub" or downtown Spokane. Enjoy.

A Day In The Life, Depicted In Lights

The video below is really cool, although it resembles a bunch of glow-in-the-dark ants crawling around until you realize what it really is. The video is actually a timelapse depicting a day in the life of Washington, D.C.'s Metro system.


The video shows Metrorail, Metrobus and D.C. Circulator activity on a weekday, spanning a 24-hour period beginning and ending at 4 a.m. It's cool because you can see the systems and the region slowly come to life, achieve a recognizable form and slowly fade away.

Drugged Driving Surpasses Drunk Driving In CA

Drugged driving has reportedly surpassed drunk driving in California, according to a new study. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that, of drivers killed in motor-vehicle accidents in 2010, 30 percent tested positive for drugs.

So what are the major drugs in people's systems following drugged driving accidents? You may be surprised.

You May Not Have To Worry About Grandma Living In Montana After All

Um, you may be able to disregard that story below, because your mom or dad may be living right in your backyard in the future, thanks to a new housing option knicknamed "granny pods."

The shed-size dwellings offer an attractive balance between independence and special care for some of the 72 million Americans who will be 65 or older in less than twenty years. And they can be placed right next to your home, making it easier for you to provide care and transportation for your loved ones. Here's more about granny pods.

Where Will Senior Citizens Live In The Future? Not Near Good Public Transit Apparently

There has been lots of talk recently in transportation circles about the need for additional public transit options, with the baby boomer generation reaching the age where many are no longer driving.

Studies show nearly 80 percent of our seniors live in car-dependent suburban and rural communities and that seniors who stop driving show more symptoms of depression and are less active outside the home.
Projections say our 65-and-older population will more than double from 2000 levels to 72 million by the year 2030. The Natural Resources Defense Council used data from Duke University to project where these seniors will be living by then, and the results show some surprises. And some challenges for getting them where they need to go for basic services. Here's where seniors are expected to be living by 2030.

Lots Of Questions Expected At Coal Train Hearing

A local hearing by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is approaching to discuss a proposal to build a $665 million port terminal near Bellingham to ship coal to China and other Asian customers. While the movement of coal would create jobs, many are worried about the environmental effect.

The Dec. 4 meeting is expected to address a variety of impacts the construction of such a terminal could have, including locally. But not everyone is against building a terminal and shipping coal through our area via train. The Spokesman-Review has more on the many questions surrounding shipping coal through our area.

Enforcing DUI Laws With Marijuana Legal Expected To Be Tricky

Since citziens voted to legalize the use of marijuana in Washington, there has been a lot of talk about how to enforce DUI laws for people under the influence of pot.

Some are predicting that drug labs will be bogged down with blood test for THC, the active ingredient in pot. The only option to check if a driver is over the limit currently is a blood test, which is a prolonged process and could cause court and other legal issues. Portland's KGW has the story.

Sullivan Bridge Project Awarded Grant

Replacement of the Sullivan Road Bridge southbound across the Spokane River in Spokane Valley moved another step toward construction this week with notification that the project has been awarded $3.5 million from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB).


Plans to replace the bridge, built in 1951, have been in the works since 2010 after an inspection rated it as "Structurally Deficient." The deterioration prompted weight restrictions that were posted in 2011. Temporary repairs were completed in 2012, allowing the restrictions to be lifted.

A total of $15.8 million toward the estimated $19.7 million needed for bridge replacement has been secured. In addition to the $3.5 million from the TIB and $2.3 million in matching funds from the City, the project was awarded an $8 million grant from the Federal Bridge Program and a $2 million grant from the Washington State Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board.

Transportation Technical Committee Agenda

The agenda for the Transportation Technical Committee (TTC) meeting next Wednesday, November 28 is available here. As always, everyone is welcome so if you have transportation concerns or comments, feel free to attend.

The Netherlands Consider Heated Bike Lanes For Winter Riding

Apparently the Netherlands has money coming out its ears, because they're considering installing heated bike lanes for winter bicycle riding. At a cost of about  $25 - 50,000 per kilometer. Cool? Definitely. That sarcasm you detect from me is just jealousy.

Dutch authorities think the move may be a way to get more people to ride bikes in the winter and less to drive, which cuts down on costs from accidents and de-icing."Treehugger" has the story.

All Govt. Offices Closed Thursday and Friday

This guy that was in my yard over the weekend is apparently not aware of the date. If he were smart, he'd be lying low about now instead of taunting me and harassing my cat.

Which brings us to... holiday closures. All area government offices (including SRTC) will be closed Thursday and Friday this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. That gives you until 5:00 tonight to get any government business done that has to be accomplished before next week. Otherwise you have to wait until 8 a.m. Monday when all the office open again
If you plan to be downtown on Thanksgiving, you don't have to pay the parking meters. And they're free after 5 p.m. through January 1.

Browne's Addition Leaf Pickup Next Week

Here's your early warning- the City of Spokane will pick up leaves in the streets of Browne’s Addition on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 27 and 28, starting at 9 a.m. unless there is snow. The trucks will be on the north-south streets in Browne’s Addition on Tuesday and the east-west streets on Wednesday.


Cars must be moved because the streets are so narrow the trucks cannot get through with parked vehicles lining the streets. Crews will post informational signs this week notifying residents. Vehicles parked on the street when the trucks come in will be subject to towing.

Crazy Weather Causes Problems On Western Washington Roads

If you think it's rained a lot here, be glad you're not in Western Washington. Record rains there are causing havoc, swamping roadways and triggering landslides– and more rain is expected through the week.


In Port Orchard, Kitsap County, downtown streets were closed under about a foot of water Monday morning. A patrol car in Pacific County was hit by a falling tree caused by a mudslide and the North Cascades Highway is expected to close soon for the season due to a huge amount of snow.
Here's the whole roundup of Western Washington weather woes from the Seattle Times.

Take Our Survey Please If You Haven't Yet

We're still looking for your transportation priorities and opinions with an internet survey, so if you haven't taken our Horizon 2040 survey yet, please do. And pass it on to your friends.

The input you give will help to develop Horizon 2040, our Metropolitan, or long range, Transportation Plan. Horizon 2040 will identify and prioritize transportation projects and programs to be implemented through the year 2040. Key focus areas for the plan include economic vitality, stewardship, cooperation and leadership, quality of life, choice and mobility, system operations, maintenance and preservation, and safety and security.

What's different about Horizon 2040 from earlier long range plans though is that there is significantly less funding to be spent on transportation in the future than we've had in the past. The plan includes a list of projects to be constructed or completed between now and 2040. And it must be financially constrained, meaning if we say there are X billions of dollars in projects to be done, we have to prove that amount of money will be available to do it. That means choices will have to be made as to what is considered a priority and what isn't. Which is where your opinion helps and the survey comes in.

Transportation Advisory Committee November Meeting Agenda

The agenda and packet for the November 26 Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting is now available here. The meeting starts at 3 p.m. in SRTC's conference room. The TAC is a citizens' committee and open to the public so feel free to attend if you are interested. There is an item on every TAC agenda for public comment so come share your thoughts.

Spokane City/Spokane Valley Construction Updates

CITY OF SPOKANE

Eighth and Ninth Avenues Water Transmission Main- The project to replace existing water transmission mains and install service lines in Eighth and Ninth avenues from Division to Cowley streets; Eighth Ave. from Chandler to Hatch streets; and Chandler St. from Eighth to Ninth avenues has been suspended through winter. Construction will resume in spring 2013.

Walnut St. from Eighth and Ninth avenues will be reduced by one lane while crews complete work on the curb bump outs.

 

SPOKANE VALLEY

Sprague Avenue Swale Project - Construction continues through mid-November, weather permitting. At least two lanes of traffic remain open around the clock. Brief delays and congestion should be expected.

8000 Block of E Riverway Avenue - Expect delays and minor congestion due to heavy equipment in the area.

Who, If Anyone, Will Replace Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood?

As President Barack Obama begins his transition into a second term, the big question is who he'll tap to join his cabinet as the next transportation secretary. Current secretary Ray LaHood has indicated he would step down after the president's first term, although he hasn't said anything about it recently.

The blog Governing takes a look at some of the possible candidates if he does indeed call it quits, with some real heavy weights on the list. Take a look here.

Economy Still Down, But Thanksgiving Travelers Up

The AAA car club says 43.6 million travelers will hit the roads for the Thanksgiving holiday, marking the fourth consecutive year that the number of people traveling this weekend has increased.
It's not much of an increase though- only 0.7%, which AAA blames on the economy.

AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Global Insight, a Boston-based economics consulting organization that analyzes travel trends. The travel projections are derived from current economic conditions, along with a survey.

Total increase in economic activity, measured in its broadest measure as the gross domestic product, will end the year somewhere near the 2.1 percent mark, IHS Global Insight estimates. This is below the 2.5 percent measure associated as a threshold for a growing economy.

Despite the continued sluggish economic recovery, AAA said there are a few bright spots. Housing starts are up, median prices are climbing and consumer confidence is improved from a year ago.

Travel by the numbers

According to AAA Idaho, these numbers give a glimpse of travel in the week to come:
•Busiest travel day—Wed., Nov 21.
•Average travel distance—588 miles, down 16.7 percent from last year’s 706 miles.
•Median spending—Down 10 percent to $498, compared to $554 a year ago.
•Thanksgiving spending by category—food/beverage, 20 percent; shopping, 20 percent; fuel, 14 percent; lodging, 13 percent; entertainment/recreation, 11 percent; other transportation, 18 percent; other, 4 percent.
•90 percent—portion of travelers to ride or drive in motor vehicles.

Don't Get Stuck In Holiday Traffic

Don't do it while driving, but the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) says plug in that electronic device to find the latest on travel and traffic before heading out on the roads for the Thanksgiving holiday.

WSDOT offers statewide travel information at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic, including traffic camera images and a map of highway incidents and closures. Travelers also can download the WSDOT mobile app for smartphones and sign up for news and social media tools, such as Twitter. Visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/inform to learn how. The statewide travel information phone line, 511, will broadcast the latest updates through the weekend.

For those traveling on Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass, WSDOT offers travel graphs to find the best times to travel. Thanksgiving weekend is typically one of the busiest travel days of the year for I-90.

 

Urban Transportation Corridors Presentation Available To View

If you've been reading this blog lately, you've probably seen the posts on the visit of Economist Dena Belzer to Spokane recently. SRTC partnered with the Spokane Regional Health District to bring Ms. Belzer here because she founded a consulting and research firm, Strategic Economics out of Berkely, CA, that specializes in helping local governments, community groups, developers, and non-profit organizations to understand the economic and development context in which they operate in order to take strategic steps towards creating high-quality places for people to live and work.


Ms. Belzer was here talk about transportation investments that could potentially improve the local economy. She addressed Urban Transportation Corridors (UTCs) specifically, and if they're feasible for our region.
For a summary of her message(s) and thoughts regarding our region, continue reading through this blog.
You can also view the power point presentation here.

How Is A City Like A Pizza and What's Transit Got To Do With It?

Someone is reading my mind again. Last week and this week I've been blogging about a visit to Spokane SRTC and the Spokane Regional Health District set up for Economist Dena Belzer from Berkley, CA. Ms. Belzer founded Strategic Economics, a consulting and research firm specializing in urban and regional economics and planning. The firm helps local governments, community groups, developers, and non-profit organizations to understand the economic and development context in which they operate in order to take strategic steps towards creating high-quality places for people to live and work.

Ms. Belzer was here to talk about Urban Transportation Corridors (UTCs) and if they're feasible for our region. UTCs are neighborhoods and districts that can accommodate new mixed use development and roads that can accommodate multimodal travel such as cars, bikes and pedestrians and are served by quality public transit service.

Today, I happened onto this article from "Switchboard" that pretty much echoes Ms. Belzer's thoughts on how housing near transit creates thriving communities.

I like the imagery this article uses, comparing a city to a pizza: "... The suburban experiment that was so influential in the 20th century involved dividing up the functions of the city into different zones: housing, shopping, office, recreation. This works about as well as eating the elements of your pizza in different courses: you're still getting the same nutritional value, but you've lost the joy of your pizza." -- Eric Jacobsen, Why Suburbia is Affecting Your Spiritual Life

STA Snow Detours- What Happens To Your Route If It Snows A Lot?

Just an FYI- the weather may be fine now but snow is most likely on it's way. Spokane Transit wants you to know that several of their routes have snow detours for when the weather gets really bad. You may want to know if your route has a detour, and what it is, just in case. Info on STA's Winter Contingency Plan and detour routes is here.

Free Parking Blamed For California Traffic Congestion

In a post yesterday where I blogged about interviewing Berkley, CA Economist Dena Belzer on Spokane transportation issues, the topic of the "high price of free parking" came up. So is it coincidence that today I ran onto this article about a report that says free parking is leading to street-clogging solo car commuting in California? I think not.


Parking guru and UCLA professor Donald Shoup blames crowded highways on company parking perks, saying, ”If you can park free at work, it’s an invitation to drive to work alone. And almost everybody who does drive to work has this invitation."

So why isn't a law working that requires companies that provide free parking to also offer a cash payment to those who forgo the incentive? Read the article to find out. 

Letter Writer Says Leave Her Alone About Studded Tires

Spokesman-Review Letters to the Editor
Hands off studded tires


Not all of us can afford your gas-guzzling SUVs and four-wheel drive vehicles. Or expensive all-weather tires. Studded tires give me more confidence when driving in snow. They aren’t only good for icy conditions. They are a great help in deep snow. Don’t try to tell me they’re not. I’ve driven a lot more years than you have with and without studded tires.

My tax dollars pay for the roads too, and I say leave the studded tires alone. And don’t try assessing me a fee. I have a right to use them. Get all the 18-wheelers and huge trucks carrying heavy equipment off the roads first. You can’t convince me they aren’t causing damage to the roads.

And if the DOT would use better material fixing potholes, they might actually stay fixed. The two to three months studded tires are on isn’t what is causing the damage to our streets. So leave us alone. Studded tires provide a peace of mind for those of us who don’t exactly love driving in snow.
Carolyn Jacobsen
Greenacres

Is Ms. Jacobsen a little protective of her studded tires or is it just me? She has a point about 18 wheelers causing damage, as do buses, but we can't just take them off the roads. How would we get groceries to the stores, or gas to the gas stations and oil to the homes of people who heat with it? We can't get by without trucks delivering the goods we need but we can make it without studs.

Berkley Economist Answers Questions On Spokane Transportation Issues

I've posted a couple entries here in the past couple days about a visit to Spokane by Dena Belzer, an Economist with consulting firm Strategic Economics out of Berkely, CA that specializes in connecting regional economic and demographic growth trends to real estate development activity and local policy initiatives. SRTC partnered with the Spokane Regional Health Department to bring Ms. Belzer here to talk about Urban Transportation Corridors (UTCs) and if they're feasible for our region. UTCs are neighborhoods and districts that can accommodate new mixed use development and roads that can accommodate multimodal travel such as cars, bikes and pedestrians and are served by quality public transit service.

Ms. Belzer's visit was in conjunction with the work on our long range transportation plan, Horizon 2040. The economic downturn has shifted the emphasis for transportation planning from reducing congestion to identifying projects that will also work to revitalize the local economy. UTCs are one such possible investment, which is why we are taking a look at them.

Besides participating in several events (we really got our money's worth out of her) while here, Ms. Belzer also took the time to sit down for an "interview" with me on some questions I had after listening to her speak. So here were my questions and her thoughts and answers.

Q. What's your impression of our region after spending a couple days here and driving around? What jumped out at you, good or bad?
A. There is a lot of under-utilized land in the core of the region. Before rushing to fill it, officials who make decisions need to determine what is a good scale of urbanism for Spokane (how dense they want to zone).

Q. What are some of the things we have going for the area?

A. There are already a couple neighborhoods and areas working well that could serve as models for other areas. For instance, she cited how the Garland and Perry districts and downtown Hillyard already have businesses, restaurants and bars in a close proximity to housing and fairly frequent transit service. The lower south hill area of medical centers and services are also areas to watch, according to Belzer, as they are large employment areas served by frequent transit service.

Q. How would you "sell" a concept such as Urban Transportation Corridors in an area like Spokane?

A. I would stress how they can help the local economy by providing convenient access to jobs, shopping and entertainment while conserving on gas. Spokane may be a fairly inexpensive place to live as far as housing but someone is absorbing the cost, such as the cost of gas to drive to work in areas that don't have good transit service. The cost of transportation exceeds what you save by living in less expensive housing far from services. There are also health costs as you spend more time driving than walking or bicycling.

Q. Where would you want to live if you moved to Spokane?

A. Downtown of course. While downtown has employment, shopping and eating establishments now, it has a very large footprint for a downtown area; bigger than what is being utilized. Infill should take place downtown before expanding out and letting businesses go to the suburbs.

Q. You said there are some easy ways to increase density. What are some examples?

A. Townhouses and "stack flats" are inexpensive ways that don't feel like a traditional apartment, as well as making smarter parking choices. The goal isn't to fit as much into a small area as possible, but to develop in a quality way.

Q. There has been talk in recent years about moving the STA Plaza. What are your thoughts?

A. Ideally, you infill your downtown area, making it a destination for even more commuters than currently work downtown. Moving the Plaza (such as to the eastern edge of downtown) would punish commuters and force them to find other ways to get to work, such as driving alone. This uses more gas and more parking, when the original point was to do with less parking.

Q. You mentioned the "high price of free parking." What are some of those costs?

A. There's a 900 page book by that name, but I'll give just a few examples. Free or cheap parking encourages people to drive their cars to work because they have a place to park when they get there. Reducing available parking or raising the price cuts down on driving alone, which in turn cuts down on greenhouse gases, vehicle miles traveled and money spent on gas. Parking lots and garages are a fiscal loser for cities as they don't generate much revenue, where a business on the same site could bring in more.

Q. The topic of snow storage and management comes up over and over when I talk to people in the public about issues with our transportation system. Do you have any ideas on that topic?

A. When adding new sidewalks to a project, they should be constructed with planting strips for trees. Not only do those trees add an aesthetic value to the street, but the parking strip provides snow storage space. On wide streets with lower traffic, reduce the number of lanes and add items like greenspace where snow can be stored and for better atmosphere.

New "Do-It-Yourself" Traffic Counters Could Change Transportation Planning

It may look like a pipebomb, but those little devices to the left could change how transportation planning is done. Transportation planning is all about data; we look at how many people are using the transportation system, where they're going, how they're getting to their destinations (bus, bike, personal vehicle, etc.), what time they travel, etc. Collecting and analyzing this data helps us determine patterns and make predictions for the future. For instance, if we know there are X many people using the current regional transportation system, and the population is expected to increase by X by 2040, we know we need to plan for X additional vehicles on the roads in the next few decades. This helps us analyze what it will take to bring our road to the point they can support this traffic, or plan for other transportation options such as additonal bus service or bike lanes and pedestrian trails.

That's all fine and good, but the reality of the situation is that gathering that data is time consuming and expensive. You either have to pay someone to do traffic (and sometimes bike and pedestrian) counts for you, or you have to buy spendy devices that do it, and usually the software to go with it, or a professional who downloads and crunches your numbers.

Or maybe you don't anymore. A couple of New Yorkers, one a planner and one an engineer, came up with the 'do it yourself' traffic counter kits above called TrafficCOM that allows users to measure the volume, rate, and speed of traffic on any street, then upload the data for immediate sharing. The Atlantic Cities tells us how it works.

Pedestrian Struck By Police Car Sent Bill To Fix Car

It stands to reason that if you damage someone's property you should pay for it right? But what about if the damage occured when that person was hitting you with their car? A New York man, struck by a police car while crossing the street, got a bill from the city for over $1,000 to repair the cruiser. Here's the story from the Gothamist.

Local Developers Talk About Urban Transportation Corridors In Conjunction With Development

Local developer Chris Olson talks about his experiences
building in our community.

I started blogging last week about a visit to Spokane by Dena Belzer, an Economist with consulting firm Strategic Economics out of Berkely, CA that specializes in connecting regional economic and demographic growth trends to real estate development activity and local policy initiatives. SRTC partnered with the Spokane Regional Health Department to bring Ms. Belzer here to talk about Urban Transportation Corridors (UTCs) and if they're feasible for our region. UTCs are neighborhoods and districts that can accommodate new mixed use development and roads that can accommodate multimodal travel such as cars, bikes and pedestrians and are served by quality public transit service.


Ms. Belzer's visit was in conjunction with the work on our long range transportation plan, Horizon 2040. The economic downturn has shifted the emphasis for transportation planning from reducing congestion to identifying projects that will also work to revitalize the local economy. UTCs are one such possible investment, which is why we are taking a look at them. So here's more on Ms. Belzer's visit, as I couldn't fit everything she said into one post last week:

At a forum on UTCs for local business leaders, Ms. Belzer said that local decision-makers need to look for ways to lower construction and development costs. She said one way to do that is to reduce parking. Local developer Mick McDowell was on a panel of other speakers for that forum and agreed. He said he owns enough land to build two buildings the size of the American West Bank building at Riverside and Browne. He said that, if he didn't have to build parking lots for them, he could build up to five such buildings. And the prices he would charge to lease offices in those buildings would be lower because he wouldn't have to spend money on parking lots. To do that though, he has to be sure there is a quality transit option to get workers to the buildings.

Another local developer, Chris Olson, also spoke about his experiences building in Spokane and how transit corridors could open the door to new development. Mr. Olson said that we have the basic 'bones' of UTCs, such as in the Garland and Perry districts. Even so, he said not everyone is going to see the benefit of living, working and recreating all in pretty much the same area right away.

Scott Chesney, Director of the City of Spokane's Planning Department, was also on the panel at that forum. He said the City is in the process of updating the Comprehensive Plan and is focusing on devices that invite infill development. He said planning and zoning need to be complementary to each other, and we have to think about redevelopment before it happens in order to make the right choices for the community. For instance, he cited big box stores and how they generally only last ten years in one location. We need to consider this when approving the construction of new big box stores as the City will have to deal with the empty shell of the store later. Larry Krauter, Director of Spokane Airports, facilitated the forum and pointed out that retail has grown five to six times faster in recent years than sales have.

One of the slides in Ms. Belzer's presentation showed a map from 1923 of Spokane's street car system. She said this move toward urban transportation corridors is a 'back to the future' proposition as it's already been done here. She also spoke about how important goods movement and manufacturing is to our area and how a system of transit corridors would get workers to those jobs more efficiently, or the products moved to market faster. I'll expand on that in a post tomorrow.

Chains Too Hard To Install? Try Putting A Sock On It

You may look out the window today and see a winter wonderland, especially with the kids home from school to play in it, but I see a mess of traffic accidents waiting to happen. The drive really wasn't very bad today though, and there are few days where it is terrible, but there are occasions when a handful of local people will put chains on their cars every winter. I live on a hill that turns into what I call a 'death slide' when it gets icy and can be challenging to get up even with four wheel drive. So I'm familiar with the process of putting chains on your vehicle. And it is NOT fun. Why do they fit so well one time then the next you can barely get them hooked? And sometimes getting them off is even harder.

There's a new, much easier-to-install alternative though; the AutoSock. Just slip it over your tire like a giant shower cap pull forward a little and slip the rest of it on. It works like chains, but is much easier to install, and less hard on the road and your vehicle. It's also legal for places, like on mountain passes, where chains are required. Here's more on the AutoSock from the Yakima Herald.

Editorial Says Studded Tires Not Best Choice

An editorial in the Spokesman-Review yesterday asks you to reconsider putting studded tires on your car this winter. The article says the tires are actually less safe in some conditions than regular snow tires, on top of the fact that they damage our roads. Here's the story.

Free Parking Downtown After 5 p.m.

 The City of Spokane is making some changes to its parking system, including free evening parking for a limited time.
Starting the day after Thanksgiving—Friday, Nov. 23—parking will be free at downtown meters after 5 p.m. The promotion will continue through Saturday, Jan. 5, to accommodate holiday shoppers. Parking meters usually have to be paid until 7 p.m.

The free parking is part of an overall new approach to parking that focuses on the customer. The City’s parking enforcement staff are now parking ambassadors. The ambassadors will provide directions and answer questions related to parking.

And in a step toward creating a more vibrant downtown, the City is implementing a pilot project that allows citizens living in part of downtown to purchase a monthly parking pass good at 10-hour meters. This will make it easier for people to live, work and recreate in the city's core, which makes for a more attractive downtown.

Economist Talks Urban Transportation Corridors In Spokane

For the past two days, I've spent my time at a serious of events centered around the visit of economist Dena Belzer to Spokane. Ms. Belzer, founder and president of consulting and research firm Strategic Economics out of Berkely, CA, specializes in connecting regional economic and demographic growth trends to real estate development activity and local policy initiatives. Her firm helps local governments, community groups, developers, and non-profits understand the local economic and development climate in order to take strategic steps towards creating high-quality places for people to live and work.

SRTC partnered with the Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) to bring her to our area to talk about
Urban Transportation Corridors (UTCs), what they are, if they're feasible for our region. UTCs are neighborhoods and/or districts that can accommodate new mixed use development and roads that can accommodate multimodal travel such as cars, transit, bikes and pedestrians.

Ms. Belzer's visit was in conjunction with the work SRTC is doing on our long range transportation plan, Horizon 2040. While traditional transportation measures such as congestion levels and safety are still important, the economic downturn has shifted the emphasis from reducing congestion to identifying projects that will also work to revitalize the local economy. UTCs are one such possible investment, which is why we decided to take a look at them.

I have pages and pages of notes from Ms. Belzer's visit, so over the next week or so, I'm going to post 'installment' pieces of what I gathered from her visit, including her opinions and perceptions of our area and the reactions of our elected, civic and business leaders who saw her presentations.

The first event featuring Ms. Belzer was a forum on Wednesday that targetted local business and civic leaders. Ms. Belzer made a presentation, then a panel featuring local developers Mick McDowell and Chris Olson and City of Spokane Planning Director Scott Chesney, responded with their thoughts. The facilitator for the forum was Spokane International Airport (SIA) Director Larry Krauter.
Ms. Belzer started with requirements for UTCs:

• Modest increases in development (she cited an average of 7 or 8 housing units per acre).
• Located near major employment centers.
• In neighborhoods with public amenities.
• Must have opportunities for bicycling and walking.
• High performance transit must be present in the area.

She said employment density is critical for UTCs. If you still have to drive to your job, there's no benefit to creating them. Another thing she said that may surprise you is there are a lot more families without children in Spokane County than those with. Here's the breakdown: 28% of households in Spokane County are families with children, 35% are families without children, 29% are single-person households and 8% are other non-family households. That's going to change how transportation is planned for. Those without children don't necessarily want to live in the 'burbs in a large home with a double car garage that you can't get to any other way than driving. And with many single women buying homes, many are leaning toward condos or townhouses so they don't have to worry about maintenance.


She said that cost of living prices in our region may not be as low as we think. Most people are spending 30% of their household income on housing, which is fairly inexpensive. But add another 15% for transportation costs because we live in an area where it's not always easy to get around without a personal vehicle, and that's almost half of a household's income spent on housing and transportation.

Ms. Belzer's opinion on how to get started developing UTCs (or determining if they're right for our area) is to conduct a real estate market study to see what the state of the market is in general, and what areas are "hot," because those are the areas people want to live in, so it's safe to plan public transit around them.

I've got a couple other projects I have to tackle for today so come back next week for more on Urban Transportation Corridors and if they have a place in our community.

SRTC Gets CTR Champion Award

Congratulations to the folks at SRTC who find another way to get to work other than driving alone. We were nominated recently for a Governor's Commute Smart Award. And while we didn't win, we did get this great "CTR Champion" trophy.

The Commute Smart Awards recognize innovation and dedication by communities, businesses, agencies and workplace transportation coordinators as they promote ridesharing and other alternatives to driving alone. SRTC was nominated for our work with the Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) program to promote their efforts countywide, and our trip reduction efforts within our own office. We may have a small staff, but 9 of our 11 staff members participate in CTR.
CTR is open to anyone and you can win some pretty cool prizes just for finding other ways to get to school or work than driving alone. You can check it out at www.mycommute.org.

New Cameras On Cars Will Apply Brakes For You

If you buy a luxury car in the near future, it may come with new technology to help you avoid hitting things, even if you're not paying attention. Mercedes-Benz S- Class vehicles due out in 2013 will be equipped with two stereoscopic cameras mounted on your windshield that spot hazards and automatically apply the brakes to avoid hitting an object or pedestrian.
Wired magazine shows us how it works.

SRTC To Stay Open For Veterans Day

A reminder that many government offices will be closed on Monday, Nov. 12 for Veterans Day, except for SRTC and the City of Spokane. If you want to come downtown to see us that day though, parking meters are free for the holiday so it would be a good day to do it.

Cosntruction Update For Next Week

WSDOT

I-90/Geiger Blvd. to Downtown Spokane- Work to remove studded tire ruts and resurface the Latah Creek Bridges is completed for this season. Some minor items will be addressed in the spring.

I-90/Beck Road Interchange- Work on this new interchange in Idaho may affect eastbound I-90 traffic near the Washington/Idaho border.The contractor will be paving the ramps at the new interchange on Friday, weather permitting.

North Spokane Corridor/Francis Avenue Bridge and Intersection Improvements- Weather permitting, Francis Ave. traffic between Market and Freya streets will be switched onto the temporary diversion route on Tuesday, Nov. 13. On Monday, November 12, the current existing traffic signal will be placed into timed cycles with a full shutdown of the existing traffic signal system on Tuesday November 13, with flaggers directed intersection traffic. Drivers can expect long delays. On Wednesday, Thursday and possibly Friday (November 14-16), the  remaining traffic signal equipment will be removed, which will require single lane closures on Francis Avenue and Market Street. The sidewalk on the north side of Francis Ave. is closed.

North Spokane Corridor/US 2 Lowering and Bridges- The project to excavate US 2 grade to pass under the new freeway alignment is complete.

SPOKANE COUNTY

Thomas Mallen Rd., Geiger Blvd. to Electric Ave.- Road closed for sidewalk construction.
Pasadene Elementary Pathway, Upriver Dr. from Marguerite Rd. to Dick Rd.- One way traffic (sorry I can't give more details. That's really all the contruction update had on it for this item).
Farwell Rd. and Pittsburg St. Intersection- Signal work on all four corners. One lane traffic in each direction.

CITY OF SPOKANE

Adams St. from 21st to 15th avenues and surrounding streets- The project to rehabilitate Adams St. from 21st to 15th avenues and surrounding residential streets is complete. The project also rehabilitated Jefferson St. from 21st to 15th avenues; Madison St. from 21st to 17th avenues; 17th, 18th, and 19th avenues from Cedar to Madison streets; and 20th Ave. from Adams to Madison streets.

Join Spokane Mayor David Condon, City Council Members Jon Snyder and Mike Allen, and the Cliff-Cannon and Manito-Cannon Hill Neighborhoods at a celebration on Saturday, Nov. 10, at 4 p.m. to recognize the completion of the Adams St. residential project. The ceremony will be held at the corner of Adams St. and 15th Ave.

14th and 15th avenues from Chestnut St. to Inland Empire Way- The project to pave 14th and 15th avenues between Chestnut St. and Inland Empire Way and install curbs and sidewalks is substantially complete. Crews will be working on final detail items over the next week or so. All streets will reopen to traffic by Friday, Nov. 9.
Oak St. from Inland Empire Way to 28th Ave.- The project to pave Oak Street from Inland Empire Way to 28th Avenue and install curbs and sidewalks is substantially complete. Crews will be working on final detail items over the next week or so. All streets will reopen to traffic by Friday, Nov. 9. Until then, local access will be maintained.
Hazel's Creek Detention Pond- The project to construct a low impact development demonstration site that includes stormwater control devices, detention and infiltration ponds, enhancements to an existing wetland, and pedestrian paths is complete.

SPOKANE VALLEY

Pines Rd. Sidewalk Infill between 16th and 24th Avenues- Construction continues through about Nov. 13, weather permitting. Expect lane reductions between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Sprague between Evergreen and Sullivan and on Sullivan between Sprague to Mission- Traffic signal installation work through late December/early January, between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, weather permitting. The westbound right lane is closed on Sprague between Progress and Best. Tge northbound curb lane on Sullivan and the westbound curb lane on Sprague will be closed at the intersection.

Sprague Avenue Swale Project- Construction continues through mid-November, weather permitting.
At least two lanes of traffic remain open at all times.

State Legislators Ask Governor For TasK Force To Look At Coal Train Impact

I sat in on a meeting with an Eastern Washington University Planning class a couple weeks ago and they had questions about the proposal to move more coal trains through our area. I said I'd try to post updates to the blog, so here's the latest: Four state legislators sat down with Gov. Chris Gregoire yesterday to ask her to establish and "empower" a task force that would examine all impacts of the trains cross the state from Spokane to Bellingham.

State Senate-elect Andy Billig from here in Spokane was in on that effort. Here's the story, from the Seattle P.I.

City Leaf Pickup Service Begins Sunday

It's that time of year again- City of Spokane crews begin leaf pickup activities on Sunday, Nov. 11. The crews begin on the North Side and gradually move to the South Hill.


The service is intended to remove only the leaves that naturally fall into the streets so please don't rake leaves into the street. The City asks residents to move their vehicles from the streets when leaf pickup crews will be in their neighborhoods, allowing trucks and crews room to do their job.
The leaf pickup schedule for Nov. 11 through Nov. 15, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and hand-picking until 2:30 a.m., is as follows:

Sunday, Nov. 11—Woodridge Area: south of north City limits, north of Barnes Rd., west of Wieber Dr., and east of Comanche Dr.

Driscoll Blvd. Area: south of Wellesley Ave., north of Garland Ave., west of Belt St., and east of Northwest Blvd.

Audubon Park Area: south of Garland Ave., north of Northwest Blvd., west of Monroe St., and east of Northwest Blvd.
Monday, Nov. 12—Woodridge Area: south of north City limits, north of Barnes Rd., west of Wieber Dr., and east of Comanche Dr.

Driscoll Blvd. Area: south of Wellesley Ave., north of Garland Ave., west of Belt St., and east of Northwest Blvd.

Audubon Park Area: south of Garland Ave., north of Northwest Blvd., west of Monroe St., and east of Northwest Blvd.

Downriver Area: south of Northwest Blvd., north of Riverview Dr., west of Meenach Dr., and east of Columbia Circle.
Tuesday, Nov. 13—Woodridge Area: south of north City limits, north of Barnes Rd., west of Wieber Dr., and east of Comanche Dr.

Pacific Park Area: south of Barnes St., north of Sutherlin Dr., west of

Farmdale St., and east of Forest Blvd.

Driscoll Blvd. Area: south of Wellesley Ave., north of Garland Ave., west of Belt St., and east of Northwest Blvd.

Shadle Park Area: south of Wellesley Ave., north of Garland Ave., west of Wall St., and east of Belt St.

Downriver Area: south of Northwest Blvd., north of Riverview Dr., west of Meenach Dr., and east of Columbia Circle.
Wednesday, Nov. 14—Pacific Park Area: south of Barnes St., north of Sutherlin Dr., west of Farmdale St., and east of Forest Blvd.

Indian Trail Rd. Area: south of Johansen Rd., north of Francis Ave.,

west of Cedar St., and east of Nine Mile Rd.

Shadle Park Area: south of Wellesley Ave., north of Garland Ave., west of Wall St., and east of Belt St.

Northwest Blvd. Area: south of Northwest Blvd., north of Maxwell Ave., east of Pettit Dr., and west of Monroe St.

Thursday, Nov. 15—Indian Trail Rd. Area: south of Johansen Rd., north of Francis Ave., west of Cedar St., and east of Nine Mile Rd.

Shadle Park Area: south of Wellesley Ave., north of Garland Ave., west of Wall St., and east of Belt St.

Northwest Blvd. Area: south of Northwest Blvd., north of Maxwell Ave., east of Pettit Dr., and west of Monroe St.

West Central Area: South of Maxwell Ave., north of Bridge Ave., west of Washington St., and east of the Spokane River.

Adams Street Project Completion Celebration

You're invited to join Spokane Mayor David Condon, City Council Members Jon Snyder and Mike Allen, and the Cliff-Cannon and Manito-Cannon Hill Neighborhoods at a celebration on Saturday, Nov. 10 for the completion of the Adams Street residential project under the City’s 10-Year Street Bond Program.


The celebration is at 4 p.m. at the corner of Adams Street and 15th Avenue. The project rehabilitated Adams Street from 21st to 15th avenues; Jefferson Street from 21st to 15th avenues; Madison St. from 21st to 17th avenues; 17th, 18th, and 19th avenues from Cedar to Madison streets; and 20th Avenue from Adams to Madison streets. The project was completed on time and on budget.

Mike Taylor, Director of Engineering Services, will give an update on the progress of paving and restoring streets under the 10-Year Street Bond and provide a preview of Bond projects scheduled for construction in spring of 2013.

New Mileage Rules Could Price Some Families Out Of Cars

The Obama administration recently finalized rules that will require cars and light-duty trucks sold in the U.S. to get 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, which is roughly double the current standards. While this mandate has some great benefits (its expected to save drivers more than $8,000 in fuel over the life of a given vehicle and reduce the nation’s oil consumption by more than two million barrels a day), an article in the Auto section of the Spokesman-Review says the new requirements could drive up the price of a new car beyond some families’ reach.

The National Automobile Dealers Association estimates the average car’s sticker price could rise by around $3,000 once the new rules are phased in. Here's the article.

Passage Of Marijuana Initiative Means New Driving Under The Influence Laws

The recreational use of marijuana was approved in Washington State last night, so how is that going to affect transportation? Well, driving under the influence laws will be changing. Initiative I-502 also established a THC blood limit of five nanograms per milliliter (5 ng/ml) in drivers 21 and over. That level is reduced to 0.00 for drivers under age 21.


Already, not everyone is happy with this. The group Patients Against New Approach Washington says this level is not supported by science and would subject suspected impaired drivers to highly-invasive blood testing, unnecessary confinement and a criminal conviction that will haunt them for life.

They consider the zero tolerance clause for those under 21 even worse though, because a designated driver subjected to second hand marijuana smoke could be held criminally liable for the acitivities of others.
Because I can't find a website for the Patients Against New Approach Washington group stating their concerns, I'm going to link to a site I never thought I would use, Toke of the Town. I believe the article posted there on this topic has factual information and some valid points, but be warned that if you go to this site there is some PG-13 content, to say the least.

Woman Sentenced To Wearing "Idiot" Sign

Talk about a shaming. A woman caught on camera driving on a sidewalk to avoid a Cleveland school bus that was unloading children will have to stand at an intersection wearing a sign warning about idiots.
The Seattle PI says a Municipal Court judge on Monday ordered 32-year-old Shena Hardin to stand at an intersection for two days next week. She will have to wear a sign saying: "Only an idiot drives on the sidewalk to avoid a school bus." The judge ordered her to wear the sign from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. both days.

Hardin's license was suspended for 30 days and she was ordered to pay $250 in court costs.

Deadline This Week To Apply To Be On Transportation Advisory Committee

You've only got a few days left to apply to be a member of SRTC's Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC is a citizen committee that provides transparency and a community perspective to the local transportation planning process. The TAC advises the SRTC Policy Board regarding plans, programs and activities to determine consistency with SRTC's policies; makes recommendations on regional transportation policies; and tackles other activities as directed by the Board.

We're looking for a diverse team of TAC members. We're looking for everyday people and those who represent groups such as people with disabilities, senior citizens, youth, the business and freight moving communities, traditional automobile users and advocates for non-motorized transportation or public transit.

The time commitment is very manageable, in my opinion. The TAC meets onces a month (the fourth Monday of each month) at 3 p.m. in the SRTC office at 221 W. First Ave. While the group makes decisions that have a real impact on the community, it's a fun committee and the meetings are always interesting. Plus you get to be the first to know about upcoming projects so you can wow friends and family with your transportation knowledge.

More information and the application is here: http://www.srtc.org/tac_page.html. Hurry though, the deadline to turn apps in is this Friday, November 9.

Golf Carts Approved For Street Travel In Hillyard

It's official,  residents in Hillyard soon will have a new way to get around the neighborhood.
The Spokane City Council last night approved a new zone where electric golf carts can drive on streets with speed limits that are 25 mph or slower. Cart drivers must be at least 16 years old, have special insurance for their cart and will have to register with the city and pay an annual $50 fee.

The Spokesman-Review has more.

Do Texting While Driving Bans Increase Accidents?

Do bans on texting and driving actually increase accidents? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that 3 of every 4 states that have enacted a ban on texting while driving have seen crashes actually go up rather than down.

It's hard to say for sure why, but experts believe its a result of people trying to avoid getting caught. Folks trying to keep their phones out of view will often hold the phone much lower, below the wheel perhaps, in order to keep it out of view. That means the driver's eyes are looking down and away from the road. KSL.com Utah has the story.

Vanpool Fare Change Public Meeting

Spokane Transit will host a public meeting next Thursday, November 15 to gather input on a change to the Vanpool Fare Policy.

The individual fare for a Vanpool participant is a calculation based on program costs, mileage driven, and number of participants in a group. Currently the resulting fare matrix is rounded to the nearest penny. In order to simplify billing and accounting for both STA and our customers, this update recommends that the fare matrix be rounded to whole dollar increments.


STA staff want to know your thoughts on this. The meeting is at 10 a.m. on November 15 in the Spokane Transit Authority (STA) Boardroom, 1229 W. Boone Ave, Spokane, Washington, 99201.

Council To Vote On Golf Carts On Hillyard Streets

Golf carts could soon be seen, legally, on Hillyard streets. The carts are already legal in Liberty Lake and Medical Lake, but keep in mind those communities built paths for them in many areas. Spokane's City Council will vote on this tonight, what do you think?

Why Isn't Transportation Playing A Bigger Role In The Presidential Election?

What's missing from the presidential race? Planes, trains, roads and bridges, perhaps? As Superstorm Sandy reminded us, we can't afford to do without them, so why isn't transportation a hot topic this election season? The World has some ideas in this article.

Gas Shortages Causing Major East Coast Headaches

Things are getting ugly on the east coast. People are getting angry and scared as gas is rationed and the weather gets cold. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ordered rationing of gas sales in 12 New Jersey counties while Governor Andrew Cuomo sought to boost supplies in New York to help reduce miles-long lines at filling stations.


President Barack Obama also took steps over the weekend to alleviate the region’s fuel shortage, including waiving a law that ordinarily permits only U.S.-flag tankers to move refined products between U.S. ports.

About 1.2 million customers in New Jersey remain without power five days after Hurricane Sandy and are lining up for gas to fuel generators.The power outages have also shut down many gas stations. As a result, vehicles with license plates ending in odd numbers can be fueled on odd- numbered days, while those ending in even numbers can get gas on even-numbered days, starting at noon today. And police are on hand to enforce the order. Bloomberg Business Week has more on the fuel shortages and resulting issues.

Tips To Avoid Purchasing Flood-Damaged Cars In The Wake of Sandy

Just like after Hurricane Katrina, AAA is warning potential car buyers to do their homework in order to avoid purchasing a flood-damaged vehicle from Superstorm Sandy.

In addition to the obvious damage done to upholstery and carpeting, flood water is a corrosive and abrasive mixture of water and dirt that can get into every inch of a car, damaging the engine, transmission and pretty much every other part of the vehicle.

With these cars expected to flood the market any day now, how do you tell if they've been water damaged?

AAA has some tips.

Construction Updates and Projects Wrapping Up Next Week

WSDOT

US 195/Cheney-Spokane Road Intersection- Over the next week, during daytime hours, there may be lane restrictions on Cheney-Spokane Road and/or the southbound off ramp lane at US 195 for utility company conduit work and paving. The intersection will remain open. You can expect delays.

 

I-90/Beck Road Interchange- Eastbound I90 reduced to one lane tomorrow, (Friday Nov. 2) from the Washington State Line to Pleasantview Road in Post Falls so crews can pave the ramps for the new Beck Road interchange. The speed limit on that stretch of I-90 has been temporarily reduced to 55 mph.

SPOKANE CITY

Dalke Ave. from Myrtle to Freya- The project to pave Dalke Ave from Myrtle to Freya streets is complete and the streets have reopened.

37th Ave. Traffic Signal- The project to install a traffic signal at the 37th Ave. and Grand Blvd. is complete.

Adams St. from 21st to 15th avenues and surrounding streets- The project to rehabilitate Adams St. from 21st to 15th avenues and surrounding residential streets is substantially complete. The project also rehabilitated Jefferson St. from 21st to 15th avenues; Madison St. from 21st to 17th avenues; 17th, 18th, and 19th avenues from Cedar to Madison streets; and 20th Ave. from Adams to Madison streets. Additionally, ADA curb ramps were installed, where necessary, and storm drains were repaired. Adams St. from 21st to 15th avenues and surrounding streets has reopened.

14th and 15th Avenues from Chestnut St. to Inland Empire Way- The project to pave 14th and 15th avenues between Chestnut St. and Inland Empire Way and install curbs and sidewalks is nearing completion. All streets will reopen to traffic by Friday, Nov. 9. Until then, local access will be maintained.

Oak St. from Inland Empire Way to 28th Ave.- The project to pave Oak Street from Inland Empire Way to 28th Avenue and install curbs and sidewalks is nearing completion. All streets will reopen to traffic by Friday, Nov. 9. Until then, local access will be maintained.

Intersection of Monroe and Gardner Streets- On Tuesday, Nov. 6, left hand turns from Monroe St. onto Gardner Ave. will be restricted to accommodate possible extra traffic from people turning in ballots to the Spokane County Elections Office.

Candidates Share Their Stance On Local Transportation Issues

Don't vote yet! The Spokesman-Review interviewed local candidates on hot topics, and transportation was one of them. They posted a couple videos where some candidates share their stances on the North Spokane Corridor, "Electric Bus" and the Sullivan Bridge, among other transportation topics. Unfortunately, I can't get the video to play, so I can't just post the video. I suspect it's my computer though, so I am going to just give you the link and you can try it on your computer.

Here is Dellwo versus Holy on the topic of the NSC and Electric Bus.

And this one takes you to Biviana versus Shea talking about the NSC and Sullivan Bridge.

Next Week's Board Meeting Agenda/Packet Available

The SRTC Policy Board is next Thursday, Nov. 8 and it's preceeded by a brown bag lunch session this time. Here's the packet if you'd like to take a look. As always, Board meetings are open to the public so feel free to attend. The brown bag session is on Urban Transportation Corridors; what they are, how they would work here and if it's feasible to get them here. More information on that is in the packet. It's open to the public too, so again, feel free to attend.

New Yorkers Take To The Streets On Foot To Get To Work

With subways out of commission from water damage from Superstorm Sandy and buses only running on limited routes, New Yorkers are having to find another way to commute. Thousands of people are hitting the streets walking, riding their bikes and even skateboarding to get to work, now that the storm danger is past, but services aren't back up and running.

The BikePortland blog has some cool pictures of hundreds of people jamming sidewalks and bridges trying to get to work.

Commute Alternatives You May Want To Try

I was talking to a woman yesterday who works in Human Resources at a local health services company and she said she hears occasionally from people that they couldn't get to work because their car wouldn't start. Her comment was that they're probably not trying very hard since there are other options. And then this article on commute options came out on the Down to Earth Northwest blog today, so I thought it was timely.

Boy Hit By Truck In Spokane Valley

A 13-year-old boy was hit by a pickup truck in Spokane Valley last night. It's not clear what happened yet but authorities say he was wearing dark clothing when hit. The driver is cooperating with police on the investigation.

KHQ Right Now - News and Weather for Spokane and North Idaho