Crusader Highlights Potholes With Dirty Drawings; Gets Them Filled ASAP

Here's something interesting for your Thursday afternoon; a one-man (I assume) pothole activist armed with a can of spray paint is getting results. According to the Manchester Evening News, the mystery crusader is drawing attention to potholes by drawing male appendages around them. I try to include a photo with every blog post, but I'm not doing so this time, for good reason.

Not surprisingly, his unconventional approach is spurring street crews to repair the potholes as quick as possible, sometimes within 48 hours of being "decorated" with the drawings. Citizens seem to approve and someone has even started a Facebook fan page for the crusader. Local officials aren't so amused though, with one calling the drawings stupid, insulting to residents and offensive to families walking young children to school.

Self-Driving Cars Confused by Lack of Lane Markings

A common complaint in Spokane (after the number of potholes) is the lack of clear lane markings.
Striping wears off from weather exposure, age and plowing and sometimes it's hard to tell which lane you are in, or if there is even more than one lane.

Apparently humans aren't the only ones confused by bad lane markings; they play havoc with self-driving cars as well. Yahoo says the lack of markers caused Volvo's version of the self-driving car to refuse to drive itself during an event at the Los Angeles Auto Show recently. Apparently it was confused about what was the actual lane and couldn't make a judgement without striping to guide it.

Automakers are adding extra sensors that sense guard rails, barriers, and other lanes to combat this problem, but that adds cost to the price of the car- about $4,000 extra. Radar is also an option, as it uses radio waves to bounce of objects and determine where barriers are. But again, that adds cost for the buyer of the car.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Taking on Highways That Go Through Neighborhoods

Anthony Foxx, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary, wants to make some changes when it comes to highways.

The Spokesman-Review's Getting There blog says he announced yesterday an effort to move away from major highway building and says he is supported by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee in this.

According to the Atlantic, Foxx  will launch an effort "to push federal, state, and local transportation decision-makers to make transportation projects more inclusive." His idea is to 'connect people to opportunity' when they make transportation decisions and so far he’s gotten the governors of Virginia, Nevada, and Washington to sign on, as well as Baltimore’s mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake."

Currently, Foxx's plan is just an initiative and has no power or enforcement. But considering his position, he's well-connected to influence elected officials at the state and local levels. And with Inslee interested, it could have a definite impact on transportation projects here in our state.

Foxx claims this plan goes back to his childhood. He grew up in Charlotte in the shadow of two freeways. When his grandparents bought the home in 1961, the area was a traditional neighborhood; an interconnected network of streets and homes. When the two freeways came through, the house and  neighboring ones were cut off from the rest of the city. There was one road in and out and the neighborhood slowly became a place where no one wanted to live or open a business.

Foxx says he wants to prevent this kind of thing from happening in the future.

Online Public Forum On US 195 and SR 26 Safety Improvements

The Washington State Department of Transportation is trying something new! Because not everyone who drives US 195 lives along it, the WSDOT is offering an online public forum to discuss safety concerns along US 195 and State Route 26 near Pullman at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5. This means people won't be required to drive long distances to attend a meeting in order to have their opinion heard.

The interactive, town hall-style meeting will provide participants the opportunity to stream the live video and submit questions and comments in real time, all without having to leave home.

Representatives from WSDOT, Washington State University and the Washington State Patrol will be on the panel. The organizer of an online petition that asked WSDOT to address the public’s safety concerns will also participate. WSDOT will present information on upcoming improvements to the highways and WSP will address driver-safety issues.

Two fatalities on US 195 and SR 26 last Thanksgiving weekend led to increasing concerns regarding collisions and driver safety on these highways, the main routes to and from the WSU campus.

Those wishing to participate remotely will need to sign in with a Google user name and password. Questions or comments can also be submitted in advance or during the meeting via email. WSDOT partnered with WSU, which is providing the studio location and technical expertise, to produce the forum.

To participate, go here and sign in with a Google user name and password.

Ladies Only Ridesharing App

Ladies travelling alone- do cabs, Uber and Lyft make you feel vaguely uncomfortable when taking them late at night? A new ridesharing app could remedy that, according to MassLive.

A former Boston-area Uber driver is launching a similar service, but exclusively for women. "Chariot for Women" is expected to launch nationwide on April 19. Michael Pelletz came up with the idea because a handful of women have been sexually assaulted after using rideshare services.

Art Unveiling Below the Sullivan Road Bridge

You are invited to an event on Saturday, April 16 from 10-11 a.m. to unveil some artwork that will brighten up the community.

Students from seven Spokane Valley schools painted 23 four-foot by eight-foot panels with Spokane Valley-themed designs that will temporarily be displayed along the Centennial Trail below the Sullivan Road Bridge during the construction of the new southbound bridge.

Spokane Valley Mayor Rod Higgins will be present for the festivities along with City Councilmembers, and KHQ weather anchor Leslie Lowe. Parking and access to the event is available at the Hansen Center parking lot at the northwest corner of Sullivan and Indiana.

This art unveiling event is to recognize the students and staff from Dishman Hills High School, East Farms STEAM Magnet School, East Valley High School, Pasadena Park Elementary School, Pioneer School, Spokane Valley High School, and Valley Christian School as well as other volunteers who helped bring color to the Sullivan Bridge.

Renovations Start in April on the STA Plaza

Remodeling of the Spokane Transit Authority Plaza is finally ready to get underway. In the plans since 2008, the Plaza's $3.5 million face lift has been delayed for multiple reasons.


According to the Spokesman-Review, the yearlong construction project starts in April and will consolidate transit services on the first floor and renovate the second floor for other uses.

Here is what the remodel includes:

• Customer service will be moved from the second to the first floor and combined with security.
• The Sprague Avenue side of the building will be opened up with indoor waiting areas and windows.
• Retail space on the second floor will be eliminated and new retail space will be built on the west wall of the first floor to go along with an existing Subway sandwich shop.
• The first-floor rotunda will be made available as commercial space.
• The existing escalator will be removed and a new escalator  built along the south wall.
• The two cougar sculptures will be moved to the exterior of a new elevator on the south side.
• An interior construction wall will be erected so bus operations can continue during the work.

Major work will be performed at night so as to not disrupt Plaza operations. The Plaza will close to riders at 8 p.m. Bus loading zones will not be changed.

New Tune Replaces Chirping Bird at Canadian Intersections

The bird chirp is getting edged out by the Canadian Melody for the most common sound heard at Prince George crosswalks in British Columbia.

According to CBC News, the four-tone tune is replacing the sound of a bird chirping at crosswalks across Canada and was recently brought to Prince George.

The melody was created because officials worried the sound of birds chirping was too easy for real birds to mimic. This could be confusing to visually impaired people who rely on the sound to  help them cross streets more safely by alerting them to the walk signal and providing directional sounds to move towards.

Pedestrians say the new tune is similar to an ice cream truck or the horn of a clown car (really? A clown car??). Some have even called it annoying. But the point is that it is loud and clear.

Device Developed to Prevent Hot Car Deaths

It happens fairly often; a child gets left in a hot car in the summer and either dies or suffers serious
injuries. We wonder how someone could just forget to take their child out of the car but people say they just have so much on their minds these days, and if a child is quiet and sleeping, it sometimes slips their mind that they aren't in the car alone. Two Florida dads invented a device to hopefully prevent this from happening in the future.

According to Fox 29, Sense-A-Life uses a voice alert that goes off when a car door is opened to remind parents to take the child out. If ignored for a certain amount of time, a second alert is sent to a second parent or designated adult.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at least 30 children died from heat strokes in cars in 2014, the latest year with data available. It is the second most common cause of death for children under the age of 14, besides crashes.

The inventors are now looking for investors to take the device worldwide and starting a Kickstarter.com campaign.

Spokane City Construction Projects Getting Underway

·         1^ST Avenue from Erie Street to Altamont Street- Work from this project from last year has resumed on 1^st Avenue from Helena to Altamont Street.  Traffic impacts are minimal.  This project is a pavement preservation project with ADA ramps, striping, and pavement work.

Bridge Inspections- Cliff Avenue Bridge and 9^th Avenue Bridge will be inspected Friday, March 25 at the south end of Ben Garnett way, 8 a.m. to 2p.m. Work will begin southbound on the curb lane and move to the outside lane.  Work will begin northbound first on Cliff Avenue and then move to 9^th Ave Bridge.

Hartson Avenue from Altamont Street to Fiske Street-  Work has begun between Smith Street and Altamont Street on this project carried over from last year.  Access will be limited.This project includes full depth roadway section of traveled way, fill sidewalk gaps, replace curbing where needed and install ADA curb ramps. The project will also include replacement of water lines.

Havana Street Improvements from Glenrose Road to 37^TH Avenue- Work on Havana Street resumes Monday, March 28 and requires a full closure of the street.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.

Indiana Avenue from Dakota to Perry Street- The water department is conducting pre-construction work along this project. Indiana will have temporary closures at times with a detour route during this scheduled work.This project includes curb ramps, storm swales, new curb, waterline replacement, signal installation work and some parking removal.

Monroe Street- Work resumes March 28 on Monroe Street from 4th Ave south to 8^th Ave.  Monroe Street will be closed to thru traffic.

o   Work begins at  7a.m. in both Lincoln and Monroe Streets

o   Lincoln will be re-striped to accommodate two-way traffic

o   After restriping is complete, mid day, Monroe Street will close

o   The signal at 4^th and Monroe will shut down at this time

o   The on ramp for eastbound traffic at Monroe will remain open for the first two weeks of the project

o   Traffic exiting Maple Street eastbound will be detoured off of 4^th at Jefferson Street

o   In two weeks, the eastbound on ramp will close for two weeks for work across the ramp, when complete (approx two weeks) the ramp will open again

o   The alternative route during the Lincoln Monroe Project is the converted two-way traffic on Lincoln.  This is for local access and access to businesses. 

o   The official detour route is Stevens and is clearly marked

o   Alternative routes are not clearly marked as they are local and business access routes

o   Due to some work in 4^th Ave at the start of the project Lincoln will be inaccessible from Monroe on 4^th during the first few weeks.  

o   During that phase, Lincoln will be accessible via 3^rd to Wall then back from the east on either 4^th or 5^th.  This will be during the work in the Monroe/4^th intersection and 4^th Ave. which should last about 3 weeks. 

This project reconstructs the roadway from 8^th to 2^nd Avenue and installs storm water and water facilities.  The portion of this project that reconstructed the street from 2^nd to 4^th Avenues is substantially complete.

NON-CITY OBSTRUCTION CLOSURES

·    - Piersol Construction will close Havana St. between 23^rd and 24^th from 03/25 to 04/01 for sewer work.- Graham Construction & Management will close Washington (100% to include street and sidewalks) between Maxwell & Indiana on 03/26 for water work.

     - H & S Construction to close 50% of Hartson between Government Way and Substitute St. from 03/24 to 03/28 for water work.

     - SDS Construction will be closing the sidewalk, parking lane and 2 meters on the south side of Sprague between Washington & Bernard from 03/21 to 04/01 for sidewalk repairs.

Are American Fire Trucks Too Big?

Are American fire trucks too large? That's what the Fire Chief website is asking. Fire apparatus has become super-sized in the United States and prohibitivly expensive. The average price of a Type I engine costs $400,000 to $600,000 and a 100-foot aerial ladder is over $1 million.

With traffic congestion and rush-hour gridlock plaguing many large cities, there is another aspect for public discussion regarding super-sized fire apparatus: how wide should the streets be in our cities? Do we need big and expensive trucks on the road for mostly medical calls and car wrecks? Fire apparatus used in Western Europe are highly maneuverable on the narrow, winding streets, and have a much smaller apparatus footprint than American rigs. Fire departments in Europe and Asia are using smaller rapid response vehicles as primary tools in their urban firefighting deployment strategies.

Check the link to see strategies other countries are using to keep people safe without rolling out the big trucks every time.

Monroe Temporarily Converting to Two Way Traffic

With work resuming on the Monroe/Lincoln Street Couplet, Lincoln Street will be used for two-way traffic starting Monday, March 28. Lincoln will be converted to north and southbound traffic from 4^th to 7^th Avenues.

Construction on the couplet this year will focus on 4^th to 8^th Avenues. Crews begin work on Monroe Street Monday, which will close the roadway to through traffic. 

Lincoln will be converted to two-way to accommodate the traffic that will be diverted from Monroe downtown. After work on Monroe finishes over the coming months, construction will shift over to Lincoln Street. At that time, Monroe will open up to southbound traffic only (Monroe cannot be converted to two-way) and Lincoln will close. Construction on the couplet is expected to be completed in mid-July.

This year’s construction on Monroe/Lincoln is a continuation of work along the couplet from the 2015 construction season. The portion of the project that reconstructed the street from 2^nd to 4^th Avenues is substantially complete.

Experiencing Technical Difficulties

Due to our move to a new office late last week, SRTC is still without network or Internet connectivity.  That means we have very limited access to email. If you need to contact us, please call 509-343-6370. At this point,  it isn't clear how long it could be before we are fully up and running. 

Spokane City Construction Updates

A couple construction alerts for you from the City of Spokane. And don't forget to check our online interactive 2016 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map to see what will be constructed in your neighborhood or on your commute route this year.

Hartson Avenue from Altamonth Street to Fiske Street- Work resumes March 21 from Smith Street to Altamont Street. This project includes a full depth reconstruction of the roadway, filling sidewalk gaps, replacing curbing where needed and installing ADA curb ramps. The project will also include replacement of water lines.

Indiana Avenue from Dakota to Perty Street- The water department is conducting pre-construction work along this project.  Indiana will have temporary closures at times with a detour route during this scheduled work.

This project will include curb ramps, storm swales, new curb, waterline replacement, signal installation work and some parking removal

Last Day In Our Old Office

There's nothing left. This is my office today, pretty much empty, just waiting to have that one bin carted away and my computer. After ten years in this normally-cluttered office, today is my last day here. When I first came to SRTC from the City of Spokane, this space was a cubicle I shared with an engineer. She moved out, then moved on, and later the cubicle walls were removed and actual walls put up to make it into an honest-to-goodness office.

Now, after being located in the Intermodal Center since sometime in the 1990's, this is our last day here. Monday, we go to our new office on the fifth floor of the Paulsen Center and start unpacking our new office.

This space was too big for us and would have cost us more in the long run. And it was just time for a change. While there have been some good times in this office, I'm not sure I will miss it. I think ten years is enough for anyone before a change of scenery is welcomed.

Left Lane Camper Emphasis Patrol

Normally law enforcement officers are looking for speeders. But this week they will be looking for
people driving too slow. In the left lane. The most common complaint I hear about after potholes and the need for expanded transit service.

An emphasis patrol targeting "left lane campers" is underway today and tomorrow. According to MyNorthwest.com, State Troopers from all across Washington will be looking for people who impede the flow of traffic by driving slow in the left lane, which is traditionally the passing lane.

These drivers, going under the speed limit, cause congestion and safety issues and wrecks when people behind them get aggressive and tailgate.

March Transportation Technical Committee Meeting Cancelled

A reminder that the Transportation Technical Committee (TTC) meeting scheduled for next Wednesday, March 23, has been cancelled due to a lack of agenda items. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the TTC is Wednesday, April 27 at 1:30 p.m. That meeting will be held at our new office at 421 W. Riverside Ave. 

Use Your Smartphone to Avoid Road Construction Delays

How did it get to be mid-March already?? Well, however it happened March means construction around here. There are already two City of Spokane construction projects starting next week and many more will follow when this rain lets up.

Unfortunately, with construction comes traffic delays sometimes. Because traffic jams and backups cost us all time and money, SRTC each year puts together an interactive map of all the road construction projects across Spokane County that will impact traffic. You can check out the 2016 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map below or click "view map full size" to go to SRTC's map page.

You can use the map on any device- computer, tablet or smartphone. Zoom in to your neighborhood to see smaller projects or follow your commute route to see what upcoming projects could slow you down. Click on the icons to get a description of a project, or follow the project sponsor link for more information.

As the construction season progresses, the Regional Road Construction map will be updated to reflect when projects are completed or new ones start. The map is updated weekly. All projects planned for the year will be on the map at all times, but they will be opaque until construction actually starts, then transparent again after they are completed. 

So check it out and plan ahead in order to avoid projects that could slow you down.

View larger map

Seattle Business/Political Leaders Get Together to Address Transpo System Flaws

Former Governor Christine Gregoire joins with the heads
of Seattle businesses to announce "Challenge Seattle."

Seattle is taking a long hard look at it's transportation system and saying "it's not good enough." According to GeekWire, leaders from the region's public and private sectors have started a new non-profit initiative led by former governor Christine Gregoire called Challenge Seattle. It includes participation from 17 major companies like Boeing, Amazon and Microsoft and will take on issues like education, job creation, and now, transportation.

The group yesterday announced a plan to address a transportation system that's not up to par with the rest of what the City has to offer. It includes making I-5 into a “smart corridor”; building a better framework for coordinated operations and planning; putting citizens at the center of transportation planning; maintaining existing assets; creating a sustainable funding model; and integrating planning and policy development officials.

Challenge Seattle also committed to have no more than 35 percent of its employees commuting via single-occupancy vehicles by 2035. Microsoft is contributing by offering space on its campus to test intelligent highway solutions as part of the initiative.

SRTC Makes the Big Move Friday

If you haven't picked up on this from a million other recent posts, SRTC is moving. Soon. As in this week. So make a note of it. The office will be closed, and no one answering phones, this Friday, March 18 while all or our furniture, desks, computers, electronics, etc. are moved to our new home at the Paulsen Center, about a block away.

Starting Monday, March 21, we will be in our new office at 421 W. Riverside Ave., Suite 500, and will be answering phones. There isn't expected to be any hiccups in email or getting our computer system back online in the new location, but be patient with us because problems happen sometimes. 

The Paulsen Building is two blocks east of the STA Plaza and served by all Spokane Transit bus routes. Please refer to STA’s website for routes to the Paulsen Building at https://www.spokanetransit.com/. From eastbound I-90 use either Exit 281 (Division St) or Exit 280B (Lincoln St). From westbound I-90 use either Exit E280 (4^th Ave/Monroe) or Exit 281 (Division St). 

Paid parking is available at various surface lots around the Paulsen Building, the closest being

 at the southeast corner of Washington St & Riverside Ave, the southwest corner of Washington St & Sprague Ave, and the southeast corner of Howard St & Riverside Ave.

Crazy Pictures of Seattle's SR 520 Floating Bridge in Yesterday's Storm

Did you see the pictures out of Seattle yesterday of the waves swamping the SR 520 floating bridge during a windstorm? They're pretty crazy.

The bridge was closed down, according to Q13 Fox News, after 50 mph winds slammed waves into the bridge deck and even threw driftwood into the traffic lanes.

The bridge was shut down at 2:30 p.m. Sundays for several hours and an inspection afterward revealed damage to the mechanical system that raises and lowers the draw span. Despite the damage, the WSDOT says the bridge is structurally sounds and is reopen to traffic today.  

American Airlines Changing Terminals At Spokane International Airport

If you fly American Airlines, you will be going to a new location to check in and catch your plane
next time you fly out of Spokane International Airport. American is moving from the A/B concourse to the C terminal to be closer to Alaska Airlines, with which it's developed an alliance. That means passengers changing plans from American to Alaska, or vice versa, will not have to move between terminals and go through security checkpoints a second time.

Also, Spokane Transit Authority turns 35, the Washington State Department of Transportation is addressing concerns over the safety of U.S. 195 and State Highway 26, and work starts on two Spokane City projects this month. It's all in today's Spokesman-Review Getting There column.

Expect Some Congestion If You Come Downtown Tomorrow

If you will be downtown for business or to shop tomorrow, remember that it could be a zoo with the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade happening. All parade route streets will be closed by 11 a.m. Any vehicles parked along the parade route will be towed before 9 a.m., Saturday, March 12.   

No parking signs will be set up and meters will be bagged.  Any city block that has "No Parking" signs out will be strictly enforced; this includes parking between the signs. Cars parked at any parking meters bagged, Friday, March 11, will need to move their car by 8 a.m., Saturday, March 12. NOTE: This year's Parade Route has changed. Click the map below to view it full size.

o   Staging on Washington south of Boone

o   Entries move into downtown on Washington

o   South from Spokane Falls Blvd to Riverside on Washington

o   West on Riverside from Washington 

o   North on Stevens from Riverside 

o   North to Spokane Falls Blvd

o   West on Spokane Falls from Stevens

o   Finish in front of City Hall

Anticipated parade completion is between 2 and 3 p.m. 

Map courtesy the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick

How Does Your Car Spend It's Time?

All those cars just waiting for us to get off work...

It's 9:40, do you know where your car is? Mine is at the park n ride until 5:30 tonight. After that it According to Streetsblog, cars are very inefficient forms of transportation for many reason, but the biggest being that most the time they just sit there taking up space.
will be in my driveway until 7:00 tomorrow morning. It seems to sit around a lot. Apparently that's the case with most people's cars.

According to a UK report on parking put out last year by the RAC Foundation “… there are about 25 billion car trips per year, and with some 27 million cars, this suggests an average of just under 18 trips per car every week. Since the duration of the average car trip is about 20 minutes, the typical car is only on the move for 6 hours in the week: for the remaining 162 hours it is stationary – parked.”

With 168 hours in a week, that means the typical UK car is parked 96.5% of the time. The point? The massive savings we could reap if cars were used more efficiently such as with car-sharing or on-demand services like taxis or Uber.

Spokane Police Looking For Owners of Stolen Bikes

Not sure how I missed this late last week but I did. If your bike has been stolen, Spokane police may have it. SPD is hoping to return a collection of stolen bikes and bike parts to their rightful owners.

Officers last week arrested a man on investigation of possession of stolen property after discovering bicycles in “various stages of disrepair” in the vehicle he was riding in. They went to the man's home and found more bike parts and other items they believed were stolen. This added four additional stolen property charges, as well as a drug possession charge, to the man's problems.

Now the department is hoping to return people's property to them. The department posted photos of the recovered items on its Facebook page. Anyone who thinks a bike or other item belongs to them should call Officer Stephanie Kennedy at (509) 370-1583.

You are also encouraged to register your bike online in case it ever is stolen on the City of Spokane website or at a local COPS Shop.

U.S. Drivers Are Distracted 50% of the Time

The only thing he doesn't have going on is smoking a
cigarette too.

We're definitely a distracted nation but these numbers scare me. A new study out of Virginia Tech published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences last month says drivers are distracted more than 50 percent of the time.

Citylab reports that nearly 70 percent of the crashes the researchers analyzed for the study involved some type of observable distraction. The study's lead says this could because the younger population of drivers, particularly teens, are more prone to engaging in distracting activities while driving; particularly using cell phones.

For study, the Virginia Tech researchers, used 3,500 study participants who agreed to let researchers mount cameras, sensors, and radar inside their vehicles, tracking and filming the drivers everywhere they went for a three-year period.

What did they see? Mostly cell phones. Drivers were observed dialing a phone just 0.14 percent of the time, but still raised the odds of an accident by a factor of 12 compared to what the researchers call “model driving,” or driving while “alert, attentive, and sober.” Texting occurred 1.91 percent of the time, leading to a risk increase by a factor of six. Drivers talked on the phone 3.24 percent of the time, and chatting more than doubled the risk of an incident. Just reaching for a handheld cell phone increased the odds of an accident nearly five times.

Researchers also witnessed "driving while emotional;" aka being sad, crying or displaying "emotional agitations." This only happened about 0.2 percent of the time, but it increased the risk of an incident by nearly 1000 percent compared to model driving.

What distractions seemed a-okay? Applying makeup while driving didn’t appear to be as risk-averse as you would think. Eating and drinking (nonalcoholic beverages obviously) didn’t make much of a difference, either.

Drug and alcohol use was observed just 0.1 percent of the time, but it increased the risk of crash by a factor of 40.

Spokane County Receives Federal Funds to Cut down on Vehicle-Pedestrian Collisions

From 2010 through 2014, Spokane County had 24 pedestrian fatalities and 123 pedestrian serious injuries. 

Because of this significant pedestrian safety issue, the Spokane County Target Zero Task Force has received federal funding from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) to implement Pedestrian Safety Zones to reduce pedestrian fatalities and serious injury crashes. The money will be used to conduct a data-driven education and enforcement campaign focusing in high pedestrian activity areas. 

Spokane County’s Pedestrian Accident Data:

Most pedestrian fatal and serious injury crashes occur:

·         During clear weather (70.6%).

·         Between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. (45.9%).

·         With pedestrians in the roadway (41.2%).

The primary pedestrian contributing factors were:

·         Failure to yield (27.1%).

·         Impairment (21.2%).

·         Distraction (12.9%).

The primary driver contributing factors were:

·         Failure to yield (38.8%)

·         Distraction (16.5%)

·         Impairment (5.9%)

This is the only info I have at this point (sent out in a news release from Spokane County) so I will provide updates as I receive them.

Milan Proposes Paying Commuters to Bike to Work

Smog is so bad in Milan some days that pedestrians wear
masks.

Around here, we talk a lot about what would get people to change their transportation behavior. For instance, if you drive to work alone now, what would convince you to maybe ride the bus or ride your bike to work everyday instead? Would more bike lanes or better sidewalks convince you? Buses that come more often or run later? Or would it come down to cold, hard cash to get you to change your way?

That's what officials in Milan think. According to Money, city officials there are proposing to pay people to commute via bicycle in order to lower smog levels. Like Spokane, Milan lies in a low valley, where air pollution can get trapped. Unlike Spokane, it is considered one of the most polluted cities in Europe.

This idea isn't the first step in cleaning up the air. City officials recently banned cars from the city center, offered discount tickets on public transit and added 50% more bike lanes and bike share stations around the city. 

Toyota Builds A Device That Could Help Visually Impaired People Navigate Buildings

Toyota is branching out from just making cars. According to Fortune, the company's robotics division has a new product in development that could help the blind and visually impaired navigate through indoor spaces.

The auto giant yesterday unveiled "Project BLAID," a wearable device that resembles a small non-plush neck travel pillow that is worn on a shoulder. It contains cameras that Toyota claims can recognize escalators, stairs, and doors.

Speakers and vibration motors built into the device communicate information about the surroundings to the user, such as wear doors are located, signs for restrooms and other objects.

So far, no word from Toyota on when this device will be available to the public.

Area Residents Asking For Quiet Zones from Train Horns

A growing number of area residents are asking for railroad quiet zones in Spokane Valley and Cheney. According to the Spokesman-Review, these horn-free zones can be established if communities invest in extra safety measures at railroad crossings. Without the added measures, federal law requires trains to sound their horns at between 96 to 110 decibels as they approach at-grade crossings and continue to do so until the train clears the intersection.

In areas where there are multiple crossings in a short distance, such as between Barker Road and Evergreen Road, this can mean a lot of honking for people living near there, especialy with up to 70 trains passing through the area daily.

In the past, Spokane Valley and Cheney residents have lobbied elected officials for quiet zones, but failed due to the cost of safety equipment that has to be installed which can run to several hundred thousand dollars per crossing.

In 2011, Spokane Valley residents asked for a quiet zone but the City of Spokane Valley Council didn't want to pay for an engineering study, despite having 38 rail crossings where trains blow their horns. Mayor Rod Higgins says it would take more than one or two quiet zones to make a difference in noise levels.

Four years ago, an engineering study estimated the cost of creating a quiet zone through Cheney at more than $1 million. That wasn't an option at the time so the cause was abandoned. Now Cheney Mayor Tom Trulove (an SRTC Board member) wants recommendations from the Federal Railroad Administration on additional safety measures to install at Cheney’s crossings. If the horns cease, Trulove wants assurance that pedestrians and vehicles aren’t at higher risk for getting hit by trains.

In Vancouver, Washington, citizens got a quiet zone by paying for safety upgrades themselves.
Homeowners living closest to the tracks pay $150 per year through a local improvement district. People who live farther from the tracks pay $45 per year. Those payments will continue for 20 years.

SRTC Board Meeting This Thursday

The March meeting of the SRTC Board is this Thursday, March 10 at 1 p.m. at the SRTC office at 221 W. 1st Ave., Suite 310. The agenda can be found here. Everyone is welcome at all SRTC committee meetings so feel free to attend if anything on the agenda catches your attention.

An early heads up- the April Board meeting has been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. And the May meeting will be held at our new office in the Paulsen Center. More information will be provided as that comes closer.

Spokane Valley Council Votes to Return Federal Grant Money

In a time when there isn't enough money for transportation projects to go around, it's rare that someone actually gives back grant money. But that's what happened Tuesday night when the Spokane Valley City Council voted to rescind the Valley’s part of a federal Community Development Block Grant allotted to Spokane County for 2016.

The Spokesman-Review reports that Spokane Valley is guaranteed 20 percent of the CDBG funds, or $337,075. The bulk of that money was to go to a project recommended by Spokane Valley staff that would sidewalks along Blake Road.

It is apparently too late in the grant cycle for the Valley to apply that money to another of its' projects, so the money will be redistributed to other projects within Spokane County.

So why did they relinquish the money? Apparently because other communities need it more. Spokane Valley Deputy Mayor Arne Woodard said smaller, but more essential projects, in towns like Rockford – which may need a new well – are more critical than a sidewalk in Spokane Valley. Woodard said smaller municipalities will turn into ghost towns if they don’t receive assistance with critical infrastructure projects.

Councilmen Dean Grafos in response accused Woodard of not representing the Valley’s interests and said he plans to ask the state attorney general to investigate Woodard’s conduct on the CDBG board.

Apparently the residents along Blake Road aren't upset about losing the project though, many were opposed to the sidewalks because they say the area has bigger problems like speeding and unregulated intersections that won't be solved by new sidewalks. 

Google Self-Driving Cars No Longer Blame-Free When It Comes to Collisions

Well, Google self-driving cars are no longer blame-free. Until recently, Google cars had driven more than a million miles without causing even a fender bender. The cars had been involved in a few accidents, but hadn't caused any.

On Valentine's Day, that streak came to an end, according to Vox. A report from Google says the self- driving car was in the rightmost lane  approachinh an intersection when it encountered a sandbag blocking its path and stopped. The car then tried to merge into traffic to the left to avoid the sandbag. It tried to merge in front of a bus, expecting the bus to let it in. The bus kept moving and the Google car hit the side of the bus, damaging the front fender, the left front wheel, and one of the driver's side sensors.

The bus was estimated to be moving about 15 miles per hour at the time of the crash, while the Google car was traveling 2 miles per hour. No one was injured.

Public Open House Tonight

Tonight is the night. We're hosting a public open house from 4-6 p.m. at SRTC, 221 W. 1^st Ave., Suite 310 to get input on a proposed amendment to the area’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), Horizon 2040.

Horizon 2040 is the long-range transportation plan that guides how the regional transportation system will develop through 2040. It is based on projections for growth in population, housing and jobs and considers every mode of transportation, such as private vehicles, public transit, bicycling, walking, freight movement, rail and air travel.

The proposed amendment to Horizon 2040 adds three new City of Spokane projects. To be eligible for funding, these projects are required to be included in the plan. The projects being added include:

·         Main Ave. - Browne St. to Division St. - Reconfigure three lane arterial to two lanes with possible center lane angle parking, mid-block pedestrian crossing and streetscape improvements.

·         North Monroe St.- Indiana Ave. to Garland Ave.- Reconfigure a four lane arterial to one lane each direction with a center two-way left turn lane, sidewalk and pedestrian improvements, curb extensions and traffic signal modifications at the intersection with Montgomery.

·         Maxwell Ave.- Maple St. to Washington St.- Reconfigure to two lanes with a center two-way left turn lane.

More info on those projects and Horizon 2040 in general can be found at http://www.srtc.org/mtp_2040.html. We are looking for feedback on the proposed amendment and the projects to be added to the plan so show up and put in your two cents!

Transportation Costs Make "Affordable" Housing Not So Affordable

Here's an interesting article from Streetsblog USA titled "High Transportation Costs Make a Lot of HUD Housing Unaffordable." We discussed this phenomenon locally while developing our long-range transportation plan, Horizon 2040, in 2012. Oftentimes, housing is cheaper the further you get from city centers or metropolitan areas. Some people buy homes in rural areas because they are much more affordable. The problem comes when they need to commute to reach jobs, schools and services such as medical or groceries for those who are retired. The cost to fuel and maintain a car in an area that doesn't offer public transportation can offset the price of "affordable" housing.

The Streetsblog article talks about a new study done by the University of Texas and the University of Utah that evaluated transportation costs for more than 18,000 households receiving HUD rental subsidies. The results show that nearly half have to spend more than 15 percent of the household budget on transportation. HUD's criteria for "affordable housing" is that it consumes less than 30 percent of a family's income. However, that doesn't consider transportation costs.

The study looked at the areas with the highest share of rental assistance properties with high transportation costs, shown in the table below (click to view in a larger size).

Conversely, here are the cities with the highest share of properties with affordable transportation costs:

The Most Common Terms In Tweets to Airlines? Thanks and Profanity

If you were to guess, what do you think the most common words tweeted to airlines over the last holiday season were? Surprisingly, they were "thanks" or "thank you." However, keep in mind that some of those thanks were used ironically.

The Los Angeles Times reports that 1.3 million Twitter messages were recently analyzed to get an idea of the public sentiment when it comes to communicating with airlines. 

The resulting report says the term “thank you” got 101,798 mentions in the analysis, while “delayed, late and canceled” were used 66,831 times. "Lost," as in luggage, appeared 16,272 times and profanity was used in 14,490 tweets.