The Future of Local Public Transit

Don't know much about High Capacity Transit so maybe you voted against it in last month's election? Well the topic isn't going away.

Spokane Transit has started an online forum to share ideas and feedback about the future of transit in Spokane. Topics will include where High Performance Transit is proposed, what it does, and even what it might look like. There are photos of transit from other cities, you can take short opinion surveys and give crucial feedback about the future of public transit.

For instance, right now, participants are being asked if the "look and feel" for Spokane's planned High Performance Transit (HPT) system be different than current buses, with some pictures and bus designs to give an idea of what may be available. It's cool to see what's out there and you could influence how our actual buses look in the future!

Check it out at https://mysidewalk.com/organizations/288909/spokane-high-performance-transit.

State Transportation Bill Passes House and Heads to Senate

The Washington state House of Representatives passed a $5.1 billion transportation budget Wednesday, as reported by the Spokesman-Review. Now the spending plan goes to the Senate, which could pass it before the first special session ends today.

The bill is being called the “current law” transportation budget, using existing taxes and fees, to distinguish it from other proposals that would raise the gasoline tax to pay for new projects. It calls for spending about $100 million on Spokane County projects over the next 10 years, with about $46 million in the upcoming 2015-17 biennium.

Among the local projects getting money would be the North Spokane Corridor, slated for about $36 million.The Spokane Transit Authority would get nearly $2 million for design, engineering and planning on the Central City Line project. Although that project was part of an unsuccessful ballot measure last month, STA is looking to introduce a revised measure. There is also $1.7 million allocated to STA for a West Plains Transit Center.

The Interstate 90 corridor between Spokane and the Idaho state line would receive about $1.5 million and state Route 290 (Trent Avenue) between Sullivan Road and the Idaho line would get about $1.8 million for repaving.

Local elected leaders who voted yes on the budget include Democrats Timm Ormsby and Marcus Riccelli and Republican Kevin Parker. Republicans who voted no were Mary Dye, Jeff Holy, Bob McCaslin, Joe Schmick, Matt Shea and Shelly Short.

A Closer Look at Road Diets

There has been a lot of talk about "road diets" in our area recently. A road diet is a technique in
transportation planning where the number of travel lanes and/or width of the road is reduced in order to achieve systemic improvements. Oftentimes roads are narrowed to slow traffic, improve safety, or add bike lanes, sidewalks or parking to one or both sides of the road.

There are a couple road diets planned for our area in the next few years. In the City of Spokane, there is one planned for North Monroe from Indiana Avenue north to the top of North Hill. Spokane Valley has a diet planned for McDonald Road. And Post Falls has a few on the books as well.

Many people assume that less lanes equate to more traffic congestion and slower commutes but that's not necessarily the truth. There are many potential benefits of road diets and business owners on streets that have had road diets often say they love the new configuration, despite having initial concerns.

Some benefits include slower, safer driving speeds; shorter distances for people walking to cross the road; and more places for people to walk or bicycle, which brings more people into businesses on those streets. There are a lot more too. There are also some potential negative impacts, such as less parking for cars and less space to remove and store snow during the winter.

With the trend moving toward more road diets across the area, the SRTC Board recently had a workshop on road diets.The PowerPoint used at the workshop is very informative and can be found here. Click on "Meeting Resources" under the 2015 Board minutes scroll down to learn about road diets. There's a lot of good information there and it looks at both the good and bad sides of reducing street lanes.

Poor Parking Job? Report It Using New App

See poorly parked cars regularly? Instead of leaving a nasty note on the windshield you can use a new app to flag it for towing.

The TowIt app, available in Google and Apple versions, lets people report illegal parking and dangerous driving in real time, according to it's developer.

“TowIt works with municipal governments, local law enforcement, and towing companies to remove the barriers required to make cities effectively fight and deter bad parking and dangerous driving habits,” according to developer Michael McArthur.

It started in Toronto where it's apparently caught on with cyclists. McArthur has apparently met with some of the mayor’s staff, and has also reached out Traffic Services, who have contacted him to discuss the app.

Right now though, TowIt seems most useful for shaming lousy parkers online. You can find out more about the app from CityLab. 

How Did We Ever Live Without Smart Luggage? I Don't Know But I'm Still Doing It

So you've got the smart phone and tablet. What else could you possibly need for traveling besides comfortable shoes? Smart luggage, apparently.

CBS Miami says you can now get a suitcase that comes with a built-in charging device, an app that tells you exactly how much your bag weights and a place for a sim card. That way, if your luggage gets lost, you can locate it's exact location through an app on your phone.

And the ChargerLeash lets you know if you are leaving your charger behind in your hotel room or airport. A loud alarm will go off, reminding you to grab it. And probably scaring the heck out of everyone else.

While some of these gadgets are cool, keep in mind that they may add expenses to your traveling. Some may require monthly GPS or cellular service to connect to the internet.

Also keep  in mind that manufacturers still have to follow TSA guidelines on all luggage, and even the suitcases that unlock through your personal phone will also open with a TSA master key. 

Study Reports Spokane Airports Have $791 Million Economic Impact

A new study says the Spokane International Airport, along with the Airport Business Park and Felts Field, generates $791 million in direct economic impact a year, according to a Spokesman-Review article.

The research, undertaken by Eastern Washington University’s Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis and economics faculty, looked at airport-based jobs, visitors and businesses that feed into the economy of Spokane and Kootenai counties, based on 2013 data.

The business park added another $113 million and Felts Field contributed $57.5 million directly to the local economy. That number is up $100 million from a previous study using 2008 data.

The study showed that Felts Field supports 295 jobs.
In comparison, Spokane International Airport supported 4,598 jobs. The study also showed that the business park was responsible for 1,025 jobs.

Local Construction Update for Week of May 25

For more information on all the projects below, and to see them in relation to each other on a map, check out SRTC's 2015 Spokane Regional Construction Map here. The map is updated as new projects start and existing ones wrap up.

You may notice that projects underway now are more prominent while ones that will start later this construction season are more in the background.

SPOKANE VALLEY
Argonne Road at Knox- Reduced to two lanes in each direction through mid-to-late June for reconstruction of the roadway. The east side of the Argonne and Knox intersection will be closed c through late May-early June. Left turns are prohibited in all directions at the intersection. Weather permitting, expect reductions to one lane in each direction through late May for night paving. Traffic restrictions will remain in place through Memorial Day weekend.

Sullivan Road Bridge Replacement Project Area- The southbound Sullivan Road Bridge across the Spokane River is closed until spring 2016 for bridge demolition and replacement work.  All traffic is shifted onto the northbound bridge with one lane northbound and two lanes southbound between Indiana Avenue and the Sullivan Park traffic signal. Turns from Indiana Avenue onto northbound Sullivan Road are reduced to one lane.

Residential Street Sweeping- Expect street sweeping vehicles in residential areas throughout the city Monday-Friday from 7a.m. - 5 p.m. through May.

Sprague Avenue between Herald and Vista- Curbside lane closures from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 21 for pavement preservation work.

Eastern Rd from Utah to Mansfield - Southbound lane closed from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 21.

Montgomery Ave from Woodruff to Dartmouth - westbound lane closed from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 21.

SPOKANE CITY

·     Hamilton Street Lane Reductions- Hamilton will be reduced to one lane each direction from Trent to Sharp through the end of the work day on Friday, May 22.  Paving of the other two lanes will occur at a later time yet to be determined. Detours are in place at Trent on the south end of the closure and Sharp on the north end. The repairs are needed as a result of a water main break last week.

·    Grand Boulevard lane restrictions- Grand between 16^th and 20^th Avenue will have lane restrictions for continued work on the Hawk Light installation through May 22.

Connect to Tranist, Phase II project starts- Assembly between Wellesley and Rowan will have lane restrictions during ADA ramp installation, May 20 – 22.

Boone Street between Nettleton and Chestnut will have lane restrictions during ADA ramp installation, May 26 - 29

This federally funded project consists of the construction of ADA accessible curb ramps, sidewalk, pavement patching, utility adjustments, and other related items.

Bridge Work- The Bridge crew will be working on the Francis Avenue Bridge from Freya Street to Market Street May 20 - 22 with lane closures 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

·     The Bridge crew will also be working on Washington Street South Channel and Stevens Bridge North of Spokane Falls Blvd. May 20 – 22 with lane closures 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Spokane Firefighter Memorial Project- Main from Division to Pine will be closed 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 25. Wall from Main to Riverside will be closed 5-7 p.m.

 Parking meters in those areas will be bagged Sunday, May 24^th.  No parking is allowed at bagged meters.

Northwest Boulevard Combined Sewer Overflow Facility Work- Northwest Boulevard will be closed from H Street to Garland Street for installation of a 900,000 gallon stormwater storage facility. The detour for this project is along G Street and Garland Street.  The intersection of “G” Street and Garland will be a four way stop beginning Friday, May 22.

Rebecca Street Paving- Crews are working on prepping the roadway from Pratt to 7th Avenue for paving on Wednesday, May 27^th.  Local access is limited. Access along Rebecca from Pratt to 8^th is very limited during work hours.  

Wellesley from Market to Ferral Grind and Overlay- Work will begin on Wellesley from Market Street to Ferrall Street.  The road will be closed from Market to Freya, 6:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Tuesday, May 26 – Thursday, May 28.

Bernard Street from High Drive to Grand reconstruction- The road is closed to local access only.  Asphalt removal continues with water and sewer work beginning. This integrated project includes pavement reconstruction, storm, sewer, swales, and water main replacement from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard. 

Panorama Drive Water Main Replacement- Excavation for water main installation will begin Tuesday, May 26.  Cascade Way will be closed, with local access only on half of the street, from Panorama Drive to west of Maple St.  Maple St. will be closed, with local access only on half of the street, from Cascade Way to Sierra Way.

WSDOT

Currently no projects that will impact traffic. Most construction work will be suspended by noon on Friday, May 22 through Monday, May 25 in anticipation of increased holiday traffic. 

SPOKANE COUNTY
Christensen Rd. Bridge Replacement- This bridge over Deep Creek is closed in order to be replaced due to extensive deck rot. A marked detour is in place.

Argonne Road Stormwater Retrofit- This upgrade to stormwater facilities has closed one lane of traffic in each direction. Expect congestion and delays and plan another route if possible.

Palouse Highway (Jamieson to Freya & Windmill to Jamieson)- 57^th to Freya is closed to through Traffic starting May 26, with a detour in place, for pavement removal and replacement.

Snoqualmie Rock Blasting Closures Resume This Week

Rock blasting closures resume this week on Interstate 90 east of Snoqualmie Pass as crews continue to make room for a new six-lane highway. The Washington State Department of Transportation will close I90 at 7:30 p.m. for about an hour on Thursday, May 28. Eastbound drivers will be stopped near Gold Creek and westbound drivers at milepost 61 near Price Creek.

There will also be minor delays at night due to a single lane eastbound closure from mileposts 56 to 61 on Tuesday, May 26 through Friday, May 29. Drivers will experience daytime delays due to rolling slowdowns through the same location Thursday, May 28 and Friday, May 29. 

Memorial Day Closures

All local government offices, including SRTC, will be closed Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day. Offices will reopen with regular hours on Tuesday, May 26.

Parking meters don’t have to be plugged on Monday and Spokane Transit buses run on the holiday schedule.

Many Bicyclists and One Snake Visited My Energizer Station

You couldn't ask for better weather for Bike to Work Week! Rather than sitting in an office this morning, I got to take my show on the road with a Bike to Work Week Energizer Station in Liberty Lake. An energizer station is simply when you put up a table and give out treats to people who bicycle by to thank them for riding their bikes to work rather than driving.

I set up near the trailhead to the Centennial Trail in Liberty Lake as it seemed like all the other Energizer Stations were in very urban areas like downtown Spokane. I got to talk to some interesting folks, all on their way to work or other errands and even helped one concerned bicyclist shoo a rather long snake off the trail. She was worried it might be run over by someone not paying attention. All in all, a succesful operation, all before 9 a.m.

Move Over Snow- Rain is the deadliest weather driving hazard

When you think of weather conditions that cause poor driving conditions, snow and ice are the first thing that comes to mind right?

Wrong- it turns out rain is the most deadly driving hazard, according to KTVB TV.

An analysis of federal data shows that rain causes more driving fatalities than snow in 39 states.
In fact, car accidents are the deadliest weather hazard in the United States and kill about 7,000 Americans a year.

The Auto Insurance Center compiled the report using National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data from 2009 and 2013. It says the number of deaths caused by rain are higher than by other types of weather because drivers are less likely to be cautious in rain than snow, rain makes roadways that already have oil on them slick, rain impairs visibility, and even states that don't get snow get rain.

Even with those numbers though, it's important to note that far more people are still killed as a result of reckless driving, speeding and drunken driving every year.

United Airlines Invites You To Try To Hack Their Website

Go ahead, hack into their website. They don't care. United Airlines is offering free frequent flier miles to would-be hackers who can crack their websites and mobile apps as part of a bug bounty program, according to Fortune Magazine.

But stay away from their airplane Wi-Fi or entertainment systems. In the new program’s rules, United Airlines threatens possible criminal or legal investigations for people who try to do so.

With the new hacker initiative, United joins tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft that welcome friendly hackers. The thought is that companies can reduce data breaches by rewarding hackers who find security holes in their technology. Airlines stores a huge amount of personal information that hackers would love to get their hands on.

Those who do find security holes in United Airlines’ websites and apps could get anywhere from 50,000 to 1,000,000 frequent flier miles depending on the severity of the vulnerabilities they unearth.

A Non-Scientific Look at Bike Security In Portland

Just putting it on a bike rack doesn't mean it's safe.

As I posted yesterday, the City of Spokane is starting a new online registration process to unite stolen
bikes with their rightful owners. Spokane Police say they recover many bikes each year, but they usually are never claimed. Many bikes are stolen out of people's yards or even their garages (happened to one of our Transportation Planners) but others are actually taken when they're locked up in a public place.

This is especially common in larger cities. In the northwest, Portland reports it happens a lot. One of the bloggers at 529 garage was curious about bike theft and related information, such as how well people lock up their bikes, what kind of locks they're using, the brands and worth of the bikes people are riding and how many accessories such as helmets and bike lights people are leaving on their bikes when they lock them up and head into a restaurant, store or other business.

Some of the findings of this unscientific survey were surprising- such as that a large number of bikes in Portland have no identifying marks, stickers or logos on them as to what brand they are. And that a lot of people don't lock their bikes when they are hauling them on a rack on a car and park for an extended amount of time to go into a business.

Some weren't as surprising as you'd wish. Such as that, while a lot of people are using good quality locks, many are still locking their bikes up in a way that they could still easily be stolen in just a few seconds by taking off the quick-release saddle.

It's an interesting article and there's a lot of information here so check out the post by clicking here.

New Tool to Help Reunite Stolen Bikes With Their Owners

This oughta keep it safe.

The City of Spokane is launching free bike registration to help return stolen bicycles to their owners.

Bicycle owners can register their bike at SpokaneBikeID.org (or by accessing the tool via their My Spokane account at Spokanecity.org). Owners are asked to enter contact information and the serial number and description of the bicycle, and can also upload a picture of it. For those without computer or Internet access, bikes can also be registered at neighborhood Spokane C.O.P.S. shops.

Police recover many bikes each year, but getting them back to their owners is often difficult. The citywide bike registration database will help police reunite stolen bikes with their rightful owners. The My Spokane staff will manage the SpokaneBikeID tool in partnership with the Spokane Police Department.

Bike To Work Week Begins!

Happy Bike to Work Week! It all started with a breakfast in Riverfront Park this morning and today is the legislative ride through the Perry District with State Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson and Spokane Mayor David Condon. The ride is one of a handful of Commute of the Century rides intended to invite feedback from cyclists about their experience as a rider in Spokane.

Spokane City Councilmember Mike Allen will also announce a new online registration tool that will help police return lost or stolen bicycles to their owners. Here's where you can find all local Bike to Month info: http://spokanebikes.org/

Also, SRTC will be sponsoring an Energizer Station in Liberty Lake on Wednesday from 7-9 a.m. Look for us somewhere near the Centennial Trail (we're still up in the air about our location) and ride your bike by to get coffee and other treats.

Boot-and-Tow Program Appears to Be Working

Photo courtesy of the Spokane City blog.

In August of 2015, it will be one year since the City of Spokane began its Boot-and-Tow program to City's blog.
help with collection of unpaid parking tickets. Since then, the number of outstanding tickets and people with four or more unpaid parking citations in collections has dropped, according to the

Here are the numbers, up until last week:

• 22,276 tickets remain outstanding (down from 27,785 last year)
• Those tickets were written to 2,480 people (down from 2,778 people last year)

I did some basic math on those numbers and that averages out to almost nine tickets per person!

If a car belonging to someone who has not paid ALL their outstanding parking citations is booted, the vehicle's owner has two business days to pay the tickets and an additional $50 boot-removal fee. After the two days, the vehicle will be towed. The only way to get the car back at that point is to pay ALL citations and collection fees, and ALL fees that were added in the process of being booted and towed.

Four Things To Know About Train Derailments

With the Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia this morning, there's been a lot of talk about what went wrong. What most people don't know is that train travel is generally much safer than other forms of travel.

In a comparison study conducted in 2013, fatality rates for several different forms of travel were analyzed.

The number of rail deaths from year to year ranges widely (because many can happen in large, sporadic accidents), but between 2000 and 2009, a person was about 17 times more likely to die while traveling in a car, compared to a train, for the same distance.

Vox has three other facts they say everyone should know about train accidents, including how common derailments really are, what's being done to cut down on derailments and what usually causes them.

Direct Flights From New York To Cuba Start Soon

I reported earlier this week that ferry service between Florida and Cuba will be starting soon, according to AMNewYork. Now JetBlue has announced that they will offer a direct flight from Kennedy Airport in New York to Havana.

JetBlue, the first major carrier to offer a direct charter flight to Cuba, starts flying there in July.
The airline already flies to Cuba out of Florida, but why New York? Because New York's Cuban population is second only to Florida.

Despite improved relations between the U.S. and Cuba, there are limits to who can travel to Cuba, including people visiting family, on official business, doing journalism, and participating in arts and athletic competitions.

Spokane Rising Asks "Who Killed Prop 1?"

Since the recent election where Spokane Transit's Proposition 1 was voted down by a tiny margin, there has been a lot of talk about why the proposal didn't pass. While it's been mostly water cooler talk and letters to the editor, Spokane Rising threw out some of their own theories in a post yesterday. Some of their thoughts? That the proposition didn't sell the package enough to people not currently using transit, that the difference between current service and service to be implemented by Prop 1 wasn't obvious enough and that misinformation contributed to its demise.

Read the entire post here.

Self-Driving Cars Get Into Accidents In California

Four of the nearly 50 self-driving cars on the roads in California have gotten into accidents, according to KBOI12.com. While there is very little information available regarding the collisions, except that they were all minor, it appears that human error may be to blame for the accidents. Google and Delphi both say their cars were not at fault in any accidents.

Even so, some people are worried about the collisions, as a chief selling point for self-driving cars is safety. There's more information on this story at the link.

High Drive Work Starts This Week

A section of High Drive
reconstructed last year.

Work starts this week on a $5 million makeover of High Drive from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard. This is phase 2 of the High Drive project. Last year’s work involved the section from Bernard to 29th Avenue. This year’s work includes reconstruction of the pavement, the addition of sidewalks, storm and sewer facilities and a water main replacement.

Curbs will be installed where they are missing, and broken curbs will be replaced. Bike lanes are planned on both sides of High Drive with a new sidewalk on the south side.

The job will result in a closure of High Drive.

Five Ways Technology Has Changed Parking

You never hear anyone say, "Those were sure the good old days when we had to circle the block several times to find a parking space." Technology has made parking spots easier to find, easier to pay for (no more trying to scrounge up a quarter from under your seat or the bottom of your purse) and physically easier to actually park your car, with some vehicles literally able to park themselves now.  

The Press Enterprise has five ways that technology has changed parking.

Argonne Construction Project Starts Tonight

A project to improve traffic flow and relieve congestion along Argonne Road between Knox and Trent in Spokane Valley starts tonight at 10 p.m. 

While most of the work will be conducted during nighttime hours, traffic restrictions will remain in place through daytime hours.  

The project starts with reconstruction of the intersection at Argonne and Knox to widen the radius of the corners to facilitate smoother turns.  While that work is under way from May 11 through mid-June, traffic on Argonne will be reduced to two lanes in each direction. Only right turns will be allowed on Argonne and Knox; there will be no left turns from any direction of the intersection while that work is under way until about mid-June.

The work will then move to the Argonne/Montgomery intersection where a new northbound right turn lane will be added.  Changes to crosswalks will consolidate all east-west pedestrian traffic on Montgomery at Argonne to the crosswalk north of the intersection, and the lightly-used crosswalk south of the intersection will be eliminated.  A new traffic camera to help respond to changing traffic needs will also be installed.

In late July, work is expected to move to the Argonne/Trent intersection where another traffic camera will be installed.  (Note:  These are NOT red light cameras.)  The project also includes signal/pole relocations or replacements at the Montgomery and Knox intersections.  ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) ramps will also be constructed at the Knox intersection.

         

Local Road Construction Update

For more information on all the projects below, and to see them in relation to each other on a map, check out SRTC's 2015 Spokane Regional Construction Map here. The map is updated as new projects start and existing ones wrap up.

You may notice that projects underway now are more prominent while ones that will start later this construction season are more in the background.

WSDOT

NSC/BNSF Railway Structures/Realignment & Ped/Bike Trail Extension- Possible intermittent short delays with flaggers directing traffic at the Freya St. roundabouts.  Flaggers will be stopping traffic intermittently to allow trucks in and out of the work site or during times of overhead work on the Pedestrian bridge. Construct two freeway mainline bridges over the BNSF tracks and two pedestrian bridges.  Realign BNSF mainline and spur tracks.  Extend Children of the Sun Trail into the Hillyard area.

SPOKANE CITY
Garden Park Booster Station Rehabilitation Suspended- This project will be suspended until project materials are available. This project is to rehabilitate the existing booster station with a new building, pumps, and motors. 37th Avenue between Cook Street and Crestline is now open. 

Rebecca Street from Pratt Avenue to 7th Avenue and from Pratt to Hartson- The underground work for this project is nearly complete.  Work continues for retaining wall installations and installation of drywells and connection piping.  Curb and sidewalk work will begin shortly. Access along Rebecca from Pratt to 8^th is limited during work hours.  Local access across Rebecca at intersections within the project site is open.

9th Avenue Closure- 9th Avenue between Rebecca and Freya is closed until May 12 for a sewer line repair.

16th Avenue Closure- 16th is closed between Lincoln and Monroe until May 11 for a sewer repair.

Boone and Ruby Closure- The sidewalk, parking lane, and one traffic lane on the northeast corner of Boone and Ruby will be closed until May 12 for wheelchair ramps, sidewalk repair, and traffic light installation.

Central Street Closure- Central is closed between Mayfair and Ruby until May 11 for a sewer and water tap.

East Sprague Avenue CSO Basin- This project will construct a combined sewer overflow facility on City property across from the City’s Sewer Maintenance Facility. One lane is open each direction on Sprague from Scott Street to the Hamilton Overpass. Northbound and southbound Sprague Way is expected to reopen around May 15.

Family Fun Fair Street Closure- Wall Street will be closed between Main and Spokane Falls Boulevard on Saturday, May 9 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Junior Lilac Day Parade Street Closures- The following street closures will occur on Saturday, May

o   Washington, Boone to Riverside 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

o   Spokane Falls Blvd, Bernard to Post 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

o   Stevens, Howard and Wall, Main to Spokane Falls 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

o   Main, Stevens to Bernard 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

SPOKANE VALLEY
Argonne Road at Knox - Reduced to two lanes each direction from 12 a.m. on Sunday night, May 10, through mid- to late June for reconstruction of the roadway.  No left turns will be available from any direction at the intersection while work is under way. 

Bowdish Road between 24^th and 26^th- Reduced to one lane on Wednesday and Thursday, May 13 and 14 for stormwater drainage work from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sullivan Road Bridge Replacement Project Area:

• All traffic is shifted onto the northbound bridge with one lane northbound and two lanes southbound between Indiana Avenue and the Sullivan Park traffic signal.
• Northbound traffic is restricted to vehicles of ten feet wide or less. Northbound oversized vehicles should use Barker or Pines as alternatives. 
• Turns from Indiana onto northbound Sullivan will remain reduced to one lane through the end of the year and into late 2016/early 2017.

Residential Street Sweeping: Expect street sweeping vehicles in residential areas throughout the city Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through May.

SPOKANE COUNTY
Christensen Road Bridge- Closed to start process of removing and replacing bridge. A marked detour is in place.

Buckeye Road Closure- Buckeye will be closed between Havana and Custer on Monday, May 11 for work by a private company.

U.S. Allows Ferry Services to Go to Cuba

I really want to do this! The United States authorized commercial ferry services to Cuba for the first time in more than a half-century this week.

In what was hailed by ferry operators as "a historical event," the US Treasury lifted a ban and at least four Florida companies said they had been licensed to launch boat services to the island.

The ferries will also be allowed to carry cargo to the communist island of 11 million, which sits just 90 miles off the southern tip of Florida.

Even so, it's not going to be that easy for the everyday person to go to Cuba apparently, as they have to fall under at least one of 12 categories of reasons to visit, including  family visits, official government business, humanitarian projects and sports gatherings. Here's more from CTV News.

Data Shows the Impact From the Safe Routes to School Program

Think about it- how do your kids get to school? Most school children in the U.S. get there by bus or car, with a small percentage walking or biking. In 2005, Congress created the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program to improve safety and increase the number of children walking and biking to and from school through educational efforts, encouragement programs, and road improvements at or near schools. 

Ten years later, research studies indicate that SRTS has increased rates of walking and biking and improved safety. Studies also show the program is an economically sound investment that can decrease health costs and school transport costs.

The data shows that:

·         Actively commuting to and from school could improve mental and physical health.

·         SRTS has increased the number of students who walk or bike to and from school.

·         Unsafe routes make it harder for students to walk or bike to and from school. SRTS has made it safer for students to walk or bike to or from school.

·         SRTS can lower health care and transportation costs for school districts and families.

·         Communities can take action on SRTS through subdivision regulations that require sidewalks, education facility plans that ensure access to school by foot and bicycle, school wellness policies that include Safe Routes to School, and capital improvement plans that prioritize engineering improvements near schools.

Want more info on how SRTS is helping, including in our community? Get it here.

New Apartments Could Offer Transit Passes, Car/Bike Sharing Memberships Instead of Parking

Some Seattle apartment tenants could get a bus pass instead of a parking space.
In a presentation to the city council on Tuesday, the Department of Planning and Development outlined a recommendation to require developers of new projects in neighborhoods with good transit to provide residents with a pass and membership in a car and bike sharing services. Kiro TV has all the details.

Police Use Sticker To Catch Train Gropers Red Handed

Japanese police are taking a new direction to protect women from being groped on trains. Apparently it's a very common problem, and getting worse. The Japan Times News reports that Police in the Saitama Prefectural produced a sticker that women can put on their bag, phone or anything else they carry. It says "Don't touch!" on it. Really scary right? Not so much. When groped, a woman shows the sticker to the offender as a warning. If it continues, the victim can peel off the first layer of the sticker which exposes a red cross in special ink which the person can apply to the offender’s hand like a stamp, leaving proof of criminal conduct.

So far, it's not clear if the sticker is having the desired effect.

Local Road Construction Update

For more information on all the projects below, and to see them in relation to each other on a map, check out SRTC's 2015 Spokane Regional Construction Map here. The map is updated as new projects start and existing ones wrap up.

WSDOT

US 2/Nevada St. Intersection- Monday, May 4, from about 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., drivers on northbound Nevada Street may see lane restrictions at the intersection as crews are working on the pedestrian trail. 

US 2/Spokane Airport Vicinity Signage Upgrade- Be alert for equipment and workers on the shoulders with possible shoulder restrictions or lane restriction as crews replace old signs.  All ramps will be open.  No delays expected.

NSC/BNSF Railway Structures/Realignment & Ped/Bike Trail Extension- Possible intermittent short delays with flaggers directing traffic at the Freya St. roundabouts.  Flaggers will be stopping traffic intermittently to allow trucks in and out of the work site or during times of overhead work on the Pedestrian bridge.

SPOKANE CITY
Browne Street Closure- Browne Street will be closed from Sumner to 13^th for sewer and water connections until May 8.

Nevada Lane Closure- Crews will be installing PVC for Comcast from May 4 to May 8 at 9911 N. Nevada. The western southbound lane will be closed.

Grand Boulevard Closure- The northbound right lane and sidewalk on Grand Boulevard from Rockwood to Sumner will be closed on May 4 for fiber splicing.

I90 Division Gateway Ramp Closure- This project is for beautification improvements to five locations at the I90 and Division Street gateway entrances to the City.  The westbound I90 off ramp will be reduced to one lane next Tuesday to Thursday nights, May 5 – 7.

SPOKANE VALLEY
Sullivan Road Bridge Replacement Project Area-

• Traffic remains reduced to one lane in each direction around the clock from Indiana Avenue to the Sullivan Park signal Monday May 4 through Wednesday May 6.
• Southbound Sullivan Road bridge will close Thursday, May 7 through the end of the year and  into early 2016 for bridge demolition and replacement.  All traffic will be shifted onto the northbound bridge with one lane northbound and two lanes southbound between Indiana Avenue and the Sullivan Park traffic signal.
• Turns from Indiana onto northbound Sullivan will remain reduced to one lane through the end of the year and into late 2016/early 2017.

University at Appleway Intersection- University at Appleway remains reduced to one lane in each direction until May 9 for work on the Appleway Trail. Appleway at University remains reduced to two lanes for median work.


Residential Street Sweeping- Expect street sweeping vehicles in residential areas throughout the city Monday-Friday from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm through May.

SPOKANE COUNTY
Christensen Road Bridge- Complete road closure on Monday, May 4 to start work to replace the existing bridge. You can view the detour here.