Slow Down In School Zones Earlier On Thursday Mornings

 You know how you're only supposed to go 20 miles per hour in school zones during school hours? And you know how Spokane Public Schools has been doing late start on Thursday mornings for about the last 20 years so you got used to driving faster on school zones later on Thursday mornings? Well, you're going to have to break that habit.

According to the Spokesman-Review, there will be no more late start Thursdays; from now on school will start and end at the same time all five days of the week. The schedule change was negotiated between the Spokane Education Association and the district as part of this year’s teacher contract. 

Amtrak Cracking Down on Excess Baggage

Some train passengers were a little put-out when they heard recently that Amtrak is going to crack down on on a policy that's gone unenforced for many years; a $20 charge for each piece of extra luggage. That's according to the Marketplace website.

Before you get excited though, consider that "excess luggage" is considered anything over 250 pounds of suitcases, bags, boxes or whatever else you bring aboard. That's right, 250 pounds. Amtrak allows each passenger to bring up to 250 pounds. And many do. Our office is in the same building as the Amtrak station and believe me, I have seen people with so much luggage that I thought they were moving.

In comparison, most airlines won't even let you bring your first bag on free anymore. And each bag can cost between $25 and $35 to take with you. 

Takata Air Bag Recalls Could Be Expanded

Seven more companies could face recalls because they use air bag inflators made by Takata Corp., according to the Spokesman-Review.

About 23.4 million Takata driver and passenger air bag inflators have been recalled on U.S. vehicles sold by 11 different companies, including Honda and Fiat Chrysler. The inflators can explode with too much force, causing metal shrapnel to fly. At least eight people have died worldwide and hundreds have been injured.

Letters were recently sent to Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar-Land Rover, Suzuki, Tesla, Volvo Trucks, Volkswagen and Spartan Motors by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration seeking information on which models have Takata inflators.

NHTSA said one purpose of the letters is to figure out how many additional vehicles might have to be recalled. The agency is preparing for an Oct. 22 public meeting to discuss an ongoing investigation into Takata and whether the agency will take over management of all the recalls to speed up repairs. As of Sept. 1, only 4.4 million had been replaced. Automakers have had to scramble to get parts.

How Would YOU Spend $50M on Local Transportation?

If it was your job to decide how money is spent on local transportation projects and programs, what areas would be most important for you to invest money in? SRTC is launching an online survey tool that demonstrates the difficult financial trade-offs that must be made to maintain and improve our transportation system.
New federal and state regulations require Metropolitan Planning Organizations like SRTC to create and track performance measures and targets to ensure the transportation system is developing as planned. 

The new web tool will help you understand how investments and outcomes are related and also allows you to identify priorities of the region that will help develop those targets. 

The tool allows users to choose an estimated level at which they would like to fund categories such as roadway preservation and management, congestion management, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, transit improvements and transportation safety.

As you allocate money to each category, graphics show just how far that amount would go. For instance, for roadway preservation, the amount of lane miles repaired changes as you change the funding for that category. For bicycle and pedestrian improvements, the percentage of people commuting by bike or walking increases or decreases as you add or subtract money. Screen shots on the following page give an idea what you will see when using the web tool.

Just like in real life, the hard part is not blowing your budget. The $50 million available for distribution on the web tool is based on the approximate amount of money projected to be invested in the local transportation system by SRTC over the next five years.  Once you have made your budgeting decisions, you can compare your results to others who have used the web tool and learn about the next steps in the performance measurements development process.

Fake Service Animals Causing Trouble on Buses, in Businesses

A real, well-trained service dog
wouldn't do this.

I was in Home Depot the other day when a small dog being pushed in a stroller jumped out to
confront another dog being walked on a leash. In a store. What the...? I get it that some people need service animals but all of these animals we are seeing in businesses these days are not service animals.

This article in the Spokesman-Review today talks about how these untrained animals that are being passed off as service animals can actually harm real service animals. It references problems being caused on Spokane Transit buses by people bringing their dogs aboard, claiming that they need them to function. I've talked to a couple bus drivers in the past who have said it's a definite issue. One told me there were two dogs on his bus one time that got in a fight and another told me he has seen people bring all kinds of animals on his bus. That driver told me he drew the line at a very large "service" snake because not only was it upsetting to other riders, but the driver himself was uncomfortable with it on his bus.

Community Doesn't Like Bike Lanes- Because of How They Look

So obviously bicycling isn't for everyone. But apparently bike lanes aren't either. Whether you use according to Streetsblog USA- they don't like the lanes because of how they look. That's right, folks at a Coronado beach public meeting called proposed bike lanes "visual pollution" and some even implied they detract from property values in the area. But wait, there's more! One attendee compared bike lanes to taking his/her daughters to a tattoo parlor and having their entire bodies tattooed. Okay, I don't get that but it's funny so there's that. Here's more if you want to read the entire article. 
them or not. When I'm out speaking to people in the community, I've heard a variety of reasons that people don't like them. Some say they're not safe because they give bicyclists a false sense of security. I've had other people tell me that they're confusing to drivers when they come to intersections. And one woman even told me she doesn't like driving next to a bike lane because it makes her nervous to pass people on bicycles. Okay, comments noted. But some folks in San Diego have an entirely different set of reasons they don't want bike lanes in their community. Get this-

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

I-90/Hamilton Interchange Bridge- On Saturday evening, Oct. 3 from about 8 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. Sunday morning, eastbound I-90 will be reduced to one lane for bridge joint repairs. Expect slow 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 for pavement repairs. A temporary speed reduction of 45 MPH is in effect for the southbound lanes.  

SR 290-Trent Ave./Sullivan Road to Idaho State Line-Sullivan ramps are scheduled to be closed as follows: Westbound Sullivan off and on ramps October 1 (Thursday) from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.  Eastbound Sullivan off and on ramps October 2 (Friday) from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.  Also lane reductions will be in place for Sullivan between SR290 ramps and Wellesley on Wednesday September 30, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday October 1 from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. for paving.           

SPOKANE CITY           

Art on the Avenue Street Closures- Magnolia and Pittsburg north and south of Sprague will be closed for the annual Art on the Avenue event. Sprague will remain open.        

Rowan Avenue form Driscoll Boulevard to Alberta Street- “A” Street is closed Tuesday, through Friday, September 25 between Wellesley and Francis Avenue and includes work for waterline infrastructure and storm components. This project is for reconstruction work from Driscoll Blvd. to Monroe Street. The project also includes installation of bike lanes, filling sidewalk gaps and replacing water lines.        

Erie Street from 1st Avenue to the BNSF Overpass- Work on Erie continues for sewer repairs.  Erie is closed from 1^st Avenue to the BNSF overpass.  This work will pave Erie from 1^st to the BNSF overpass.  This project will complete the paving at Sprague Way.

F Street from Rosamond Avenue to 6th Avenue- Work includes subgrade repair, crack sealing, modifying ADA ramps, striping and traffic control. Work is expected to wrap up October 6.

1st Avenue from Helena to Altamont- Storm sewer installation has begun from Crestline to Madelia. This project is a residential grind and overlay pavement preservation project that includes subgrade repair, crack sealing, ADA ramps, striping and traffic control as necessary. Closure of 1^st Avenue will last until October. The corner of Napa and 1^st will be closed with a detour provided.

Front Avenue Sewer Repair from Erie to Helena Street- Improvements include installing a sewer main, repairs to the existing main and lining existing sewer main with CIPP (cured in place pipe) technology. There will be closures around the work zones. 

Monroe/Lincoln Street Couplet, 4th Avenue to 2nd Avenue- 4^th Avenue has one lane open. Jefferson Street from 3^rd to 4^th Avenue has local access only. Work on Cedar Street between 3^rd and 4^th Avenue is complete. Lincoln and Monroe Street both have limited access along the east half of the street from 2^nd to 4^th Avenue. This project includes reconstruction of the street from 2^nd to 4^th Avenues and will replace the asphalt surfacing, including ADA ramps as needed. 

Ray/Thor Street from 29th Avenue to 17th Avenue- Ray Street is reduced to one lane in both directions, with no left hand turns permitted. Side streets are closed. Improvements include preservation treatments like crack sealing, grind and overlay and pavement rejuvenation techniques. Pedestrian improvements include upgrades to ADA curb ramps and minor curb and sidewalk repairs.

Hartson Avenue from Altamont Street to Fiske Street- Hartson is closed. This project includes full depth roadway section of traveled way, filling sidewalk gaps, replacing curbing where needed and installing ADA curb ramps. The project will also include replacement of water lines.

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

Havana Street from Glenrose Road to 37th Avenue- Glenrose Road from 57^th Avenue to Havana Street is closed. Work has begun at the intersection of Freya and 44^th with traffic and pedestrian improvements. Improvements include full width pavement replacement, complete sidewalk gaps and bicycle lanes.  This project will also include installation of a water main between 37^th and 57^th.

Division Street Triangle- This project is for beautification improvements to the highly visible entrances to the City. The right hand lane heading west on Spokane Falls Boulevard is closed. Work is scheduled for completion in October. 

SPOKANE VALLEY

32^nd and Collins- Narrowed lanes weekdays from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. through late October. A pedestrian detour is posted when students are arriving and departing from University High School.

Long between Sprague and 2^nd- Narrowed lanes weekdays from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. through early October. Access from Long to Sprague will be closed at times; detour via 2^nd to Manifold. A pedestrian detour is posted.

Mansfield between Pines and Houk- Narrow lanes weekdays from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. through late September for utility work and road reconstruction.  Traffic may be reduced to one lane at times with flaggers.  Access to businesses and residents will still be available with brief interruptions

Sprague between Appleway and Arties- Narrow lanes weekdays from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. through early October. A pedestrian detour is posted.

Sprague between University and Bowdish - Closed on Friday, September 25 for Valleyfest parade from 5:45 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. No turns from University onto eastbound Sprague. Detours via 4^th & Valleyway will be posted.

Sprague between University and Pines- Closed Friday, September 25 for Valleyfest parade from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Gillis, Moffit, Skipworth, Bowdish, Fox, Union, Perrine, and Robie closed at Sprague. Detours via 4^th & Valleyway will be posted.

Sullivan from Trent to Wellesley - May be reduced to one lane in each direction during weekdays for pavement marking work. 

Sullivan Road Bridge Replacement Project Area:

·         The southbound Sullivan Road Bridge across the Spokane River is closed until Summer 2016 for bridge demolition and replacement. Traffic is reduced to one lane northbound and two lanes southbound. 

·         Expect reductions at times to one lane southbound Monday through Friday between 5 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

·         Northbound traffic is restricted to vehicles ten feet wide or less.  Oversized vehicles should use Barker or Pines as alternatives.

·         Turns from Indiana onto northbound Sullivan are reduced to one lane.

·         Expect construction vehicles and flaggers in the work area weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

·         The Centennial Trail below the bridge is closed Monday through Friday 7 a.m. through 6 p.m. 

SPOKANE COUNTY
Christensen Road Bridge- Detour in place as bridge is closed for demolition and reconstruction.

Old Trails/Inland Road- Reconstruction and repaving of the roadway from Marchand Road to Riverside State Park. The road is closed in that section and there are lane restrictions from Seven Mile to the park.

Elliot Road Culvert Replacement- Highway 206 is reduced to one lane near Elliot Road in order to replace a culvert under the roadway.

Kansas Citizens Make Their Own Bus Benches

In some cities "guerrillas" paint their own crosswalks. In others they make bike lanes at night either with paint or by lining the side of the roadway with planters or other items. In Lawrence, Kansas, LJWorld.com reports, they take matters into their own hands by putting folding chairs at bus stops that don't have benches. Way to get crazy, guys. And so that no one would be confused, they wrote "bus bench" or "bus stop" on the chairs.

The folks responsible for the guerrilla bus benches said they put them there because they were tired of watching people stand, especially elderly people and one man in particular who walks with a cane. That was just the beginning though. Since then, more chairs and benches have been popping up at transit stops around the city.

The message isn't lost on transit officials though. Lawrence Transit officials say the makeshift benches started a conversation about constructing a new transit hub and providing benches at 15 stops around the city. They've also agreed not to remove the chairs, even though some are in the public right-of-way, until Lawrence Transit can do an analysis on the need for benches.

Dead and Dying Trees to be Removed from Side of I90 in October

You may notice some work happening on the shoulder of Interstate 90 in Spokane Valley in the next couple weeks. Crews will be removing trees. These trees are ones that can't be saved and present a danger. About 50 of the Lombardy poplar trees that were originally planted in the 1990s to screen the view of the Spaulding salvage yard are dead or diseased. They generally have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years so are hitting the end of it right now. That makes them dangerous as they could fall onto the freeway.

The trees will be replaced with Austrian pine and Rocky Mountain junipers later this fall.

SRTC Board Votes To Give Federal Money to Bigelow Gulch Project

Somehow I missed this article in the Spokesman yesterday that is about SRTC! It details the process that was gone through recently to approve allocating over $1 million in federal funds to Spokane County's Bigelow Gulch/Forker Road Connector project.

Earlier this month, our Board voted to give the money to the project, despite approving a much smaller amount for it in July. The project was originally delayed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) because of some issues with the process of acquiring right-of-way to widen the roadway in some places. Since then though, steps were taken to mitigate the issues and the FHWA signed off, saying the project was in the position to move forward now.

Not all SRTC Board members agreed that this project was the right place to spend federal funds and there was extensive discussion around it at the past two Board meetings. The good news is that the hard discussions ARE happening, where as in the past, sometimes that didn't always happen. Another thing that came out of the discussion was that we haven't dealt with this particular situation before and a policy needs to be developed so there is a process in case it happens again in the future.

Anyway, that's a little background, now here's the article.  Also, this decision to give federal funds is why we are asking to amend the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that you will see mentioned two posts below. Any time federal funds are dedicated to a local project, it must be reflected in the TIP, which is the reason for the amendment.

Pedestrian Group Wants Walkers to Use Hand Signals

I cross the street at Sprague and Bernard every day. Even though I cross when the light tells me to, I still get yelled at pretty much every time. So maybe I should take the Danish Pedestrian Society's suggestion and use pedestrian hand signals. 

It's no joke- that's what the society is recommending to keep to keep pedestrians safe. That they use hand signals like bicyclists do to convey what they plan to do.

Their reasoning is that pedestrians shouldn't be exempt because they play a part in keeping traffic running smoothly.

  

 

Update On The Centennial Trail Through the Spokane Area

Work to complete gaps in the Centennial Trail didn't take a summer vacation.  Here's an update on work to the trail that took place over the summer and some that is still underway:

Sullivan Bridge: Remains closed until spring 2016 for bridge demolition and replacement work, with a detoured Centennial Trail. 

 

Three phases of construction
will make the Mission Gap
a safer Centennial Trail route.

Mission Avenue Gap:
Spokane City Council recently approved funding for the Phase 2 Centennial Trail Bridge from Mission Park to Upriver Drive. It's not clear when construction will start yet.

Riverfront Park:  Friends of the Centennial Trail is looking for input on how bicycle traffic should flow through the park, on both the north and south sides of the River. Please email your thought to friends@spokanecentennialtrail.org.

  

Post Street Bridge: The Project Advisory Committee will convene soon to finalize plans to rebuild this important bridge. 

Post Street Bridge is
part of Mile 23 of your
Centennial Trail!

Boone to TJ Meenach:

Friends of the Centennial Trail have submitted a letter of support to the City of Spokane to add a 14 foot wide shared use path and 8 foot wide gravel jogging path with trees on the south side of Pettet Drive - also known as Doomsday Hill.

Carlson Road: The project is funded at this time, but the construction timeline is uncertain - will be sometime in 2018-2020.  

Sontag Park to Lake Spokane Extension: State Parks will begin construction this fall and Friends of the Centennial Trail has pledged $20,000 in matching funds for this project.

Drivers Now Have Protected Left Turn at Barnes and Indian Trail

Good news for those of you who drive in the Indian Trail neighborhood. New pentagon-shaped traffic signal heads have been installed on all four approaches at the intersection of Barnes and Indian Trail Road. The heads will be operational starting around 9 a.m. Thursday morning.

The signals will provide a protected left turn phase on all approaches.  Protected left-turns were requested at both the Barnes and Indian Trail intersection and Shawnee and Indian Trail intersection by the neighborhood council.  A traffic study completed by the City of Spokane determined that the conditions supported the protected turns. 

Signal installation at the Shawnee and Indian Trail intersection is underway now.

Asking for Your Input on Amendment to Transportation Improvement Program

The SRTC Board recently voted to allocate an additional $1,1818,426 in federal funds to Spokane County's Bigelow Gulch/Forker Connector project 4.

The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that SRTC updates and publishes each year is required to include any project with state or federal funding. The Bigelow Gulch/Forder project was already included in the TIP, but now the document must be amended to reflect the additional amount of federal funds. 

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 updated regularly as SRTC’s member jurisdictions have projects to add, change or remove from the program.

In order to update the TIP, it must go through a public comment period. So, we are asking you what you think of this amendment. You can view the entire TIP here, although the change to the Bigelow Project won't be added until after the public comment period is complete.

The public comment period goes through 4 p.m. on Friday, October 2, 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.

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

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. Crews are replacing pavement panels. A temporary speed reduction of 45 MPH is in effect for the southbound lanes.

SPOKANE VALLEY

32^nd and Collins- Narrowed lanes from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. until late October. A pedestrian detour will be posted when students are arriving and departing from U-City High School.

Argonne and Valleyway- Lane reductions on Argonne and a portion of Valleyway at Argonne from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. until late October. Pedestrians will be redirected to the crosswalk on the north side of the intersection.

Bowdish from 44^th to Sands and Bates from Ponderosa to 44^th- Reduced to one lane in both directions with flaggers on Monday, September 21 from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. 

Indiana at Spokane Valley Mall Entrance #2 - One lane in each direction on weekdays from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. until late October. At least one lane will be open at all times.

Long between Sprague and 2^nd- Narrowed lanes from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. until early October. Access from Long to Sprague closed at times; detour via 2^nd to Manifold. Pedestrian detour posted.

Manifold at Sprague - Access from Manifold to Sprague will be closed at times from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. until early October. Detour via 2^nd to Long. Pedestrian detour will be posted

Mansfield between Pines and Houk - Narrowed lanes from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. through late September.  Traffic may be reduced to one lane at times with flaggers.  

Mullan and Valleyway- Lane reductions on Mullan and a portion of Valleyway at Mullan from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. until late October. Pedestrians use crosswalk on the north side of the intersection.

Progress from Sprague to Valleyway-Traffic will be reduced to one lane in both directions on Monday, September 21 from 7 a.m to 11 a.m.

Sprague between Appleway and Arties- Narrow lanes from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. until early October. Pedestrian detour will be posted.

Sprague between University and Bowdish- Closed Friday, September 25 for Valleyfest parade from 5:45 p.m. until 9 p.m. No turns from University onto eastbound Sprague. Detours via 4^th & Valleyway will be posted.

Sprague between University and Pines- Closed Friday, September 25 for Valleyfest parade from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Gillis, Moffit, Skipworth, Bowdish, Fox, Union, Perrine, and Robie closed at Sprague. Detours via 4^th & Valleyway will be posted.

Sullivan from 12^th to Sprague- Traffic reduced to one lane in both directions on Tuesday, September 22 from 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. 

Sullivan from Trent to Wellesley - Reduced to one lane each direction through late September. The southbound Sullivan Road Bridge across the Spokane River is closed until Summer 2016 for bridge demolition and replacement work.  Traffic remains reduced to one lane northbound and two lanes southbound. Reductions at times to one lane southbound Monday through Friday between 5 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.  Turns from Indiana onto northbound Sullivan are reduced to one lane.

CITY OF SPOKANE
Rowan Avenue from Driscoll Boulevard to Alberta Street- “A” Street will be closed through Monday, September 21 between Wellesley and Francis Avenue for waterline infrastructure work. This project is for reconstruction work from Driscoll Blvd. to Monroe Street. The project also includes installation of bike lanes, filling sidewalk gaps and replacing water lines.

Indiana Avenue from Division Street to Perry Street- Indiana is closed from Ruby to Dakota.  There will be occasional lane restrictions on Ruby. This project includes full depth roadway replacement and change lane configuration to one lane each direction with bike lanes.

Monroe/Lincoln Street Couplet, 4th Avenue to 2nd Avenue- 4^th Avenue is re-opened to one lane access.  Jefferson Street from 3^rd to 4^th Avenue has local access only.  Work on Cedar Street between 3^rd and 4^th Avenue is complete and traffic access is back to normal. Lincoln and Monroe Street both have limited access along the east half of the street from 2^nd to 4^th Avenue. The project includes reconstruction of the street from 2^nd to 4^th Avenues and will replace the asphalt surfacing, including ADA ramps as needed. 

F Street from Rosamond Avenue to 6th Avenue- Grind and overlay of the roadway underway until October 6.

Erie Street from 1st Avenue to BNSF Overpass- Erie is closed for sewer repairs. The unpaved portion of Erie Street from 1^st Avenue to the BNSF overpass will be paved.

Front Avenue from Erie to Helena- Improvements include installing 60 feet of new sewer main, repairs on existing sewer main and lining the existing sewer main with CIPP (cured in place pipe) technology. This project will connect to a future sewer overflow tank at approximately Crestline Street and Riverside Avenue, scheduled for 2017. There will be closures around the work zones for CIPP installation equipment and bypass pumps. 

Ray/Thor Street from 29th Avenue to 17th Avenue- Ray Street has been reduced to one lane in both directions. Side streets are closed. Improvements include the use of preservation treatments that include crack sealing, grind and overlay and pavement rejuvenation techniques. Pedestrian improvements include upgrades to ADA curb ramps and minor curb and sidewalk repairs.

Hartson from Altamont Street to Fiske Street- Hartson is closed. This project includes reconstructing the roadway, filling sidewalk gaps, replacing curbing where needed and installing ADA curb ramps. The project will also include replacement of water lines.

Wall Street and Main Avenue Intersection Work- The intersection of Main Street and Wall Street has reopened. Slow down and be cautious in this area keeping watching for pedestrians and bicyclists.

High Drive from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard- This project includes pavement reconstruction, storm, sewer, swales, and water main replacement from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard. Construction is expected last through the fall. The road is closed from Bernard to Grand.

Havana Street from Glenrose Road to 37th Avenue- Closed to traffic. 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 bicycle lanes.  This project also includes installation of a water transmission main between 37^th Avenue and the Brown Park reservoirs at 57^th Avenue.

Division Street Triangle- This project is for beautification improvements to the highly visible entrances to the City. The right hand lane heading west on Spokane Falls Boulevard is closed. Work is scheduled for completion in October. 

SPOKANE COUNTY

Christensen Road Bridge- Removal and Replace Bridge. Bridge is closed, a detour is in place.

Old Trails/ Inland Road- Reconstruction and Paving from Riverside State Park to Marchand Road. The road is closed. 

Elliot Road Culvert Replacement- SR 206 reduced to one lane in the area and a temporary traffic signal has been installed at Elliot Road and SR 206 to replace a culvert under Elliot Road.

What's the Best Way to Spend $816 Million?

Every year, SRTC compiles a list of projects that will be constructed over the next four years, for programs that will be funded and implemented in that timeframe. It's called the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the 2016-2019 version has a total of 122 projects equaling $816 million in local transportation improvements. 

Those projects and programs vary widely, from projects that maintain and preserve our roads to construction of new facilities like the North Spokane Corridor and projects that encourage economic development. There are also bridge replacement projects, public transit improvements and bicycle and pedestrian facilities included in the document.

Eight hundred and sixteen million is a lot of money. So how do we know we're spending it in the right places? That's where you come in. SRTC will host a public meeting next week, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 4-6 p.m. to give people like yourself a chance to review the TIP and ask questions about it, face to face with the people who put it together. You can also provide your thoughts on it while here. The meeting is in our office at SRTC, 221 W. First Ave., Suite 310, Spokane, WA 99201.  

For those who would like to submit comments but can't attend the meeting, a public comment period runsthrough 4 p.m. on Friday, October 2. Comments can be emailed to

contact.srtc@srtc.org, mailed to SRTC at the address above, or phoned in to (509) 343-6370.

Air Pollution Could Kill 6.6 Million by 2050

Air contaminated with pollutants such as ozone and tiny particles could cause the premature death of about 6.6 million people a year by 2050 if nothing is done to improve air quality, the website Helpinus is reporting. 

A study published in the journal Nature today says that outdoor air pollution, a large amount of it caused by vehicles, already kills about 3.3 million people a year around the world. Air pollution deaths are most commonly from heart disease, strokes or the lung disease known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  It is also linked to deaths from lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

So what is SRTC doing to try to keep this from happening? We have an Air Quality Planner on staff to make sure that projects we help to fund and support don't cause air quality issues. For instance, adding a traffic light or a turn lane at new locations causes cars to idle and emit pollution. While this generally isn't a major problem, in areas that already have air quality problems, it can be an issue. For more information on local air quality, including problem areas and what our Air Quality Planner looks for, check out our web page on Air Quality.

"Smart" Bike Bell Helps Riders Find Their Bikes In Crowded Amsterdam Bike Parking Lots

How do you find your bike in this mess?

How do you find your car in a busy parking lot? A lot of people will use their alarm system to flash the lights or make a noise. In Amsterdam, there are similar parking lots- for bikes. So without an alarm system, how do you know which is yours in the sea of metal? By using a bike bell of course. Not the old school bell though- a new "smart bell." A new app allows you to ring the bell, alerting you to your bike's location. At night, you have the option of activating a light instead of ringing the bell.

You can find out more about this technology from Mother Nature Network.

Riders Form Their Own Union In Response to Subway System Problems

Okay, so if you work at a transit agency, you are usually part of a union. But now some actual transit riders have formed their own union. The Washington Post reports that Metro riders in Washington, D.C. are so tired of service reductions, delays and over crowded trains that they've started a riders union and held their first organizations meeting.

The group has already grown to over 400 members and organizers say it will serve as a unified voice for the public. The group is also hoping to get a rider representative on Metro's Board.

Dress Up That Crosswalk Seattle!

Plain old white crosswalks are so 2014. King 5 News is reporting that the city of Seattle announced Monday that residents there can now apply to get a special painted crosswalk in their neighborhood. As an example, in June, rainbow-striped crosswalks were installed on Capitol Hill in honor of LGBT Pride Week.

Entries will be selected based on a number of criteria, including:

• Suggested location: the location must already have a marked crosswalk
• Pavement condition: pavement in good condition helps the paint bond
• Design: must include two white horizontal stripes with standard design and reflectivity, designs can only contain horizontal or vertical strikes, no text or symbols allowed

Seattle says the cost of the crosswalks is usually $25 per square foot, but varies based on the length of the sidewalk, the design, and how the installation will interfere with traffic. Painted crosswalks generally last 3-5 years.

"Smart Benches" Charge Electronics and Even Count Pedestrians

Benches in metropolitan areas are fairly common, but not some of the ones that are popping up around Boston, Jersey City and Austin. According to the Governing website, as part of a pilot program, "smart benches" are being installed that use solar panels to charge mobile devices and they include sensors that collect and share data with area government agencies.

For instance, record heat and noise levels and count passing pedestrian foot traffic. In Spokane we do an annual bike and pedestrian count. Imagine if we could just plop these benches in the area where the counts usually take place and let them do the work for us.

So why would we care about a bench that can count pedestrians? It can help justify projects that improve conditions for walkers. The data gathered can also be used when applying for grants to pay for those projects. And there's an economic aspect. If you can show potential new businesses an area of high foot traffic, they may be inclined to move to the area.

One drawback though is the price. A standard bench is between $2,000-$3,000. These smart benches start around $4,000 and can go way up from there. 

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- Removal and replacement of bridge. A marked detour is in place while the bridge is closed.     

Old Trails/ Inland Road- Reconstruction and paving from Riverside State Park to Marchand Rd. Lane restrictions on Seven Mile Rd. to the state park.

Elliot Road Culvert Replacement- Highway 206 reduced to one lane in the area of Elliot Rd. and a temporary traffic signal has been installed.

WSDOT

I-90 Westbound & SR 902 Interchange Area- On Monday, Sept. 14, beginning at about 9 a.m. until as late as 3 p.m., expect lane restrictions with flaggers directing traffic at the westbound interchange on/off ramp intersection and the SR 902/Hayford Rd. Intersection. Crews will be patching pavement.

US 195-Southbound/I-90 to Excelsior Road- Southbound US 195 is reduced to one lane in multiple work areas with possible slower traffic for replacement of pavement panels. Work is underway from 8 pm, Saturday evening, Sept. 12 through Monday morning, Set. 14 at 6 a.m. in the vicinity of the Cheney-Spokane Road Interchange. A temporary speed reduction of 45 MPH is in effect for the southbound lanes.  

SR 290-Trent Ave./Sullivan Road to Idaho State Line- From about 6 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. the following morning, rumble strip and guide post installation, plus pavement striping work will be underway along SR 290 between Wellesley and the State Line.  During these hours drivers should expect delays of up to 20 minutes with flaggers and pilot cars directing single lane traffic. 

SPOKANE VALLEY

32^nd and Collins - Narrow lanes from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. through October. A pedestrian detour is posted when students are arriving and departing from U-City High School.

Argonne and Valleyway - One lane of Argonne and a portion of Valleyway is closed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through late October. Two-way traffic will be maintained on Valleyway. Pedestrians are expected to use the existing crosswalk on the north side of the intersection.

Indiana at Spokane Valley Mall Entrance #2 - One  lane in each direction on Indiana is closed from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. through late October. Access to the mall will be maintained.

Long between Sprague and 2^nd - Narrowed lanes from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. through early October. Access from Long to Sprague will be closed at times, detour via 2^nd to Manifold. 

Manifold at Sprague - Access from Manifold to Sprague will be closed at times from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. until early October, detour via 2^nd to Long. Pedestrian detour will be posted

Mansfield Avenue between Pines Rd and Houk Rd.- Narrow lanes from 7 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. through late September for utility work and road reconstruction.  Traffic may be reduced to one lane at times with flaggers.  

Mullan and Valleyway - One lane of Mullan and a portion of Valleyway will be closed from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. through late October. Two-way traffic will be maintained on Valleyway. Pedestrians are expected to use the existing crosswalk on the north side of the intersection.

Sprague between Appleway and Arties - Expect narrow lanes from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. until early October. Pedestrian detour will be posted.

Sullivan from Trent to Wellesley - Reduced to one lane each direction through early September. 

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.  Traffic is reduced to one lane northbound and two lanes southbound. 

·         Expect reductions to one lane southbound Monday through Friday between 5:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

·         Northbound traffic is restricted to vehicles ten feet wide or less.  Oversized vehicles should use Barker or Pines as alternatives.

·         Turns from Indiana onto northbound Sullivan are reduced to one lane.

·         Expect construction vehicles in the project area. 

·         The Centennial Trail below the bridge will be closed Monday through Friday all hours with signs redirecting trail users onto surface streets. 

SPOKANE CITY

Hillyard Hippie Happening- The 6^th Annual Hillyard Hippie Happening is this Saturday. Both Queen and Olympic Avenue will be closed between Haven and Greene Street. 

Hatch Road Reopens- Friday, September 11 the City is reopening 43^rd Avenue from Scott Street to Grand Boulevard. 43^rd Avenue from Scott to Garfield Street will remain closed for sewer work. 

Front Avenue Sewer Repair- Work to install 60 feet of new sewer main and repair the existing sewer main starts Monday, Sept. 14. 

First Avenue from Helena to Altamont- This residential grind and overlay project resumes Monday, Sept. 14. Closure of 1^st Avenue will last until October. The corner of Napa and 1^st will be closed to thru traffic with a detour traffic route provided.

Grind and Overlay Projects- Work includes subgrade repair, crack sealing, modifying ADA ramps, striping and traffic control on these two projects:

o   Friday, August 28 till Friday, September 11

§  Dakota Street from Montgomery Avenue to North Foothills Drive

o   Friday, September 11 till Tuesday, October 6

§  F Street from Rosamond Avenue to 6^th Avenue

Hartson Avenue from Altamont Street to Fiske Street- Hartson is closed.This project includes rebuilding the roadway, filling sidewalk gaps, replacing curbing where needed and installing ADA curb ramps. The project will also include replacement of water lines.

Monore/Lincoln Street Couplet, 4th Avenue to 2nd Avenue- Work on Cedar Street between 3^rd and 4^th avenues is complete. Jefferson Street from 3^rd to 4^th is closed for mainline installation. 4th Avenue from Jefferson to Monroe is also closed for mainline installation. Lincoln and Monroe Street both have limited access along the east half of the street from 2^nd to 4^th Avenue. The project includes reconstruction of the street from 2^nd to 4^th Avenues and will replace the asphalt surfacing, including ADA ramps as needed. 

Ray/Thor Street from 29th Avenue to 17th Avenue- Ray Street is reduced to one lane of traffic in both directions. No left hand turns are permitted. Side streets are closed. Improvements include the use of preservation treatments that include crack sealing, grind and overlay and pavement rejuvenation techniques. Pedestrian improvements include upgrades to ADA curb ramps and minor curb and sidewalk repairs.

Rowan Avenue Improvements- This project includes reconstruction of the street from Driscoll Blvd. to Monroe Street. The project also includes installation of bike lanes, filling sidewalk gaps and replacing water lanes.

Phase 2 of High Drive, Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard- This project includes pavement reconstruction, storm, sewer, swales, and water main replacement. The road is closed from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard with local access only. 

Erie Street from 1st Avenue to the BNSF Overpass- Work starts Monday, Sept. 14 to pave the unpaved portion of Erie Street from 1^st Avenue to the BNSF overpass, which marks the future Martin Luther King Jr. Way alignment.  

Havana Street from Glenrose Road to 37th Avenue- Glenrose is closed to traffic. Work has begun at the intersection of Freya and 44^th. Improvements include full width pavement replacement, filling sidewalk gaps and bicycle lanes. This project will also include installation of a water transmission main between 37^th Avenue and 57^th Avenue.

Downtown Bicycle Network Completion- Crews will be removing striping on Main Street between Howard and Bernard. This work will have lane closures and possible lane shifts. These delays are from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and expected to end Friday, September 11. This project will include restriping roadways to include bike lanes throughout downtown and appropriate signage.

Spokefest Road Closures- The eighth annual SpokeFest will feature four biking routes for bikers of all abilities and ages. Closures for this event include:

o   Spokane Falls closed at Stevens from 7 to 10 a.m.

o   Post closed north of Spokane Falls 5 a.m. to 5 p.m.

o   Howard closed Main to Spokane Falls 7 to 10 a.m.

o   Monroe Street closed 8:25 to 8:50 a.m. and 9:25 to 9:50 a.m.

o   Government Way closed northbound from Riverside 8:30 to 11 a.m.

o   Riverside St Park Rd closed 8 a.m to 12 a.m.

o   Aubrey White Parkway southbound from Rifle Club Road to Petit Drive 10am to 2pm.