Senate Passes Transportation Budget. House Considering It Now

The State Senate yesterday passed and sent on to the House a plan to spend $16.1 billion on transportation projects over the next 16 years. The Spokesman-Review reports that the transportation budget raises gas taxes 11.9 cents per gallon over two years. The tax would go up by 7 cents this Aug. 1 and 4.9 cents on July 1, 2016. It also increases weight fees for trucks and passenger vehicles and levies a $5 fee on all new studded tires sold after July 1, 2016.

During the 16-year span of the budget, it would spend more than $1 billion on Spokane-area projects, including $879 million to complete the North Spokane Corridor.

Also on the project list for our area: $26.5 million over the next four years for the Medical Lake/Geiger interchange project on the West Plains, and about the same amount to expand I-90 between Barker and Harvard roads in Spokane Valley.

The University District Gateway Bridge would get $8.8 million, and improvements to U.S. Highway 195 between Colfax and Spangle total $17.6 million during the next six years. And $47 million would be set aside for renovations of the Palouse River – Coulee City Railroad. The Spokane Central Line, a transit project in the city of Spokane, would receive $15 million.

The House will take up the transportation budget today. If it passes without any amendments, it also will go directly to Inslee. 

U.S. Bicycle Route 10: Not Just a Bike Lane

Spokesman-Review reporter and avid bicyclist Nick Deshais recently completed a 416 mile ride on

the new U.S. Bicycle Route 10 across Washington State from Anacortes to Sandpoint, ID. In a recent article, he talks about the ride, about how people were extremely friendly along the way, and how Route 10 is bringing new awareness to bicycling and bicycling tourism. 

You can read all about it here.

Fourth of July Office Closures

Here's hoping your bad choices are
minimal this 4th of July

The July 4 holiday is on a Saturday this year, which means it will be observed in the government world on Friday, July 3. That means area government offices will be closed that day, including SRTC, Spokane City's City Hall, City of Spokane Valley business offices, Spokane County offices, etc.

Parking meters don't have to be plugged on July 4.

Everything opens up again the morning of Monday, July 6. 

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
Holiday Travel Alert- Most construction work will be suspended at noon on Thursday, July 2^nd, through midnight, Sunday, July 5^th in anticipation of increased holiday traffic.

US 195-Southbound/I-90 to Excelsior Road- Be alert for southbound US 195 reduced to one lane in multiple work areas with possible slower traffic as crews replace pavement panels.  

SR 290-Trent Ave./Sullivan Road to Idaho State Line- Weekdays from about 6 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. the following morning, expect a lane reduction on SR 290/Trent Ave. for both westbound and eastbound traffic between Sullivan Road and Wellesley Ave.  Also, beginning on Monday, June 29^th expect delays due to piloted traffic on SR 290/Trent from Wellesley east to the State line from 6 p.m. to  6 a.m. On Monday June 29, from about 6 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. the State Route 290 (Trent Ave.)/Wellesley Ave. interchange will be closed for pavement grinding.  Drivers will need to use alternate routes. Crews are repaving Trent between Sullivan and Stateline.  

SPOKANE VALLEY

Argonne Road at Montgomery- The northbound right lane remains closed at the Argonne and Montgomery intersection through late July. The sidewalk on the east side of Argonne between Knox and Montgomery is closed. A pedestrian detour is in place. In observance of Independence Day, the Contractor will not be working on July 3, but traffic restrictions will remain in effect.
Broadway (between Fancher and Havana) - Reduced to one lane in each direction through June 30.
Sullivan Road (from Sprague Avenue to Mission Avenue)- Reduced to two lanes northbound and two lanes southbound with curb-lane closures through early August for stormwater drainage improvements, sidewalk work and asphalt resurfacing.
Sullivan Road (between Trent Ave to Wellesley)- Reduced to one lane northbound and one lane southbound for curb-lane work through late-June for stormwater drainage improvements, sidewalk work and asphalt resurfacing.

Wellesley Avenue (between St Charles Rd and Sullivan Rd)- Reduced to one lane northbound and one lane southbound for curb-lane work through late-June for stormwater drainage improvements, sidewalk work and asphalt resurfacing.

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.

The following locations will be closed to through traffic around the clock until September 2015 for water main work-

·  25^th Avenue (between Bowdish and University)

·  22^nd Avenue (between University and Sunrise)

·  Chinook (between Sunrise and Oberlin)

·  Oberlin (between Chinook and 16th Avenue)

·  Sunrise (between University and Chinook)

·  University Road from between 22nd and 27th Avenue is expected to reopen at the end of June.

SPOKANE CITY
Hoopfest Street Closures- The Hoopfest basketball tournament has grown to 42 downtown city blocks. Post Street will be closed north of Spokane Falls Blvd. on Thursday, June 25^th at 12 a.m. All other street closures begin Friday, June 26^th at 6 p.m. and re-open Sunday, June 28^th at 8 p.m. The Hoopfest website allegedly has information on all street closures and where to park (although I wasn't able to locate it on their page).

CSO 6 from Kiernan Avenue to Northwest Boulevard- Due to unusually high temperatures, a noise ordinance variance has been allowed Monday, June 29 at 4 a.m. Northwest Boulevard will be closed from H Street to Garland Street for installation of a 900,000 gallon stormwater storage facility. 

Cook Street Closure- Cook St. is closed between Springfield and Broadway until July 2 for new water and sewer lines.

Hayford Lane Closure-  The eastern southbound lane on Hayford is closed from Thorpe to 49^th until June 30 to place fiber and conduit.

Hatch Bridge Closure-  The Hatch Bridge is closed until Friday, June 26 for crews to repair deck panels  and surface asphalt.

High Drive Closure- High Drive is closed from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard for Storm and sewer work. This project includes pavement reconstruction, storm, sewer, swales, and water main replacement from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard.

Havana Street Improvements- Work has begun at the intersection of Freya and 44^th with traffic and pedestrian improvements. Traffic will be impacted on both streets and will be controlled by flaggers and signs. Improvements include full width pavement replacement, complete sidewalk gaps and pilot project porous asphalt bicycle lanes. This project will also include installation of a water transmission main between 37^th Avenue and the Brown Park reservoirs at 57^th Avenue.

SPOKANE COUNTY
Christensen Road Bridge- Bridge is closed for demolition and new construction. A marked detour is in place.

Argonne Road Stormwater Retrofit (Upriver Drive to Spokane River)- One lane open in each direction to upgrade storm facilities. Expect delays. 

Wellesley Avenue Sidewalks (Harvard to Arden)- Rebuilding and adding sidewalks. Watch for flaggers.

Palouse Highway (Jamieson to Freya and Windmill to Jamieson)- Pavement removal and replacement. 57th to Freya is closed with a marked detour in place.

Cedar Bridge (500 feet north of Cheney Spangle Road)- Bridge closed to remove and replace it.

Traffic Accident Releases 20 Million Bees

I got stung by a bee under my eye one time and my head swelled up so much that I looked like John Merrick, the Elephant Man, so this story scares the heck out of me.

According to EastIdahoNews.com,  a semi-truck crash near Howe, ID (nope, I don't know where that is either) this morning released approximately 20 million bees being transported to North Dakota to make honey.

Sheriff's reports say a Freightliner carrying 408 beehives swerved off the road, tipped over on its side, righted itself and kept going about 75 more yards before finally stopping. It's not clear what caused the initial swerving.


The beehives were completely destroyed, releasing millions of bees alongside the highway. The truck driver was uninjured but took off running down the highway.

KatieBee Honey owner Brian Wiggins said the bees are a complete loss.

“There is really no saving them when it is this bad,” Wiggins said. “All the bees that escaped will be dead by tomorrow, because they can’t live without their colonies.”

The remaining bees at the crash site were killed with foam by emergency responders who said they would be a hazard to driver, especially motorcyclists, if they weren't killed.

How Much of Your Household Budget Goes to Gas?

I ride the bus to work when I can (some days I have meetings during or after work that I have to haul equipment to that requires me to drive), and made even more of an effort to do so when gas prices were up around $4 a gallon.

Not everyone changes their habits based on gas prices though apparently. Brookings reports that most people just continue with their daily lives- including their driving habits- and cut back in other areas to save money when gas prices increase. That's because many pick up kids, grocery shop, and do everything else by car and don't believe they have another option just because gas is more expensive.

The graph below (click toenlarge) shows the close correlation between the price of gas and how much the average American family spends on it, in comparison to other expenses. As you can see, the two pretty much move together.

The report also says that the amount spent on gas is a fairly small portion of all household expenses, representing only about five percent of total household spending.

Proposed Amendment Would Change Two STA Projects

A proposed amendment to the 2015-2018 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) would increase the cost of Spokane Transit Authority’s (STA’s) proposed West Plains Transit Center and provide funds for projects that benefit seniors and people with disabilities who have transportation disadvantages. The Spokane Regional Transportation Council (SRTC) is looking for input from the public on this suggested amendment.

The TIP is a document that identifies projects programmed to be undertaken or constructed during the upcoming four years. It includes project names and descriptions, the jurisdiction sponsoring them, funding attached to each project, and where the funding came from (local, state or federal funds).

The TIP is amended regularly as SRTC’s member jurisdictions have projects to add, change or remove from the Program. The latest proposed amendment is below. Click the picture to view it full size. Details can also be viewed on the SRTC website at www.srtc.org.  

A public comment period for the amendment starts today, June 25, 2015. All comments must be received by 4 p.m. on Monday, July 6, 2015. Comments can be submitted by emailing to contact.srtc@srtc.org, mailed to SRTC at 221 W. 1st Ave., Suite 310, Spokane, WA, or by calling (509) 343-6370.

Can Traffic Noise Reduce Your Life Span?

Live near a freeway or busy street? You may want to move. Or prepare to die young. Living close to noisy road traffic over a long period of time could reduce life expectancy, according to new research reported by Newsweek today.

Findings of the study, done by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (huh?) suggest a link between long-term exposure to road traffic noise and deaths, as well as a greater risk of stroke, particularly in the elderly. For the research, millions of London residents were analyzed between 2003 and 2010, and road noise assessed in areas around the capital during the day and night. This data was then compared to deaths and hospital admissions in each area.

What they discovered is that deaths were 4% more common among adults and the elderly in areas with daytime road traffic noise of more than 60 decibels (dB) compared to areas with less than 55dB.

The deaths are likely connected to cardiovascular disease, possibly due to increased blood pressure, sleep problems and stress as a result from high traffic noise levels.

Adults living in areas with the noisiest daytime traffic (more than 60dB) were 5% more likely to be admitted to the hospital for stroke compared to those who lived in quieter areas (less than 55dB). This number increased 9% in the elderly. Night time noise (55-60 dB) from road traffic was also associated with a 5% increased stroke risk, but only in the elderly.

This is the first study is the first in the UK to show a link with deaths and strokes, according to lead author Dr. Jaana Halonen. 

Judge Orders Tax Refunds to City Residents Who Paid Higher Taxes Due to Street Levy

Spokane County has been ordered to issue refunds to about 5,000 Spokane residents who paid higher taxes because of a street levy approved by city voters last fall.

The Spokesman-Review reports that County Assessor Vicki Horton and Treasurer Rob Chase said they’re deciding whether to issue the refunds or appeal the ruling. The levy came with the stipulation that approving it wouldn’t raise taxes for low-income, senior citizen and veteran residents. It passed with 77 percent of the vote. Soon after, the county said an existing senior citizen tax exemption didn’t apply, so Spokane's City Council passed an ordinance to revive the tax exemption in order to keep the campaign promise. The county refused to comply with the city’s law, saying cities don’t have the power to exempt taxes. The city responded by suing Spokane County and earlier this month a judge ruled in the city’s favor.

County officials said they were following direction from the Washington Department of Revenue indicating the exemption did not apply. Horton and Chase tried to add the Department of Revenue to the lawsuit but Judge Harold Clarke III denied the motion.

Spokane county’s chief executive officer, Marshall Farnell, says there may be pressure from other Washington State counties for Spokane County to appeal the decision, as the outcome could have implications on the taxing authority of other governments.

County commissioners moved yesterday not to get involved in the dispute, saying it was up to Chase and Horton and their legal counsel to sort out the court’s directives.

Legislation Targets NYC Subway Gropers

According to this AM New York article, New York lawmakers last week passed legislation that would give police officers the power to charge suspects with misdemeanor forcible touching (also known as groping) on the subway and other public transportation. The bill now goes to the governor, who is expected to sign it.

That's all great and good but this hasn't been illegal all along?

Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, of Queens, who sponsored the bill, said "The law must reflect that these crimes on public transportation are particularly egregious because riders are essentially captives of their attackers."

The MTA, which has spearheaded a campaign on the issue of sexual misconduct on public transit, supports the legislation. The law is set to take effect on Nov. 1. 

Screen on Back of Semi Shows Road Ahead

We've all been there- stuck behind a slow semi-truck that's belching diesel fumes directly into our face. They're too big to see around to safely pass a lot of the time but if you just wait it out it could be three days before you reach your destination.

According to this article in Mashable, Samsung has come up with a really cool solution to this problem. The Safety Truck is a semi with a camera mounted on the front that shows the road ahead on a screen mounted to the back of the truck. The move is a part of an effort to reduce head-on collisions from passing.

In addition to making passing safer, Samsung says that this would let drivers see any obstacles in the road ahead, preventing the need for sudden emergency braking.

You won't see these trucks on the road anytime soon unfortunately; Samsung says it's still fine tuning the technology involved.

Join Spokane Valley for "Unveil the Trail"

The Appleway Trail before
landscaping, benches, etc.
were added this year.

Mark your calendar and grab your bikes, because the City of Spokane Valley invited you to join celebrating the completion of the latest section of the Appleway Trail! The "Unveil the Trail" event is from 10:00 am-12:00 pm on Thursday, July 9 at the Trail's University Plaza entrance, located on the east side of University where it intersects with Appleway.

In addition to a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees will be able to learn more about the project itself and enjoy a one-mile Fun Walk along the trail with friends and family.

The self-paced Fun Walk will head east from University to Bowdish and return back to the Plaza. Stop along the way and enjoy displays featuring information about local entities such as the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum, Waste Management, Spokane Valley Parks & Recreation, Sunshine Disposal & Recycling, Neighborhood Watch, and the City of Spokane Valley, each with free giveaways for the first 100 Fun Walk participants, including a kids' bike helmet fitting and giveaway from S.C.O.P.E.!

The Appleway Trail includes a paved multi-use pathway that extends from University to Pines and will eventually connect to the existing multi-use pathway along Appleway at the eastern city limits. Construction of the next segment, between Pines and Evergreen, is anticipated for design and construction in 2017 and 2018 and is funded by the Federal Transportation Alternatives Program and the Federal Surface Transportation Program.

Please be sure to park in designated Trail parking areas at the STA Pence-Cole Transit Center at 4^th and University or in the Spokane Valley Tech parking lot on University just north of the University Plaza entrance to the trail.

Tire Blowouts Happen More Often In Hot Weather

Did you know that tire blowouts are more common during hot weather? So be careful this week with temperatures hitting over 100 degrees.

WSB-TV out of Atlanta says that AAA reports that calls to fix flat or damaged tires are up 15 percent this summer compared to spring, When temperatures are in the 90s, the surface of the roadway can heat up to nearly 150 degrees. Under-inflated tires flex more as a car moves, generating even more heat. The intense heat can cause a blowout.

To prevent this, keep tires maintained and properly inflated and watch how much weight you pack in your vehicle. Additional weight, such as hauling heavy loads in a truck bed, increases the potential for a tire issue.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation say there are an average of 11,000 tire-related crashes annually, killing nearly 200 people.

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

SR 290-Trent Ave./Sullivan Road to Idaho State Line- Monday, June 22, from 6 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. the following morning, expect lane restrictions between Sullivan Road and Wellesley.  Drivers on Sullivan should be alert for lane restrictions between Trent and Wellesley, Monday through Friday. Crews will be paving Trent Avenue/SR 290 plus paving and utility work on Sullivan Road and Wellesley Avenue.

I-90/Sunset Hill to Argonne- Be alert for street sweeping on eastbound and/or westbound I-90.  On Sunday, June 21, equipment will be in the left lane.  Monday through Wednesday, sweeping work will be in the right lane, shoulders, and on/off ramps.

SPOKANE CITY

Arterial Curb Ramp Project- Work to install ADA-compliant curb ramps at intersection corners ahead of street maintenance grind and overlay projects starts Tuesday June 23 on NW Blvd. near Audubon park.  There will be partial one lane closures at corners of intersections.

Post Street Closures- Post Street will be Closed between Spokane Falls Boulevard and Bridge Avenue for Hoopfest. Post Street will close late Thursday evening and remain closed Friday.

East Sprague Sewer Overflow Basin Construction- This project will construct a combined sewer overflow facility on City property across from the City’s Sewer Maintenance Facility. North and southbound Sprague Way will reopen Monday, June 22 but will be reduced to one lane of traffic each direction for approximately 4 hours Monday morning. The roadway had been closed off while work continues for the installation of the conveyance piping road work associated with the CSO 33-2 project. 

Havana Street Improvements from Glenrose to 37th Avenue- Work starts Monday at the intersection of Freya and 44^th with traffic and pedestrian improvements. Improvements include full width pavement replacement, complete sidewalk gaps and pilot project porous asphalt bicycle lanes. This project will also include installation of a water transmission main between 37^th Avenue and the Brown Park reservoirs at 57^th Avenue.

Indian Trail Lane Closures- The northbound lane of Indian Trail between Lowell and Barnes roads will be closed until June 22 to install a construction entrance.

Barnes Road Lane Closure- The southern 50% of Barnes between Farmdale and Indian Trail will be closed until June 22 to install a sewer connection tie in.

Five Mile Road Closure- Five Mile Rd between Stratton and Alberta will have closures on June 18 and 19 for blasting. The closure will start after 9 a.m. and only be in effect periodically throughout the works days while actual blasting is occurring. Flaggers will be on site.

Cook Street Closure- Cook Street is closed between Springfield and Broadway until July 2 for new water and sewer lines.

Hatch Bridge Closure- From Tuesday, June 23 through Thursday, June 25, crews will repair deck panels  and surface asphalt on Hatch bridge from 6 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The bridge will remain closed overnight. It will reopen Friday, June 26.

High Drive, Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard- The road is closed from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard. Storm and sewer work is underway. This project includes pavement reconstruction, storm, sewer, swales, and water main replacement from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard. 

SPOKANE VALLEY

Argonne Road at Knox- Reduced to two lanes each direction for roadway reconstruction. Left turns prohibited in all directions at the Argonne/Knox intersection.

Argonne Road at Montgomery- The northbound right lane is closed at the Argonne/Montgomery intersection.

Broadway (Fancher to Havana)- One lane each direction.

Sullivan Road (from Sprague Avenue to Mission Avenue)- Reduced to two lanes each direction through early August for stormwater drainage improvements, sidewalk work and asphalt resurfacing.

Sullivan Road (between Trent Avenue to Wellesley Street): Reduced to one lane northbound and one lane southbound for curb-lane work through late-June for stormwater drainage improvements, sidewalk work and asphalt resurfacing.


Wellesley (between St. Charles Road and Sullivan Road): Reduced to one lane each direction for curb-lane work through late-June for stormwater drainage improvements, sidewalk work and asphalt resurfacing.

Sullivan Road Bridge Replacement Project- 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 each direction.

University Road Closure- Closed until the end of June for water main work.

The following locations are closed until September 2015 for water main work-
- 25th Avenue between Bowdish and University
- 22nd Avenue between University and Sunrise
- Sunrise between University and Chinook
- Chinook between Sunrise and Oberlin
- Oberlin between Chinook and 16th Avenue

SPOKANE COUNTY
Christensen Road Bridge- Closed for removal and replacement of bridge. A marked detour is in place.

Argonne Road Stormwater Retrofit- One lane in each direction from Upriver Drive to the Spokane River. Expect congestion.

Wellesley Avenue Sidewalks (Harvard to Arden)- Watch for flaggers and crews rebuild and add sidewalks where they didn't exist before. 

Palouse Highway (Jamieson to Freya and Windmill to Jamieson)- 57th to Freya closed to traffic with a marked detour in place to remove and replace worn pavement.

Cedar Bridge (500 feet north of Cheney Spangle Road)- Work to remove and replace bridge starts Monday, June 22. Detour in place.

Dunn Road (Day Mount Spokane to Day Road)- Road closed for work to stabilize an embankment and replace asphalt. 

University Adds "Texting Lane" to Stairwell

Do people really text while walking up or down stairs? Seems like that could be a good way to take a fall, but apparently it happens at Utah Valley University in Orem, UT. In fact it happens enough that the school divided a set of stairs there into three lanes- walking, running and texting.

You Get Paid to Work, But You Pay to Get to Work

How much do you think you spend to get to work each day? According to Citi's ThankYou Premier Commuter Index released Wednesday, workers spend an average of 200 hours annually at a cost of nearly $2,600 on their daily commute.

That breaks down to about $10 a day being spent on getting to and from work. Of course, people in Los Angeles have the highest daily roundtrip costs at $16, with New Yorkers coming in second at $14. Commuters in Chicago and San Francisco pay $11 a day, according to the survey. Obviously what we pay in Spokane would be less than that because we have much less congestion, but it still adds up.

The average commute in the U.S is 45 minutes, with New Yorkers having the longest trek to work with an average 73-minute commute.Chicagoans came in second spending 64 minutes a day commuting, followed by San Francisco residents with 56 minutes, while those in Los Angeles have an average 55 minute commute.  In Spokane, it's closer to 20 minutes.

Gas is the biggest budget eater for commuters with 77% of respondents using their car to shuttle between home and work. The bus was the second most popular mode of transportation at 21%, and 9% of commuters use a subway system.

This survey is based on responses from 3,500 consumers across the U.S.

Talks Stopped on WA State Transportation Funding Package

Washington State House Democrats yesterday stopped negotiations on a transportation revenue package until a deal is reached on the state operating budget.

According to Everett's Heraldnet.com, House Transportation Chairwoman Judy Clibborn, (D) Mercer Island, said she was asked to temporarily halt talks with Senate Republicans, which have been going on for weeks. Clibborn says both sides were close to coming to agreement on a transportation funding package that would include a gas tax increase to fund projects across the state.

The Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate are currently in a second overtime legislative session after adjourning both a regular 105-day legislative session and a 30-day special session without reaching a budget deal.

Some state offices may have to close completely if a budget isn’t signed into law before midnight June 30, when the current two-year budget expires.

As far as transportation packages go, both the House and Senate are looking at $15 billion plans that include an incremental gas tax increase.

A Before and After Look at Development Around Downtown Spokane

Before (above) and after (below)
Kendall Yards

Before (above) and after (below) an old
abandoned building in West Central

The Inlander has put together a really cool blog post and Check it out here.
assembly of "before and after" photos of growth and development around the downtown core that's worth checking out. It highlights Kendal Yard, a location in the West Central neighborhood, the new Davenport Grand hotel, the Saranac Commons building and several other buildings and locations that we've recently watched go from shabby or barren to developed and open for business.

Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting Next Monday, June 22

The June meeting of the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC), SRTC's citizens advisory committee, is next Monday, June 22. The agenda is on our website here, if you would like to check it out. Some items of particular interest on the agenda this month include an update on the Pedestrian Network Inventory and results from a 'call for projects' that will provide funds for several local road construction projects or programs.

As always, TAC meetings are open to the public. They start at 3 p.m. in the SRTC office at 221 W. First Ave., Suite 310.

Belgian City Designates Lane for 'Text Walkers'

A Belgian city believes it has come up with a solution to the problem of pedestrians bumping into other people because they're texting while walking.

Antwerp has given smartphone users their own designated walking lanes marked 'text walking lane’ on several busy pedestrian shopping streets.

The lanes were the idea of a local mobile phone business, Mlab, which says many smartphones are broken in collisions between pedestrians.

No worries though, there are now believed to be more mobile phones in the world than people. There are about 7.5 billion mobiles, according to data provided by telecommunications companies. In comparison, the global population is estimated at 7.2 billion.

So my question is, since people are paying attention only to their phone and not their surroundings when 'text walking,' what's to keep them from wandering out of their lane and into others, just as before?

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.

SPOKANE COUNTY

Christensen Road Bridge- Closed for demolition and replacement. A marked detour is in place.

Argonne Road Stormwater Retrofit (Upriver Dr. to Spokane River)- One lane traffic in each direction in order to upgrade stormwater facilities. Expect delays and find another route if possible.

Wellesley Ave Sidewalks (Harvard to Arden)- Rebuilding and adding sidewalks. Watch for flaggers.

Palouse Highway (Jamieson to Freya & Windmill to Jamieson)- Pavement Removal and Replacement. 57^th to Freya –Closed to traffic with a detour in place.

Hazard Road (Austin Rd. to Bernhill Rd.)- Still completely closed to repair storm washout.

Ballard Road (Hazard Rd. to Austin Rd.)- Closed completely to repair storm washout.

Hazard Road (Dalton to Burnhill)- Possibly reduced to one lane to clean diteches. Watch for flaggers in area.

Dunn Road (Day Mount Spokane to Day Rd.)- Road closed to stabilize road embankment and replace asphalt. Project expected to take three weeks to complete.

Stangland Road (I-90 to Cheney Spokane Limit)- Possibly reduced to one lane for shoulder work. Watch for flaggers.

Salnave Road (Cheney to I-90)- Possibly reduced to one lane for shoulder work. Watch for flaggers.

      

Farwell Road (Coulee Hite extention to Spokane County Line)- Possibly reduced to one lane for shoulder work. Watch for flaggers.

Henry Road (Saltese to Quinemose)- Possibly reduced to one lane for shoulder work. Watch for flaggers.

Stringham Road (Rockford City Limits to Harvard and Molter to Starr)- Possibly reduced to one lane for shoulder work. Watch for flaggers.

Molter Road (Elder to Stringham)- Possibly reduced to one lane for shoulder work. Watch for flaggers.

SPOKANE CITY

Post Street Closures- Post Street will be Closed between Spokane Falls Boulevard and Bridge Avenue for special events:

Friday, June 19, 9 a.m. - Terrain Bazaar setup

Friday, June 26 – Hoopfest (will close late Thursday evening and remain closed Friday)

Panorama Drive Water Main Replacement- Monday, June 15, Asphalt grinding on Panorama Drive begins. There will be a short duration with lane restrictions as the grinding moves along the roadway. Water main installation will also begin with Panorama Drive restricted to one lane from Christi Ave to Palm Place.

Water main installation and storm water improvements in Cascade Way and Maple St are is closed from Panorama Drive to west of Maple St. Maple St. is closed from Cascade Way to Sierra Way.This project will replace cast iron distribution mains and repave the entire street.

Sunset Highway Closure- One lane closed on Sunset Hwy at Government Way Monday to remove and replace the sidewalk for the STA bus stop.

Cowley Street Closure- Northbound lane on Cowley St. closed at 8^th until Friday, June 19 to place aerial cable.

Cook Street Closure- Cook St. is closed between Springfield and Broadway until July 2 for new water and sewer lines.

High Drive, Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard- The road is closed as storm and sewer work is underway. This project includes pavement reconstruction, storm, sewer, swales, and water main replacement from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard. 

Northwest Boulevard from H Street to Garland Street- Closed for installation of a 900,000 gallon stormwater storage facility.

East Sprague Avenue Sewer Overflow Facility- North and southbound Sprague Way is closed to construct a combined sewer overflow facility on City property across from the City’s Sewer Maintenance Facility. One lane will be open in each direction on E. Sprague from Scott Street to the Hamilton Overpass. 

SPOKANE VALLEY

Argonne Road at Knox- Reduced to two lanes in each direction around the clock through mid- to late June for reconstruction of the roadway. Left turns are prohibited in all directions at the Argonne and Knox intersection.

Argonne Road at Montgomery- The northbound right lane is closed at the Argonne and Montgomery intersection. Pedestrians should follow signs for the pedestrian detour route.

Broadway (from Fancher to Havana)- Limited to one lane in each direction around the clock through mid-June. Access to businesses remains available.

Sands Road Bridge- Closed to all traffic at Chester Creek from 5 a.m. Tuesday, June 16 through 5 a.m. Thursday, June 18 for bridge overlay work. A detour via Schaefer Road will be posted.

Sullivan Road (from Sprague Avenue to Mission Avenue)- Reduced to two lanes northbound and southbound around the clock with curb-lane closures through mid to late-June for stormwater drainage improvements and sidewalk work.

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. 

• Northbound traffic is restricted to vehicles ten feet wide or less. Northbound oversized vehicles should use Barker Road or Pines Road as alternatives.
• Turns from Indiana Avenue onto northbound Sullivan Road are reduced to one lane.
• Construction vehicles will be periodically entering and exiting Sullivan Road near the north and south ends of construction zones.

University Road closure- Closed between 22nd and 27th avenues until the end of June for water main work.

The following locations will be closed to traffic until September 2015 for water main work:

• 25^th Avenue (between Bowdish and University)
•  22^nd Avenue (between University and Sunrise)
• Sunrise (between University and Chinook)
• Chinook (between Sunrise and Oberlin)
• Oberlin (between Chinook and 16^th Avenue)

On all projects, signs and/or flaggers will direct traffic through and/or around the work areas.

WSDOT

SR 290-Trent Ave./Sullivan Road to Idaho State Line- Work will be underway on Sullivan road and Wellesley Ave. to drill test cores in preparation for paving. No Trent Ave. work scheduled this week.

Boy Caught Driving By Police- Again

Pocatello, ID police got a big surprise when they pulled over a car that was running stop lights and driving erratically. According to KREM 2 News, the driver wasn't drunk- he was 9! As in years old. And this isn't the first time he's been caught taking a Sunday drive (actually on Friday), he's been picked up by police before for taking a joyride in the family truckster.

A man called police after he spotted someone driving erratically. At first, the witness thought the other driver was drunk but when he let the car pass, he saw that a child was driving. The man followed the boy several blocks, as he ran red lights and stop signs.

Police responded, pulled the boy over and released him to his parents. They're still considering whether to cite the boy or his parents. And probably whether they have the authority to ground all three of them.

Artwork Installed for Division Street Gateway Project

In case you hadn't seen the new artwork that was installed late last week at Division and 4th as part of the Division Street Gateway project.

Division Street Gateway Project from SpokaneCity on Vimeo.

Council Considering Relaxing Parking Rules for Businesses in Neighborhoods

Wisconsinburger, one of the restaurants that had
requested not to have to provide parking.

A proposed change to parking rules will be on the agenda for next Monday's Spokane City Council meeting. The changes will allow exemptions to parking rules for small buildings located in neighborhood retail zones considered “neighborhood serving and pedestrian-oriented.”

The Spokesman-Review reports that parking spots will no longer be required for buildings smaller than 3,000 square feet. Parking requirements for buildings with less than 5,000 square feet floor area will be determined after the 3,000-square-foot exemption is subtracted from its total area, reducing the amount of spaces they currently must have. Larger buildings will see no change.

There are 313 parcels zoned as neighborhood retail throughout the City. The City Council was looking at exemptions for several of these businesses already on a case-by-case basis and it soon became clear the issue should be examined citywide.

The change could help to stimulate small neighborhood businesses, bring unoccupied buildings back into use and make business areas more walkable and “less car-centric.”

In reality though, having a popular restaurant in a neighborhood can come with problems. The Flying Goat pizza restaurant on Northwest Boulevard had many complaints after opening in 2010 about customers parking in front of driveways and creating traffic jams on a residential street.

Nighttime Closures on Snoqualmie Pass

If you were getting a late- or early- start on a drive to the westside of the state sometime over the next two weeks, be aware that there will be some nighttime closures on Snoqualmie Pass.

For about an hour at a time, the eastbound lanes of I-90 will close multiple times throughout the night between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. Monday, June 15, through Friday, June 19; and again Monday, June 22, through Friday, June 26. Eastbound drivers will be stopped near Gold Creek. Westbound drivers may experience minor delays for a single-lane closure during the same timeframes.

The closures are for crews to set girders for the new eastbound avalanche bridge as part of the project to build a wider, safer and more reliable stretch of I-90 from Hyak to Keechelus Dam.

Woman Sentenced to No Cell Phone for Distracted Driving Collision

Mitzi Nelson was sentenced to no cell
phone while on probation.

A Michigan woman who struck and killed a bicyclist last fall while using a cell phone received an unusual sentence from a judge yesterday.

The Lansing State Journal says Mitzi Nelson will serve two years probation and at least 90 days in jail. She is also required to speak to 20 driver's education classes about the dangers of distracted driving, perform 150 hours of community service and forgo owning or using a cell phone or other portable communications device during her time on probation.

Judge Stewart McDonald acknowledged that his sentence could be challenged over his authority to bar someone from using a cell phone but hopes the sentence will deter others from using one behind the wheel.

Police said Nelson was distracted by her cell phone when her car hit Jill Byelich, who was wearing a reflective vest and helmet and was riding on the right edge of the road.

It was Jordan Byelich, Jill's husband, who suggested the judge bar Nelson from owning and using a cell phone. But he told Nelson in court that he understands she is remorseful. He also hugged her before she was led away to jail.

Work Starts On I90 Wildlife Overpass

Geese using the Gold Creek wildlife underpass

The project to improve Snoqualmie Pass has already included building four underpasses to let The Yakima Herald says crews broke ground yesterday on the state's first freeway overpass for animals.
animals get from one side of the freeway to another. Soon, wildlife will have another option.

The 150-foot-long structure is expected to carry black bear, cougar, deer, elk, squirrels, mice and lizards. When finished, the section of I-90 from Hyak to Easton will have more than 20 underpasses and overpasses engineered for wildlife. Dozens of small culverts will also be rebuilt to allow easier passage.

Wildlife cameras are already recording deer, ducks, coyotes and river otters using the four existing wildlife underpasses.

From an engineering standpoint, it wasn't that tricky to lengthen bridges to create expansive undercrossings and enable streams and wetlands to meander naturally, according to project engineers.

For instance, the old bridge at Gold Creek, near milepost 55, was only 150 feet long and surrounded by embankments that animals couldn't navigate. The new version, finished last year, includes a 1,100-foot span that allows the creek to flow freely underneath and provide upstream passage for fish, like bull trout. The expansive opening also preserves wetlands and opens up a natural flood plain for Keechelus Lake. A separate undercrossing provides year-round passage for land animals, even when the lake is high.