Monday, June 30, 2014

Bicyclists Still Facing Anger on the Roads

While bicycling is growing in our community, and being more accepted by those who don't ride than in the
past, there are still those who feel the road is for cars only and aren't shy about telling people that. Unfortunately, many bicyclists are still getting harassed sometimes by those behind the wheel.

The Spokesman-Review takes a look at the threat a lot of riders are facing on the road.

Spokane Considered Building a Monorail At One Point

While most people know that Spokane had a streetcar system in the early 1900s, did you know that there was talk of building a monorail line here in the late 1970s? Neither did I. A Spokane County commissioner proposed the transportation option in response to a shortage of parking on the south side of the river to transport people to Riverfront Park and the Opera House from the Coliseum parking lot.

The Transit 509 blog has the history of the brief foray into building a monorail here.

And because I can't think of monorails without thinking of the classic Simpson's "Monorail" episode guest starring Leonard Nemoy, here's a clip of the monorail song for your Monday morning viewing pleasure.

The Bicycle As An Emblem of the Women's Movement

Here's yet another reason I love bicycles- they helped further the women's rights movement. In the 1890s, bicycling became a craze across America, for men and women. It provided the lower classes a means of getting places they hadn't been able to afford before, as horses, carriages and wagons were expensive, required extensive maintenance and were often only attainable to the wealthy or upper classes. Bicycles were affordable and easy for everyone to ride and offered a new independence to women who had been constrained by a lack of transportation options in the past.

Bicycles also changed the fashions of the day for women, making it more acceptable to see the occasional ankle or a glimpse of bloomers. This shift in fashion lead to other advances for women in the long run.

The Atlantic's Citylab shows how the bicycling fad kicked off women's lib.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Regional Road Construction Update

WSDOT
US 2/Espanola Road to Interstate 90- Between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., Monday through Friday, expect intermittent lane closures in the vicinity of Flint Rd. so crews can resurface the highway and install a signal system at the intersection. Flint Road is closed from US 2 to the south. A detour is available.  Flint Road is closed to the north between 7pm and 6am, Monday through Friday. At the Espanola Road intersection Tuesday evening, July 1st, beginning at about 7 p.m. until paving is completed the following day, expect single-lane, alternating traffic, directed by flaggers.

I-90/Liberty Park to Havana Street- During overnight hours, from about 9 p.m. until the following morning at 5 a.m., on and off ramp closures and outside lane closures as crews replace the existing lighting.

I-90 Westbound/Fancher Off Ramp Intersection- Lane restrictions at the intersection of Sprague Avenue and Fancher Road at the end of this off-ramp.

I-90/Eastbound Sullivan Road Interchange Off Ramp- From about 8 a.m. until as late as 3 p.m., lane restrictions on the Sullivan Road eastbound off ramp and possibly the left lane of northbound and southbound Sullivan Road for traffic signal revisions.

US 195/Cheney-Spokane Road Interchange- Northbound on and off-ramps, plus the southbound off-ramp are open to traffic.  The southbound on-ramp is under construction.  Drivers need to use Qualchan Road to access southbound US 195 during this work.  The Qualchan Road intersection and the Inland Empire Way Intersection are now restricted to southbound access only (right turn in/right turn out).  No left-turns or cross traffic are allowed.  This is a long-term configuration.  The Cheney-Spokane Road interchange is now the northbound US 195 access for these two intersections.

SR 290/Sullivan Road Overpass- On Monday, June 30, between about 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. the westbound SR 290/Trent Road right lane will be closed at Sullivan Road for bridge girder repairs.  All on and off ramps will be open. 

SR 904/Cheney (Betz Road) to I-90 @ Four Lakes- Some paving remains followed by paint striping and other final items on a project to resurface the roadway. In general, between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., drivers should expect single-lane alternating traffic on SR 904 between Four Lakes and Cheney, directed by flaggers and/or pilot cars with delays.  All lanes will be open during daytime hours.  

NSC/BNSF Railway Structures/Realignment & Ped/Bike Trail Extension- Drivers on Freya, north of Francis, and at the NSC southbound off-ramp roundabout, should be alert for flaggers directing traffic as trucks enter and exit the work area.  During morning commute hours, southbound NSC drivers should be prepared to stop near the roundabout and expect some congestion and delays.

SPOKANE VALLEY
Argonne Road from Broadway to Sprague - Reduced to one lane southbound through early July for resurfacing.

Sprague Avenue westbound from Thierman to I-90 Overpass - Reduced to two lanes through early July for resurfacing, stormwater drainage improvements, and sidewalk work.

Sprague Avenue eastbound from the I-90 Overpass to Thierman - Reduced to one lane through early July for resurfacing, stormwater drainage improvements, and sidewalk work.

Sprague Avenue between University and Herald - Reduced to two lanes westbound through mid-July for resurfacing.

Sprague Avenue westbound between Vista and Park - Reduced to two lanes through Thursday, July 3 at 10 p.m. for roadwork.

Trent Avenue beneath the Sullivan overpass - Westbound curb lane closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, June 30 for repairs to the Sullivan overpass.

4th Avenue between Thierman and David - Closed through 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 3 for utility work.  Signs redirect traffic via Eastern and 2nd.


Montgomery Avenue at Long - Montgomery just north of Long, and Long just west of Montgomery are reduced to a single lane until 5 p.m. today and from 7 a.m.to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 28 for installation of a turn lane.  Flaggers will direct traffic through the work area.

SPOKANE CITY
·        Hoopfest Road Closures- Most of downtown will be converted to basketball courts for Hoopfest Saturday and Sunday.  Expect closures from First to Boone avenues and from Browne to Lincoln streets.  All of downtown will experience traffic congestion. The 2014 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map shows all the closures here. Zoom in to the downtown area to view them. 

      Hillyard Appreciation Day Street Closures Saturday- Broad, Wabash, Olympic, and Queen will be closed from Market to Greene Street. Greene Street will be closed from Broad to Queen Street. Queen Street will be closed from Haven to Market Street. Festivities run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

     Monroe Street Bridge Inspection- The Monroe Street Bridge gas line is set to be inspected by Avista on Tuesday, July 2, starting at 7:30 a.m. One lane on the west side, south bound curb lane will be closed for the work. 
     
Grand Boulevard Construction- 
McClellan Street between 8th and 9th Avenue has one lane southbound.  Northbound is detoured onto 9th Avenue over to Cowley. 9th Avenue/Rockwood Boulevard between Grand Boulevard and the hospital tower is closed with driveway access.  Local access only at Cowley and 9th to the hospital.  Southbound on Stevens has access to the medical building on 9th Avenue. Traffic will be impacted both north and south bound mainly between 8th and McClellan, 9th and Rockwood, to Cliff and Grand. This project will preserve the roadway and upgrade ADA ramps and curbs and sidewalks.

Cedar Road/Country Homes Boulevard Intersection- 
This project will install a traffic signal at the Cedar Road/Country Homes Boulevard intersection. Traffic is routed along the west 1/2 of Country Homes Blvd. through the Cedar Rd. intersection with one lane access each way (north and south).  Removal of existing asphalt, concrete curb and sidewalk and water line work begins on the east 1/2 of the intersection.
Cedar Road between Francis Ave. and Country Homes Boulevard is closed.

Mission Avenue Construction- Construction continues with the two eastbound lanes of Mission from Hamilton to Perry Street closed. This project will reconstruct the street by replacing the asphalt surfacing, including ADA ramps, as needed.  

Westview Elementary Sidewalk- This project will remove existing curb/gutter, relocate drainage structures, and cut and remove asphalt needed to install new curb/gutter on the north-northwest side of Bismark and create a 35’ road width from Assembly to Driscoll and 32’ from Driscoll to Moore. In addition, the project will install 5’ sidewalk with 5’ planter strip on Fotheringham from the alley one half block south of Bismark to Bismark and on Bismark from Fotheringham to the alley one half block south of Bismark to Bismark.  ADA ramps will be installed on all new sidewalk corners, and on connecting corners where needed.

Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline- Traffic has switched over to the north half of Francis Ave. allowing the removal of existing curb, sidewalk and asphalt pavement to begin on the south half. ITS installation along Colton St. and Dalke Ave. is proceeding.  Colton Street from Francis to Dalke Avenue will be closed for approximately 2 weeks to perform ITS installation. Dalke Avenue from Division Street to Colton Street will have an area along the north curb closed for approximately two weeks to perform ITS installation. 
This project will rehabilitate Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline Streets. The work is curb to curb and includes installation of ADA curb ramps, where needed. 

Francis and Freya Intersection Work- A signal removal and replacement is underway at the Francis/Freya intersection. Flagging at the intersection will occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The dedicated right turn lane will be closed for southbound traffic on Freya Street in order to construct the new roadway at the northwest corner. All traffic movements will still be allowed. The right turn onto westbound Francis Avenue will be routed from the through lane.  Additional traffic congestion is anticipated.

Arthur Street Closure- Arthur Street is closed from 5th Avenue to 2nd Avenue. Third Avenue is reduced to one lane at the intersection of Arthur. This project is to repave Arthur from I-90 to 2nd Avenue, add sidewalks along the west side of Arthur, and adds curb ramps and pedestrian lighting to various intersections. 

SPOKANE COUNTY
Farwell Road - Under construction from Market to the North Spokane Corridor. Watch for lane restrictions.

Bruce Road Bridge and Bruce Road Approach- Bridge replacement underway. Detour in place.

Country Homes Boulevard- Southbound lanes closed from Cedar to Wall.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

The Best and Worst States For Teen Drivers

Did you know the leading cause of death for teenagers is car crashes? I would have thought it was angry parents but apparently I'm wrong.

16- to 19-year-olds have the highest crash rate of any age group, with the number of collisions increasing in the summer. These incidents don't just hurt families though, there's also an economic fallout that comes from increased insurance costs, higher health care costs, car repair and maintenance costs.

So what are the best states for drivers, based on number of accidents, driving laws affecting teens and costs (car insurance rates and vehicle repairs)? A new study looks at the best, and worst, states for teen drivers. And guess which list Washington is on?

Idaho Interstate Speeds Increase Next Week

Got a lead foot? Then head east. Starting next Tuesday, July 1, the speed limit on Idaho's interstate highways increases to 80 miles per hour!

While many drivers in the Gem State are rejoicing, not everyone is happy with the decision to jack up the speed limit, and some imply it may not even have been done legally. The Idaho State Journal tells us why.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Woman Sues Employer Over Commute Anxiety

A woman who says busy roads cause her anxiety is suing a former employer who refused to change her
schedule to avoid rush-hour traffic.

The woman's lawsuit against Fulton Financial Corp.
says she "began to feel great anxiety and depression, which was especially aggravated by crowded roadways experienced during the heavy traffic of rush hour." Although her suit says this was considered a medical condition that qualified her as being disabled, Fulton denied her a work shift that would allow her to come in after the morning rush hour and prior to the evening rush.

Northwest Cable News has the rest of the story.

Robots Valet Park Cars At German Airport

Hate trying to find parking at the airport?
Travelers at Duesseldorf airport in Germany can soon leave the job to a robot valet. The robot, named Ray, can be booked using a smartphone app.

All travelers need to do is leave their car in a designated area and confirm it's empty and ready to go.

Here's more on how Ray works, and how much he costs to use.

High Impact Sprague and Fancher Intersection Closures

This could have a high impact if you're not aware of it: the Sprague Avenue and Fancher intersection in Spokane Valley has some closures this Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28:

  • Friday at 12 noon until Saturday at 12 noon - Right turn lane from westbound Sprague onto northbound Fancher will be closed for signal work.  Signs will redirect westbound Sprague traffic via Thierman, Broadway and Fancher.

  • Friday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Sprague westbound reduced to one lane.

  • Friday from 7 p.m. overnight until Saturday at 12 noon.
    • Sprague westbound through-lanes closed.  Left turn at Fancher leading to I-90 westbound on-ramp will remain open.
    • Sprague Avenue eastbound reduced to one lane.
    • Fancher northbound reduced to one lane. 

  • Access to businesses will remain available.

  • Signs and/or flaggers will direct traffic through the work area.

Monday, June 23, 2014

New Funding Proposal Details & Town Hall Meetings

The City of Spokane has two more opportunities to learn about the streets funding proposal during a
community conversation this Thursday, June 26, at 6 p.m.

The City will host a simultaneous telephone town hall and traditional town hall discussion in the City Council Chambers in the lower level of City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. CityCable 5 also will cablecast the entire evening live, and citizens can follow along @SpokaneCity on Facebook and Twitter.  Thousands of City residents will be contacted and invited to participate by phone.  

The 20-year proposal is designed to provide significant new street work for the same amount of money citizens pay today for such repairs. It will:

·         Focus on improving arterial streets, with the goal of completing some repair or maintenance work on all 266 miles of arterials during the 20 year life of the proposal.
·         Allow the City to double the amount it spend on residential street repair, by directing some dollars currently spent on arterials to residential areas.

On the arterials, work will include both significant repairs, including complete rehabilitation projects and maintenance, including grind and overlay work.

The City will prioritize work based on factors that include pavement condition, traffic volumes, economic development opportunities, pedestrian and bike plan priorities, transit needs, and safety/collision data.  The City’s update to the transportation and utility chapter of the Comprehensive Plan, called Link Spokane, will finalize the criteria to evaluate projects.

Attached is a list of proposed projects the City anticipates during the first two years and maps showing project locations.  Initially, some funding will be used to add components to projects that are already planned.

“We want to distribute the projects geographically and provide a mix of reconstruction and maintenance to bring up the quality of our entire arterial system,” says Mayor David Condon.

Citizens currently pay 57 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, or $57 a year on a $100,000 home, for repayment of the 2004 Street Bond. Payments are currently scheduled to continue for another 16 years without any additional street improvements.

With strategic refinancing, that same 57 cents per $1,000 of property value would provide an average of about $25 million annually for street funding, including matching dollars from City utilities and state and federal grants. The amounts grow over time.

Millions of Hondas, Mazdas and Nissans Recalled For Air Bag Issues

Honda, Mazda and Nissan are recalling millions of vehicles globally for defective airbags that could possibly explode. No accidents have been reported related to the recall.

1 million of the Hondas recalled are in North America, manufactured between 2000 and 2005.

The recalled Nissans were manufactured from 2001 through 2003, while Mazda Motor Corp. recalled nearly 160,000 vehicles manufactured from 2002 through 2004.

The recalled models, and how to find info on them, include:

Toyota
Corolla, Matrix, Tundra, Yaris and Camry
http://www.toyota.com/owners/web/pages/resources/recalls

Honda
 Fit, Element and CR-V
http://owners.honda.com/service-maintenance/recalls

Nissan 
Cube, X-Trail and some Infiniti models
http://www.nissanusa.com/apps/contactus/recall

Mazda
Atenza and RX-8
Owners of record will be notified of this issue and instructed to take their vehicles to a Mazda dealer to replace the air bag inflator with a new one.
Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/06/23/3248801/honda-mazda-nissan-issue-recall.html?sp=/99/103/524/#storylink=cpy

WSDOT Pavement Preservation Funding Levels

An email newsletter sent out by the Washington State Department of Transportation Eastern Region on Friday has this item of interest:

As I mentioned last month, our pavement preservation program is steadily dwindling.  Over the next two budget biennia, the statewide preservation funds will shrink by 52%. 

Here in our seven-county region, after this construction season is complete, we will still have a paving backlog of about $75 million.  We have a reasonably sized asphalt paving program this season, but our chip seal mileage is significantly smaller.  We are sealing 80 miles of highway this year, down from 105 in 2013 and 150 in 2012.


Our future paving program shows significantly fewer paving projects in the next two biennia based on current revenue.  This will result in drivers seeing (and feeling) a noticeable continuing decline in the quality of our highway system.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Local Road Construction Update

SPOKANE CITY
Wall Street Closures- Wall Street between Main and Spokane Falls Boulevard will be closed beginning at
9 a.m., Friday, June 20, for set up of a bazaar. On Saturday, June 21, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Wall Street will be closed from Riverside to Spokane Falls Boulevard.  Main Street will stay open to traffic.

Main and Post Closures- On Saturday, June 21 from 9:30-10:30 a.m., Main will be closed from Lincoln to Wall Street for the Stiletto Sprint fundraiser. Post will be closed from Riverside to Main Street.

Alki and Olive Closures- Both streets will be closed west of Freya Sunday, June 22 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the NAPA Customer Appreciation car show.

Grand Boulevard Construction- McClellan Street between 8th and 9th Avenue has one lane southbound.  Northbound is detoured onto 9th Avenue over to Cowley.  9th Avenue/Rockwood Boulevard between Grand Boulevard and the hospital tower is closed.  There is local access only at Cowley and 9th to the hospital.  Southbound on Stevens has access to the medical building on 9th Avenue. Traffic will be impacted both north and south bound mainly between 8th and McClellan, 9th and Rockwood, to Cliff and Grand. This work will take approximately 3 to 4 weeks. Work south of 14th is being done by the Wastewater Department.  This project will apply preservation treatments that consist of crack sealing, grind and overlay and some pavement rejuvenation techniques.  Upgrades to ADA ramps and minor curb and sidewalk repairs will also be done.

Cedar Road/Country Homes Boulevard Intersection Work- Work on removals of existing asphalt pavement, curb and sidewalk has begun. This project is for installation of a traffic signal at the Cedar Road/Country Homes Boulevard intersection. Traffic will be routed along the west half of Country Homes Blvd. through the Cedar Rd. intersection with one lane access each way (north and south).  Removal of existing asphalt, concrete curb and sidewalk and water line work will begin on the east half of the intersection. Cedar Road between Francis Ave. and Country Homes Boulevard is closed to through traffic with local access only.

Mission Avenue Street Closure- Construction continues with the two eastbound lanes of Mission from Hamilton to Perry Street closed. This project will reconstruct the street by replacing the asphalt surfacing, including ADA ramps, as needed.

Westview Elementary Sidewalks- This project will remove existing curb/gutter, relocate drainage structures, and cut and remove asphalt needed to install new curb/gutter on the north-northwest side of Bismark and create a 35’ road width from Assembly to Driscoll and 32’ from Driscoll to Moore.  In addition, the project will install 5’ sidewalk with 5’ planter strip on Fotheringham from the alley one half block south of Bismark to Bismark and on Bismark from Fotheringham to the alley one half block south of Bismark to Bismark.  ADA ramps will be installed on all new sidewalk corners, and on connecting corners where needed.

Francis from Division to Crestline- Traffic has switched over to the north ½ of Francis Ave. allowing the removal of existing curb, sidewalk and asphalt pavement to begin on the south ½.  The water line and Storm drainage structure installations will commence soon after removals are completed.  ITS installation along Colton St. and Dalke Ave. is proceeding.  Colton Street from Francis to Dalke Avenue will be closed for approximately 2 weeks to perform ITS installation.  Dalke Avenue from Division Street to Colton Street will have an area along the north curb closed for approximately 2 weeks to perform ITS installation. 
This project will rehabilitate Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline Streets.  The work is curb to curb and includes installation of ADA curb ramps, where needed.

Francis and Freya Intersection- Traffic has switched over to the north half of Francis Ave. allowing the removal of existing curb, sidewalk and asphalt pavement to begin on the south half. The water line and storm drainage structure installations will commence soon after removals are completed.  ITS installation along Colton St. and Dalke Ave. is proceeding.  Colton Street from Francis to Dalke Avenue will be closed for approximately two weeks to perform ITS installation.  Dalke Avenue from Division Street to Colton Street will have an area along the north curb closed for approximately two weeks to perform ITS installation. 
This project will rehabilitate Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline Streets.  The work is curb to curb and includes installation of ADA curb ramps, where needed. 

Arthur Street Closure- Arthur Street will be closed from 5th Avenue to 2nd Avenue. 3rd Avenue will be reduced to one lane at the intersection of Arthur.  This project is to repave Arthur from I-90 to 2nd Avenue, add sidewalks along the west side of Arthur, and adds curb ramps and pedestrian lighting to various intersections. 

WSDOT
US 2/Espanola Road to Interstate 90- Between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., Monday through Friday, expect intermittent lane closures in the vicinity of Flint Rd. so crews can resurface the highway and install a signal system at the Flint Rd. intersection. Flint is closed from US 2 to the south. A detour is available.  Flint Road is closed to the north between 7pm and 6am, Monday through Friday.  Also, be alert for natural gas line work just west of the Fairchild AFB main gate. Today, Thursday, June 19, US 2 is reduced to single-lane alternating traffic 24/7, directed by flaggers, possibly for a couple days. 

I-90/Garden Springs to Pines Road- Sunday through Wednesday, June 22-25, be alert for intermittent lane restrictions in the right or left lane on eastbound or westbound I-90 during non-commute hours. Crews are sweeping the freeway shoulder.

I-90/Liberty Park to Havana Street- During evening and overnight hours, from about 9 p.m. until the following morning at 5 a.m., be alert for on and off ramp closures and outside lane closures from 7 p.m. to the following morning at 6 a.m. Crews are replacing lighting fixtures.

I-90 Westbound/Fancher Off Ramp Intersection- Lane restrictions at the intersection of Sprague Avenue and Fancher Road at the end of this off-ramp with possible overnight westbound off-ramp closures.

I-90/Eastbound Sullivan Road Interchange Off Ramp- On Monday and Tuesday, June 23-24, from about 8 a.m. until as late as 3 p.m., be alert for lane restrictions on the Sullivan Road eastbound off ramp and possibly the left lane of southbound Sullivan Road. The traffic signal system there is being revised.

I-90/Barker Road to Idaho Border- On Wednesday and Thursday, June 25 and 26, be alert for intermittent right lane restrictions on east bound or westbound I-90 for survey work.

US 195/Cheney-Spokane Road Interchange- Northbound on and off-ramps, plus the southbound off-ramp are open to traffic. The southbound on-ramp is under construction.  Drivers need to use Qualchan Road to access southbound US 195 during this work. The Qualchan Road intersection and the Inland Empire Way Intersection are now restricted to southbound access only (right turn in/right turn out).  No left-turns or cross traffic are allowed.  This is a long-term configuration.  The Cheney-Spokane Road interchange is now the northbound US 195 access for these two intersections.

SR 290-Trent Avenue/Hamilton Street to Sullivan Road- Trent Avenue will be reduced to one lane each direction for pavement patching.  Drivers should be alert for slower traffic and some congestion near the ½ mile-long work zone.  Work will start at Hamilton and proceed east. On Friday, June 20, from 7 p.m. until as late as 4 a.m. the following morning, Hamilton Street will be reduced to one lane in each direction for patching at the Trent/Hamilton intersection.  Drivers should expect delays.

SR 290/Sullivan Road Overpass- Beginning Monday, June 23, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. the westbound SR 290/Trent Road right lane will be closed at Sullivan Road for bridge girder repairs. All on and off ramps will be open. 

SR 904/Cheney (Betz Road) to I-90 @ Four Lakes- On Thursday, June 19, from about 7 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. the following morning, intermittent on-off ramp closures at the I-90/Four Lakes Interchange for final pavement grinding. On Saturday, June 21, from about 7 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. the following morning, the westbound on ramp and eastbound off ramp at the I-90/Four Lakes Interchange will be closed for paving.  On Monday, June 23, from about 7 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. the following morning, the eastbound on ramp at the I-90/Four Lakes Interchange will be closed for paving.  Traffic will be detoured via the Exit 272 (Medical lake Interchange), Hayford Road and Melville Road.  In general, between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., expect single-lane alternating traffic on SR 904 between Four Lakes and Cheney, directed by flaggers and/or pilot cars with delays. All lanes will be open during daytime hours.  

North Spokane Corridor/Francis Avenue Bridge and Intersection Improvements- Roadwork scheduled to be completed by late Friday, June 20.  Minor clean-up items may be underway through June with possible intermittent lane restrictions.

SPOKANE VALLEY
8th Avenue between Havana and Carnahan - Lane reductions on Monday, June 23 between 8:30 a.m. and mid-afternoon for sewer work. 

28th Avenue just north of intersection with 29th - Closed from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, June 23 for wastewater sampling. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work area.

Adams Rd from 4th to Sprague - Closed through Wednesday June 25 for utility work and resurfacing.  Signs will redirect traffic via Progress Rd.

Argonne Road from Broadway Ave. to Sprague Ave. - Reduced to one lane southbound around the clock through early July for resurfacing.

Dishman-Mica northbound just south of 28th- Reduced to one lane from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, June 23 for wastewater sampling.

Pines Road from Mission to Mansfield - Southbound traffic reduced to one lane from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, June 23 through Wednesday, June 26 for utility work. 

Sprague Avenue from Havana to I-90 - Reduced to one lane in each direction at times into mid-July for resurfacing.

Sprague Avenue westbound from Thierman Rd. to I-90 Overpass - Reduced to two lanes through early July for resurfacing, stormwater drainage improvements, and sidewalk work.

Sprague Avenue between University and Herald - Reduced to two lanes westbound from Monday, June 23 through mid-July for resurfacing.  

Sprague Avenue westbound between Vista and Park - Reduced to two lanes around the clock 6 a.m. on Thursday, June 26 through Thursday, July 3 at 10 p.m. for roadwork.

SR 290-Trent Avenue from Havana to Sullivan - Expect reductions to one lane in each direction for WSDOT Pavement patching from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays through the end of June.

Trent Avenue beneath the Sullivan overpass - Westbound curb lane will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday, June 23 through the end of June for repairs to the Sullivan overpass.  


Why Portland Has Once Again Made Us Feel Inferior

In the transportation world, we have a love/hate relationship with Portland. If it was a sibling, your mom would have said, "Why can't you be more like Portland?" And when talking about non-motorized issues, we always hear, "It's a start, but we'll never be Portland." Heck, even the people who live in Portland seem to feel some angst and a need to mock themselves and their city, as evidenced by the show Portlandia.

On our end though, it really is rooted in jealousy. Portland has bike lanes, bike trails, bike lockers, bike sharing programs, bike-this and bike that! It also had zero bike deaths last year.

So why has Portland been able to achieve so much in the way of non-motorized facilities and mind-set while other cities are struggling to establish basic bike networks?

Grist has four reasons Portland became a cyclists' utopia.

Cities With Bike Share Programs Have More Bicycle-Related Head Injuries

A national study led by a local woman shows that bike-sharing programs popping up across the country
appear to have an undecided side effect- head injuries. A group of researchers recently analyzed data on the treatment of head injuries at hospitals in five cities with bike share programs before and after bike share programs started and five cities without bike sharing. The results? The proportion of head injuries increased in cities after they implemented bike-sharing programs- by 14%.
So why the increase? http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/06/12/321332737/brain-injuries-rose-in-cities-where-bike-sharing-rolled-out?sc=tw

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

For Once I Was Chosen As Something Other Than Class Clown

Ever have your face on a poster? I do and frankly it's kind of disturbing. Although my mom will like it. I was chosen as the "2nd Quarter 2014 All Star Coach" by Spokane County's Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) program for "demonstrating commitment, advocacy and creativity in promoting and using commute alternatives at SRTC and when talking to the general public."

Frankly, I don't feel like I did anything special because I'm just telling people about something I believe in; the CTR program and finding alternative ways to get where you're going other than driving alone. Plus, it makes it really easy to be successful in promoting CTR when you have a small staff like at SRTC. Of 11 employees, 9 participate in CTR, getting to work by bus, walking, carpool or other means.  The other two we just shame.

The cool thing about CTR is that there are incentives to finding alternative transportation. There are lots of prizes and ways they encourage you. If you're not already using the CTR program, check out their website and see if it's something that might work for you. 

Oil Train Safety Subject Of Meeting

Area residents got to share their thoughts and opinions yesterday with state lawmakers working on a bill that would regulate an expected boom in trains carrying crude oil across the state.

The focus of the session at Spokane City Hall was legislation co-sponsored by state Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, that would require companies to disclose the amount and type of crude oil they’re shipping.

The Spokesman-Review was there and has reaction to the meeting.

SRTC Will Be At Spokane Summer Parkways Tonight!

Don't forget, Spokane Summer Parkways is tonight, rain or shine. Although the rain is supposed to slack off and the sun possibly come out.

Either way, SRTC will be there, close to the entrance of Manito Park if all goes as planned, and we'll be talking about the new interactive Bike Map we'll be unveiling in the coming weeks.

The event is from 6-9 p.m. in the Comstock/Manitor neighborhood.
 More info and a route map can be found here. Hope to see you there!


Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting Monday

The Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) meets for their monthly meeting next Monday, June 23.
The meeting agenda is attached. Check it out and feel free to attend if there's anything on there that interests you. Everyone is always welcome and there's an item on the agenda for public comment if you have transportation thoughts you would like to share.

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Red Light Camera Fees

The City of Spokane may have to pay back red light ticket fees that were ruled invalid by a judge, after a class action lawsuit was filed. Northwest Cable News has the story here or you can watch the video below.

                       

Road Construction Update

SPOKANE VALLEY
Jackson, Drummond, Marlin, Buckeye - Closures announced earlier have been postponed to the week of June 22. 

Adams Rd from 4th to Sprague - Closed through late June for utility work and resurfacing.  Signs redirect traffic via Progress Rd.

Argonne Road from Broadway Ave. to Sprague Ave. - Reduced to one lane southbound through early July for waterline installation.


Indiana between Greenacres and Long- Closed through Monday, June 16 for paving. Signs redirect traffic via Mission.

Progress Road between Broadway and Valleyway - Closed from 7 a.m. on Tuesday, June 17 through 6 p.m. on Friday, June 20 for sewer work. Use Burns and Sullivan as alternatives.


Sprague Avenue westbound between Vista and Park - Reduced to two lanes from Thursday, June 19 through Friday, June 27 for pavement work.

Sprague Avenue from Havana to I-90 - One lane in each direction during daylight hours from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays through mid-July for signal loop installation.  In addition, there will be closures at the following location and times

  • Sprague/Fancher Intersection - closed to traffic during overnight hours from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, June 17 through Thursday, June 19.   Eastbound Sprague traffic will be redirected via Havana, Broadway and Thierman. Westbound Sprague traffic will be redirected via Thierman, Broadway and Havana.
  •  I-90 Westbound Exit 285 off ramp at Fancher - Closed during overnight hours from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, June 17 through Thursday, June 19.  Use Freya Exit 283B
  • I-90 westbound on-ramp at Fancher - Closed during overnight hours from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, June 17 through Thursday, June 19.  Use Freya Exit on-ramp
  • Sprague Costco entrance at Lowe's - Expect brief closures at times for eastbound Sprague traffic around the clock from Tuesday, June 17 through Thursday, June 16 for signal loop installation.  Use Costco entrance at McKinnon.

Sprague Avenue westbound from Thierman Rd to I-90 Overpass - Reduced to two lanes through early July for resurfacing, stormwater drainage improvements, and sidewalk work.

Sullivan Road northbound between Kiernan and Trent - Reduced to one lane from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17 for pavement repair and signal loop installation.

SPOKANE CITY
Summer Parkways Event Street Closures- This bike and pedestrian event in the Manito/Comstock Neighborhood. Arterials will remain open but occasionally police will stop traffic to allow for event crossings at the following locations. For more information visit http://summerparkways.com/

o   32nd/Bernard
o   23rd/Bernard
o   29th/Post
o   29th/Manito Blvd

Summit Parkway Bridge Inspection- A bridge inspection is scheduled for Thursday, June 19, 9 a.m., on Summit Parkway Bridge crossing over Maple street and Ohio Bridge crossing over Maple. One lane north bound and southbound will be closed for the inspection.

Grand Boulevard Construction- This project will apply preservation treatments that consist of crack sealing, grind and overlay and some pavement rejuvenation techniques. Upgrades to ADA ramps and minor curb and sidewalk repairs will also be done.

Cedar Road/Country Homes Boulevard Signal Work- Work on removals of existing asphalt pavement, curb and sidewalk has begun. This project is for installation of a traffic signal at the Cedar Road/Country Homes Boulevard intersection. Traffic will be routed along the west 1/2 of Country Homes Blvd. through the Cedar Rd. intersection with one lane access each way (north and south).  Removal of existing asphalt, concrete curb and sidewalk and water line work will begin on the east 1/2 of the intersection.

Mission Avenue Construction- Construction continues with the two eastbound lanes of Mission from Hamilton to Perry Street closed. This project will reconstruct the street by replacing the asphalt surfacing, including ADA ramps, as needed. 

Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline- Traffic has switched over to the north ½ of Francis Ave. allowing the removal of existing curb, sidewalk and asphalt pavement to begin on the south ½.  The water line and Storm drainage structure installations will commence soon after removals are completed.  ITS installation along Colton St. and Dalke Ave. is proceeding.  Colton Street from Francis to Dalke Avenue will be closed for approximately 2 weeks to perform ITS installation.  Dalke Avenue from Division Street to Colton Street will have an area along the north curb closed for approximately 2 weeks to perform ITS installation. 
This project will rehabilitate Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline Streets.  The work is curb to curb and includes installation of ADA curb ramps, where needed. 

Arthur Street from I-90 to 2nd- Arthur Street is closed from 5th Avenue to 2nd Avenue. Third Avenue is reduced to one lane at the intersection of Arthur.  This project is to repave Arthur from I-90 to 2nd Avenue, add sidewalks along the west side of Arthur, and adds curb ramps and pedestrian lighting to various intersections. 

      WSDOT
SR 904/Cheney (Betz Road) to I-90 @ Four Lakes- On Tuesday and Wednesday, June 17 and 18, from about 7 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. the following morning, the I-90/Four Lakes Interchange will be closed so crews can grind and resurface the roadway. Traffic will be detoured via the Exit 272 (Medical lake Interchange), Hayford Road and Melville Road. Between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., drivers should expect single-lane alternating traffic, directed by flaggers and/or pilot cars. All lanes will be open during daytime hours. Be alert for grooved pavement and abrupt lane edges. 

US 195/Colton to Pullman- Expect delays of up to 20 minutes each at two work zones in this section with flaggers directing alternating, single-lane traffic so that crews can do pavement repairs, plus grind and pave the centerline rumble strips in advance of a chip seal project. Work hours are from about 6:30 a.m. until as late as 8:30 p.m.


I-90/Liberty Park to Havana Street- During evening and overnight hours, from about 9 p.m. until the following morning at 5 a.m., be alert for on and off ramp closures and outside lane closures from 7 p.m. to the following morning at 6 a.m. Crews are replacing lighting and irrigation systems. Be alert for daytime shoulder closures.

North Spokane Corridor/Francis Avenue Bridge and Intersection Improvements- During the week of June 16-20, during evening and overnight hours, drivers should be alert for flaggers directing traffic at the Market/Francis and/or the Freya/Francis intersections as crews remove the temporary signal systems and switch over to the permanent signals. The contractor has closed the right turn lane for southbound traffic on Freya Street in order to construct the new roadway at the northwest corner. All traffic movements will still be allowed, but the right turn onto westbound Francis Avenue will need to be done from the through lane so some additional traffic congestion is anticipated.  

US 2/Espanola Road to Interstate 90- Between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., Monday through Friday, drivers should expect intermittent lane closures in the vicinity of Flint Rd. for work to resurface the highway and install a signal system at the intersection. Be alert for flaggers directing traffic and trucks entering and exiting the roadway. Flint Road is closed from US 2 to the south. A detour is available.  Flint Road is closed to the north between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., Monday through Friday. Also, be alert for natural gas line work just west of the Fairchild AFB main gate. When this work is underway, US 2 will be reduced to single-lane alternating traffic 24/7, directed by flaggers, for a couple of days.  

US 195/Cheney-Spokane Road Interchange- Northbound on and off-ramps, plus the southbound off-ramp are open to traffic. The southbound on-ramp is under construction.  Drivers need to use Qualchan Road to access southbound US 195 during this work. The Qualchan Road intersection and the Inland Empire Way Intersection are now restricted to southbound access only (right turn in/right turn out). No left-turns or cross traffic are allowed.  This is a long-term configuration. The Cheney-Spokane Road interchange is now the northbound US 195 access for these two intersections.

SR 290-Trent Avenue/Hamilton Street to Sullivan Road- Beginning Monday, June 16, from about 7 a.m. until 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday, Trent Avenue will be reduced to one lane in each direction for pavement patching. Drivers should be alert for slower traffic and some congestion near the ½ mile-long work zone. Work will start at Hamilton and proceed east. On Friday, June 20, from 7 p.m. until as late as 4 a.m. the following morning, Hamilton Street will be reduced to one lane in each direction for patching at the Trent/Hamilton intersection.  Drivers should expect delays. 

SPOKANE COUNTY
Farwell (Market to North South Corridor)- Lane restrictions in effect at times.

Bruce Road Bridge- Bridge is closed. A marked detour is in place.

Country Homes Boulevard- Southbound lanes closed between Cedar and Wall.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

New Interactive Bike Map to Be Unveiled Next Week!

This is our Transportation Planner Eve at
last year's Summer Parkway event. We
thought Winter Parkways was a more
accurate name due to the cold weather.
It may only be Thursday but, due to a busy schedule, I've already got next week all planned out! So, if you
want to keep up with what we're doing, you'll come to the Bicycle Advisory Board meeting at 6 p.m. at Spokane City Hall on Tuesday, June 17, then the Spokane Summer Parkways event on Wednesday, June 18.

We'll be talking to folks at both venues about the new Bike Map that we're just now putting the finishing touches on. Want to check it out? You gotta wait until our grand unveiling next week, it's not quite ready. If you come to the Advisory Board meeting, I'll be showing the group how the interactive map works and where it can be found online.

The following night, our GIS guy who helped build the map, Kevin, and one of our Transportation Planners, Ryan, will be at Spokane Summer Parkways, also showing people how the map works, where they can find it, but also giving out paper copies that Spokane County's Commute Trip Reduction Program had made.

There are a lot of other reasons to come out and play though at Spokane Summer Parkways though besides getting your copy of the map. There will be lots of things going on, tons of fun activities, vendors and how often do you get to ride, walk, skateboard, etc. on roads that are completely free of traffic? This year's even is in the Comstock/Manito neighborhood from 6-9 p.m. More info and a route map can be found here. 

The Changing Attitude Toward Park and Ride Lots

First, they said  "Ride the bus!" all the time. Now they're saying park and ride lots should be torn out? Mixed messages? It may be more a case of changing with the times. The city of Calgary is removing the majority of parking spots at one of it's lightrail park and ride lots and replacing it with mixed-use development. Why? Officials there say it's counter-intuitive to surround a walkable place such as a transit station with a sea of parking. The Atlantic's City Lab has the details.


Wednesday, June 11, 2014

100 Deadliest Days For Teens In Cars Start Now

If you've got teen drivers, now is a good time to rehash driving basics with them. The upcoming months of
summer break are known as the "100 deadliest days" in the transportation world because, on average, about 260 teen drivers in the U.S. will die in automobile accidents this summer. That's a jump of 26% compared to the rest of the year.

Why? Because kids are staying out later, driving more because they're not in school, driving longer distances and possibly partaking in the use of drugs or alcohol. Here's more information.

68% of Americans Want Increase In Federal Transportation Investment

How often do you hear someone say, "Please tax me more?" You don't. That's why when people say they're willing to pay more for better transportation infrastructure, you know our system is in bad shape. Results from a new AAA study just released yesterday say 52% of respondents said they are willing to pay higher gas taxes per month for better roads and other facilities. 43% of people who took the survey also said they have seen road conditions decline in just the past three years! Ouch, things are crumbling before our eyes! Here are more results from the AAA study.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Avoid Construction Delays With SRTC's Interactive Construction Map

We launched the interactive 2014 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map a while back, but with construction in full swing around the area now, wanted to remind folks that it's out there to help you avoid construction zones. By avoiding being delayed by road work, you prevent traffic jams that waste time and money and cause air pollution.

The City of Spokane's City Cable 5 just completed this cool video on how to use the interactive map. Check it out then check out the map itself here.

Five Numbers About Distracted Driving

69%. 3,328. 1,300. 117,000. And 500. These are five numbers to think about when you are tempted to use your phone while driving. 69% is the number of drivers who say they've texted or talked on the phone while driving recently. 3,328 is the number of people killed on U.S. highways in 2012 due to distracted driving crashes. 1,300; 117,000 and 500? You'll just have to read the article to find out what those numbers represent.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Bikes, Pedestrians and Trails Are All In the News This Week

A Spokane City Councilmember is proposing an ordinance to force the city to make pedestrian crossings a priority. A national survey of alcohol or drug use by drivers was in Spokane last week to establish a base line as the state begins allowing legal sale and use of marijuana. Coeur d'Alene installs bike parking "corrals" downtown. And the Friends of the Centennial Trail group received a grant to pay for signs along the trail.
The Spokesman-Review's "Getting There" column rounds up all the local transportation happenings for this week.

SRTC Policy Board Meeting This Week

This year is absolutely flying by! Seems like we just had a Board meeting and yet there's another one this week again already! There's a lot on the agenda this month too so you may want to check it out. The agenda is here. And as always, all SRTC committee meetings are open to the public so feel free to attend if you like. It's Thursday, June 12 at 1 p.m. at 221 W. 1st Ave., third floor.

Felts Field Neighbor Day Was an Awesome Event!

A big thanks to Spokane Airports for hosting Felts Field Neighbor Day this weekend! We were there to talk to people about transportation and it was a great event! There were antique planes, modern helicopters, toy pedal airplanes, an electric train and all kinds of other things to see and do. Plus people were pretty interested in what's happening in transportation so we got some really good feedback. A lot of people we talked to are pushing for the North Spokane Corridor to be completed. One couple want a bike lane striped on Day Mount Spokane Road. One gentleman wants to bring back the passenger train that used to go to the small towns south of Spokane. And another man used our bike map to find a route to walk home. He had walked eight miles to get to the event and was looking for a different route home! Here are some of the sights from the event.
This plane was so cool when it took off! Very loud too.

This was the hangar where we had our booth so I didn't
get severely sunburned like I do at most events.

Lots of cool old planes and there were 'pinup' girls
to go with some of them!


The TSA explosives dog was a sweetheart.

Mallory talking about future transportation
projects with a nice gentleman.

The man in the vest is Larry Krauter, CEO of
Spokane Airports. I was impressed that he
worked the whole day at the event when he
could have had his staff do it. He was also
as excited as a little kid because he got to ride in
one of the planes during the missing man formation!

This kid took about five minutes to choose
just the right piece of candy to take.

I want one of these in adult size please.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Holey Jeans Batman, That Wasn't Water You Sat In!

I somehow missed this Doug Clark article yesterday about a mystery onboard a Spokane Transit bus until
STA's CEO Susan Meyer was in the office telling us about it yesterday afternoon. While the column is funny, Ms. Meyer's recounting of it was even funnier and quite animated. The best part? She was pretty proud of thinking to ask for a retraction of a comment Mr. Clark made at one point, referring to the staff at Spokane Transit as "STA-holes."

Here it is; the mystery of how one man's wet pants ended up with huge holes in them.

Video Explains Proposed Street Tax Plan

A lot of people have asked me questions about the City of Spokane's proposed street and parks levy that would refinance existing bonds to fix streets and renovate Riverfront Park. And the big selling point? It reportedly won't cost any more than what taxpayers are already paying.

So how does it work? This video from City Cable 5 explains.


About SRTC

SRTC is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Spokane County. Urbanized areas with populations exceeding 50,000 people are required to have an MPO. SRTC was formed to address the county's transportation planning needs. It provides coordination in planning between the public, cities, small towns, the county, the state, transit providers, and tribes.

SRTC offers services including transportation monitoring, transportation modeling, census information analysis, travel demand forecasting, historical traffic count analysis, geographic information systems, and trip generation rates.