Area Government Services Closed July 4

In observance of the Independence Day holiday, all area government agencies will be closed on Monday, July 4, including SRTC.

Offices will reopen with regular hours on Tuesday, July 5. Parking meters don’t have to be plugged on July 4.

If you're headed to the west side of the state this weekend, travel on I-90 from the summit of Snoqualmie Pass to Vantage is going to be particularly tricky this weekend due to a number of projects.

The heaviest congestion is westbound near Cle Elum from mileposts, where repaving work means a single-lane detour. You can avoid these backups by using an alternate route via US 97 to SR 10.

Spokane Wins "Every Place Counts" Design Challenge

Awesome news for Spokane! On Monday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced that our city was one of four to win the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) "Every Place Counts Design Challenge," aimed at raising awareness and identifying community design solutions that bridge the infrastructure divide to reconnect people to opportunity.

Other winners were Ramsey County, MN; Nashville, TN; and Philadelphia, PA. Each area will receive a design session that convenes elected officials, urban planners, designers, and local residents around a transportation project that has the potential to link communities to services such as jobs, healthcare, and schools.

They will also get on-site technical assistance from the USDOT and design experts. Spokane's session is July 7 and 8 and will look at the issue of Interstate 90 dividing the East Central neighborhood. The City hopes the technical assistance will bring together those affected by the I-90 corridor with partners who can create solutions and opportunities to maximize connectivity from new projects underway while minimizing barriers.

In addition to USDOT staff, volunteers including architectural design firms, urban and regional planners, engineers, and academia have been asked to offer their knowledge and expertise to help the selected cities create forward-thinking, cutting edge solutions to infrastructure problems created by past decisions that cut off and isolated communities from opportunity. 

VW To Settle With WA State to the Tune of $26M

Volkswagen will pay $26 million to Washington State as a penalty for deceptive marketing of vehicles that weren’t as “green” as the company claimed. Buyers of the vehicles will also be given restitution.

As part of federal and state litigation, the settlement will pay states $1,100 per car for violating consumer protection laws. In Washington, 22,170 vehicles are subject to the settlment, plus more than $1.7 million to the state for being a leader in the investigation.

VW also must implement a restitution and recall program for vehicles with 2.0 liter diesel engines built between 2009 and 2015 and pay $2.7 billion into a trust account to mitigate environmental damage. Under terms of the agreement, Washington could receive $103 million for mitigation projects.

WA Gas Tax Increases July 1

Washington State is about to get the second highest gas tax in the country when an increase of 4.9 cents kicks in on July 1. Added to the current tax, that will increase the state tax on gas to 49.4 cents per gallon, second highest behind Pennsylvania.

The hike is the final installment of a nearly 12 cent increase, part of the state legislature's Connecting Washington package approved last year.


The money will go to fund a series of specific projects over the next 15 years across the state, including I90 interchanges at Medical Lake and Geiger, completion of the North Spokane Corridor, and widening of I90 from Barker to Harvard roads.

Vehicle registration fees also go up July 1, from $15 to $35, depending on the weight of your vehicle. Registration for electric cars will also increase; from $100 to $150.

Take Your Whole Group Biking With the Conference Bike

We attend a lot of meetings in our field. Both internally and at other agencies. Sometimes they are very technical and can tend to be dry. Sometimes it's hard to stay awake when the room is stuffy. Say goodbye to those days of nodding off during the world's longest PowerPoint presentation though, because I present to you the "Conference Bike."

The Conference Bike is a way to bring people together, literally, because seven people sit in a circle and pedal. The bikes are being used around the world for touring and corporate team-building and even as a way for blind people to bike in some communities. I just want one to tool around with my six best friends on.

Local Road Construction Update

SPOKANE COUNTY

Market Street (Parksmith to Farwell)- Road open to traffic with some work happening on the shoulder. This project installed sewer components, fiber optic and rehabilitated the roadway.

Seven Mile Bridge & Seven Mile Road- Detour in place with a temporary lowered speed limit of 25 mph while bridge is demolished and replaced. 

Hawthorne Road West (Waikiki to US395)- Road closed for road rehabilitation, including installing stormwater drainage swales, trees, irrigation, curbing and a bike lane.

Hawthorne Road East (US395 to US2)- Road will be closed completely on July 5. This project includes roadway rehabilitation, stormwater sand filters, curbing, bike lane and striping.

Houston Road from Colville Road to Grove Road- Crews are working on ditching, culvert and shoulder work during day hours only. No detours in place and the road is open to local traffic, bus traffic and emergency vehicles around the clock. For all other traffic, the road is closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

WSDOT

US 2/Hayford Rd. Intersection-Eastbound drivers should be alert for lane restriction and some congestion as a developer constructs access to a business.

US 2-Division Street/Curb and Sidewalk- Northbound Division Street is reduced to two lanes to give crews room to work on curb and sidewalk improvements. Drivers may experience delays.

I-90/Westbound Freya Off-Ramp-Westbound drivers should be alert for narrow shoulders as crews construct a new westbound Freya Street off-ramp approximately 1/4 mile to the east of the current one.  All ramps open.  Expect lane restrictions on 2^nd Avenue.

US 395-Division Street/Hawthorne Rd. Intersection- Be alert for some turn restrictions on Division as Spokane County work has Hawthorne Road closed between Division and Waikiki.

SPOKANE VALLEY

32^nd Avenue from Dishman-Mica Road to University Road- Closed through mid-August for street preservation work. Signs detour traffic via Dishman-Mica Road and University Road.

32^nd Avenue from University Road to Pines Road - Reduced to one lane in each direction through mid-August. The north sidewalk is closed. Anticipate brief interruptions to side streets and driveways from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fancher Road between Trent Avenue and Sharp Avenue - Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction through early July.

Southbound Sullivan Road Bridge- Traffic is reduced to one lane northbound and two lanes southbound. Oversized vehicles should use Barker Road or Pines Road as alternatives. Turns from Indiana Avenue onto northbound Sullivan Road are reduced to one lane. Southbound Sullivan Road at Flora Pit Road will be reduced to one lane on weekdays through Friday, July 1 from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SPOKANE CITY

Maple Street Bridge Lane Closure-Wednesday, June 29 one lane in each direction on the Maple Street Bridge will be closed. In celebration of the 25^th anniversary of the Waste to Energy Facility employees will be painting the undercoat for a mural. In July artist Todd Benson will paint the mural.

Hazels Creek Stormwater Treatment Project-Freya Street is closed from 37^th Avenue to Palouse Highway until early/mid-July. This project is located southeast of 37^th Avenue and Rebecca Street. It will construct a stormwater treatment system with disposal ponds and stormwater piping.  

37^th Avenue, Regal Street to Custer Street-  Due to a closure on Freya Street for the Hazel’s Creek Project, 37^th Avenue will be closed east of Havana Street to Custer Street. The closure will NOT impact the intersection of 37^th and Havana. This work is to reconstruct the road, include pavement replacement, curbs, sidewalk, bike lanes, stormwater piping, and a 36 inch water main.

      2016 Street Maintenance Curb Ramp Project- Work continues on Lyons Avenue from Perry St. to Pittsburg St. to install ADA compliant curb ramps.

Ben Burr Trail and Connection to the Centennial Trail- Work continues along the trail at Fiske and 11^th Avenue with work progressing to the north. This project will construct a shared use paved trail connection for bicyclists and pedestrian as well as security lighting installation.  The project will be from the Centennial Trail at the Gonzaga Bridge southeast of Erie Street, continuing to Liberty Park where a connection will be made to the existing Ben Burr Trail. The trail will then continue on the existing Ben Burr Trail to the trailhead immediately south of Underhill Park.

Bridge Avenue and Monroe Street CSO Work-Summit Blvd/Bridge Avenue is closed to traffic. Lincoln has one northbound lane open.  Lincoln southbound is closed at Broadway with local access maintained to Anthony’s restaurant and parking lots. This project will construct a Combined Sewer Overflow Tank (CSO) tank and the necessary piping for our Cleaner River Faster Program.

Residential Chip Seal Work- The Residential Chip Seal Project will begin the actual chip seal application at the following locations and dates:

o   Kathleen Avenue Area (Indian Trail): Wednesday, June 29

o   Rebecca Street Area (Upriver Drive): Thursday, June 30

o   33^rd Avenue Area (Comstock Park): Friday, July 1

During these days the roads will be closed to ALL traffic from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.   No Parking signs will be in place. Surrounding residents will receive letters from the contractor a few days before the operation.

High Drive Phase II, Bernard to Grand Street Repair Work- Street repairs continue along High Drive. Traffic restrictions are in place and flaggers are on site to direct traffic.

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

Main Avenue and Division Street Intersection Improvements- Work continues on sidewalk removal and excavation for underground storm water improvements.  Pedestrian detours are in place. There are lane restrictions on both Main and Division. Work on this project involves curb bumpouts at all four corners of Division Street and Main Avenue, the removal and replacement of existing curbs, gutters, and sidewalks, ADA upgrades, installation of planter boxes and planting.

Monroe/Lincoln Street Couplet, 8^th Avenue to 2^nd Avenue- This project reconstructs the roadway from 8^th to 2^nd Avenue and installs water facilities.  Crews have closed Monroe and Lincoln completely. The current two way traffic on Lincoln is open between 4th Avenue and 6th Avenue.  Access along 7th is through the work zone, but will be on unpaved surfaces.  There may be times when access along 7th Avenue will be restricted to limited hours during the day.  Monroe between 14th and 8th Avenue is open.   

The detour for through traffic is along 14th Avenue and Bernard/Washington/Stevens and 2nd and 3rd Avenue. The on ramp for eastbound traffic at Monroe is open.  Crews work from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. six to seven days a week as needed. Expect more noise in the area during these hours.

Monroe and Lincoln Street, Main Avenue to 2nd Avenue- Starting Monday, June 27 at 10 a.m., Monroe will have two open lanes of traffic on the west side of the street.  After the morning commute, four way stop signs will be added at the intersections of 1st, Sprague, and Riverside Avenues beginning around 10 a.m. This is a full depth roadway replacement and full depth replacement between curbs on Lincoln Street and Monroe Street; Main Avenue from Monroe Street to Lincoln Street; and Monroe Street from Spokane Falls Boulevard to Main Avenue. 

Pettet Drive/TJ Meenach Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO 12) Project- This project will build a 690,000 gallon storage facility and connections to existing CSO Basin 10 outfall.Work also includes repaving of Pettet Drive and pedestrian/bike trail construction. 
Pettet Drive is closed to traffic until November. The clover leaf that services TJ Meenach, Down River and Pettit Drive (three out of the four legs) is open. The leg that comes off of Pettit north bound will re-direct citizens to Northwest Blvd. Vehicles traveling southbound on Down River Drive have two options; enter onto TJ Meenach or continue under the bridge and turn uphill to Northwest Blvd.

Rowan Avenue Improvements from Driscoll Boulevard to Monroe Street- The intersection of Alberta, Belt, and Ash will remain open to north and southbound traffic.  Rowan Avenue is open to traffic from Ash Street to Monroe Street.

Street Maintenance Grind and Overlay Work- Work continues on Indian Trail Rd. from Ridgecrest to the North City Limits. Flaggers will be closing one lane.  

Wellesley Freya Utility Work for Future WSDOT Roundabout- Water and sewer work is underway and expected to continue through the end of July.  This work is in preparation for a future roundabout being installed by WSDOT. Wellesley will be closed from Market to Rebecca.Freya will be closed from Broad to Longfellow.

New App For Meeting People at the Airport

Killing time at the airport waiting for a flight? Single? Then the new app, Btrfly, could be for you. The airport dating app lets users log in using their flight details or airport, and are then shown a list of other users who are in the same airport or even on the same flight. 

The app gives information on where other users are flying to, and what time, to ensure you know you'll have enough time before they jet off. Seems like possibly too much information though, in my opinion.

Some are calling Btrfly "Tinder for airports," although the company says it's not specifically for dating but could be used to meet new friends headed to the same destination or even find people just to share cabs with.

Construction and Increased Traffic Equals Extra Delays

Due to a number of events taking place in eastern Washington this weekend, you're encouraged to either get to your destinations early, wait to go later or use an alternate route.

Starting Thursday, June 23 through Friday, June 24 drivers will see delays on I90 in both directions near the Cle Elum area due to a paving project. Drivers are encouraged to use an alternate route via US 97 to SR 10. 

The Vantage Bridge is still down to a single lane eastbound due to a painting project. Drivers headed east will experience heavy congestion and stop and go traffic between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. and should consider taking an alternate route via US 97, I-82 or SR 24.

And rock blasting is scheduled to close I-90 east of Snoqualmie Pass in both directions from mileposts 56 to 62 for an hour at 8 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, June 21 and Thursday, June 23.

Amendment Would Add Two Bridge Projects to Transportation Improvement Program

SRTC is asking for your input on an amendment to the 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that proposes adding two new Washington State Department of Transportation projects to the program.

The TIP identifies projects slated 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 throughout the year as SRTC’s member jurisdictions have projects to add, change or remove from the program, often as funding becomes available.

Details of the projects proposed to be added to the TIP are in the graphic below. Click on it to view it full size.

A public comment period for the amendment starts Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Members of the public are encouraged to provide input on the projects included. All comments must be received by 4 p.m. on Friday, July 1, 2016. Comments can be submitted by emailing to contact.srtc@srtc.org, mailing to SRTC at 421 W. Riverside Ave., Suite 500, Spokane, WA, or by calling (509) 343-6370.

Potholes Become Pot Holes When Frustrated Residents Fill Holes With Pot Plants

Some California potholes are now pot holes. Residents of Nevada City, CA residents got tired of waiting for the city to fill potholes and did it themselves- with pot plants.

According to the Nevada County Scooper, a resident came up with the idea after his bike fell into one of the potholes. He called a friend who donated the plants and they filled four of the potholes with them. Other residents followed suit, filling more holes with the plants.

So far, the plants are still in the holes and there's no word from city government on when the holes will be filled with actual asphalt.

Unsecured Loads Cause Hundreds of Accidents A Year in WA

Pretty sure this is considered an unsecured load.

This is interesting; according to Spokane Valley's "Hot Topics" newsletter, the State Department of Ecology says more than 12 million pounds of litter in the state comes from vehicles, and about 400 accidents each year result from debris on the road in our state.
Which is why it’s so important to secure your load.

It’s estimated that litter on roadways causes 25,000 accidents in North America each year, nearly 100 of which are fatal.

It is illegal to transport solid waste in Spokane Valley unless the load is covered or secured. An unsecured load is considered a load that hasn’t been covered and fastened or attached to the vehicle with tarps, rope, straps, netting, or other means to prevent the load from loosening, detaching, or coming out of the vehicle.

If you are caught driving with an unsecured load, the fine is $50 and you could pay additional fines for littering.

L.A. Gets Bike Traffic Signals

Los Angeles officials last week unveiled 

The city's first bike-specific traffic signals along Los Angeles Street between Alameda and First Street.

According to KPCC, the signals flash green, yellow and red lights to alert riders to go, slow or stop. The difference between the bike lights and regular traffic signals is that the bike lights are shaped like bicycles.

The signals cost $775,000, which also paid for protected bike lanes, new platforms for bus riders, street resurfacing and new crosswalks and striping.

A particular challenge on streets where all modes of transit mix is that right-turning vehicles and bicycles must be in the same place at the same time, and it can become confusing whose turn it is to go, which is why the signals were introduced.

Another challenge for bicyclists can be crossing traffic to get to the left turn lane to make an unprotected left. New left-turn boxes, marked in bright green, will give these riders a safe place to go while waiting to make what would otherwise be an unprotected turn across the intersection.

Local Road Construction Update

WSDOT

SR 902 Delays- Anticipate delays Saturday, June 18 on SR 902 from the I-90 Salnave Interchange into Medical Lake. Community events will be underway with a signed detour in place.

US 2-Division Street/Curb and Sidewalk- Division Street is reduced to two lanes for curb and sidewalk improvements.  Drivers may experience congestion and delays.

I-90/Sunset Hill to Argonne- Sunday through Thursday, June 19-22, during daytime hours, WSDOT Maintenance crews will be sweeping I-90 in the Spokane metro area at various locations, possibly in the far left or far right lanes or shoulders. Be alert for lane restrictions and possible slow traffic with workers and equipment adjacent to traffic.  

I-90/Westbound Freya Off-Ramp- On Monday, June 20, beginning at 7 p.m., westbound I-90 will be reduced to two lanes.  At 11 p.m., westbound I-90 will be reduced to one lane. Lane restrictions will be in place until as late as 3 a.m. Tuesday morning.  Westbound drivers should expect slow traffic and congestion during these hours. Work is underway to construct a new westbound Freya Street off-ramp approximately 1/4 mile to the east of the current ramp. There are no mainline freeway impacts.  All ramps are open.  Expect lane restrictions on 2^nd Avenue.

I-90/Appleway Westbound Off-Ramp- On Wednesday, June 22, from about 9 a.m. until as late as 4 p.m., the Appleway westbound off-ramp will be closed for repairs to bridge approaches.  This is the partial interchange to the west of Liberty Lake.

US 395-Division Street/Hawthorne Rd. Intersection- Beginning Wednesday, June 15, be alert for turn restrictions on Division as Spokane County work has Hawthorne Road closed between Division and Waikiki.

SPOKANE VALLEY

32^nd Avenue from Dishman-Mica Road to University Road- Closed through mid-August for street preservation work. Signs detour traffic via Dishman-Mica Road and University Road.

 32^nd Avenue from University Road to Pines Road- Reduced to one lane in each direction through mid-August. The north sidewalk is closed. Anticipate brief interruptions to side streets and driveways from 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

 Fancher Road between Trent Avenue and Sharp Ave- Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction through early July.

Southbound Sullivan Road Bridge- Traffic remains reduced to one lane northbound and two lanes southbound. Turns from Indiana Avenue onto northbound Sullivan Road are reduced to one lane. Southbound Sullivan Road at Flora Pit Road will be reduced to one lane on weekdays through Friday, June 24 from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SPOKANE COUNTY

Market Street (Parksmith to Farwell)- Road closed with a detour in place to rehabilitate the roadway and add fiber optic and sewer components.

Seven Mile Bridge & Seven Mile Road- The road is closed with a detour in place while the bridge is removed and replaced. The speed limit has been reduced to 25 miles per hour during this project.  

Hawthorne Road West (Waikiki to US395)- The road is closed until the end of august for road rehabilitation, installation of stormwater drainage swales, tree planting, irrigation components, curb construction, traffic signal improvement, bike lane installation and striping.  

Hawthorne Road East (US395 to US2)- Roadway rehabilitation including stormwater sand filters, curb construction, traffic signal installation, bike lane installation and striping.

Bigelow Gulch Road from Havana to Argonne- Crews will work on Bigelow Gulch Road from Havana to Argonne starting Monday, June 20 through Thursday, June 23. The work consists of asphalt overlays. A pilot car will lead traffic in both directions with possible delays of up to 20

minutes. 

Houston Road from Colville Road to Grove Road- Crews will be working on ditching, culvert and shoulder work during day hours only. The road remains open.

SPOKANE CITY
Post Street Closure- Post Street will close at noon Friday, June 17 for Terrain’s Bazaar between Spokane Falls Blvd and Summit Parkway. The closure is scheduled to last through midnight on Saturday, June 18. There will be no parking on Post Street. 

Carlisle Street Closure- The General Store’s Car Show will close Carlisle between Division and Ruby on Saturday, June 18 between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Hatch Road Grinding- Crews will be grinding Hatch Rd. starting Monday, June 20 at 57^th, working downhill. There will be a lane closed with flaggers.

High Drive Phase II, Bernard to Grand Street Repair Work- Work began Monday, June 13, for repairs along High Drive.  Traffic restrictions are in place and flaggers are on site to direct traffic.

·     Main and Division Intersection Improvements- Work continues on sidewalk removal and excavation for underground storm water improvements.  Pedestrian detours are in place. Throughout the project there will be lane restrictions on both Main and Division.  Traffic control will be in place. 

Work on this project involves curb bumpouts at all four corners of Division Street and Main Avenue, the removal and replacement of existing curbs, gutters, and sidewalks, ADA upgrades, and installation of planter boxes and planting.

      Hazels Creek Stormwater Treatment Project- Starting Monday, June 20, Freya Street will be closed from 37^th Avenue to Palouse Highway through early/mid-July. Signs are up to notify drivers. This project is constructing a stormwater treatment system with disposal ponds and stormwater piping.

37^th Avenue, Regal Street to Custer Street- Due to the closure on Freya Street for the Hazel’s Creek Project, 37^th Avenue will be closed east of Havana Street to Custer Street. The closure will NOT impact the intersection of 37^th and Havana.

Monroe/Lincoln Street Couplet, 8^th Avenue to 2^nd Avenue- Work on Monroe Street from 4th Ave south to 8^th Ave continues. Crews will close Monroe and Lincoln completely starting Monday evening, June 20. Detours will be in place. The current two way traffic on Lincoln will remain open between 4th Avenue and 6th Avenue.  Access along 7th will be provided through the work zone, but on unpaved surfaces. Monroe between 14th and 8th Avenue will remain open for local traffic to serve the businesses and residents in that area.  The detour for through traffic will be along 14th Avenue and Bernard/Washington/Stevens and 2nd and 3rd Avenue. This phase of construction is expected to last 3 to 4 weeks.  Once this phase is complete, Monroe will be opened to traffic southbound.  Northbound traffic will continue to be detoured until the project is complete. More paving on Monroe Street is set for Friday, June 17.  

·    Monroe and Lincoln Street, Main Avenue to 2nd Avenue- Monroe is one lane for water infrastructure work at the intersections of Sprague, 1^st Avenue and Riverside. East/west traffic has  lane restrictions. This is a full depth roadway replacement and full depth replacement between curbs on Lincoln Street and Monroe Street; Main Avenue from Monroe Street to Lincoln Street; and Monroe Street from Spokane Falls Boulevard to Main Avenue. Some minor curbing and ADA curb ramps will be installed where necessary.

2016 Street Maintenance Curb Ramp Project- Work continues on Lyons Avenue from Perry St. to Pittsburg Street to construct ADA-compliant ramps.

Ben Burr Trail and Connection to the Centennial Trail- Work continues along the trail at Fiske and 11^th Avenue with work progressing to the north. This project will design and construct a shared use paved trail connection for bicyclists and pedestrian as well as security lighting installation. The project will be from the Centennial Trail at the Gonzaga Bridge southeast of Erie Street and continue to Liberty Park where a connection will be made to the existing Ben Burr Trail.  The trail will then continue on the existing Ben Burr Trail to the trailhead immediately south of Underhill Park.

Bridge Avenue and Monroe Street CSO Work-  Summit Blvd/Bridge Avenue is closed to traffic. Rock blasting continues. Lincoln has one northbound lane open. Lincoln southbound is closed at Broadway. This project will construct a Combined Sewer Overflow Tank (CSO) tank and the necessary piping for our Cleaner River Faster Program.

·    Pettet Drive/TJ Meenach Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO 12) Project- Pettet Drive is closed to traffic until November. The clover leaf that services TJ Meenach, Down River and Pettit Drive (three out of the four legs) is in service. The leg that comes off of Pettit northbound re-directs citizens to Northwest Blvd. Vehicles traveling southbound on Down River Drive have two options; enter onto TJ Meenach or continue under the bridge and turn uphill to Northwest Blvd. This project will build a 690,000 gallon storage facility and connections to existing CSO Basin 10 outfall. Work also includes repaving of Pettet Drive and pedestrian/bike trail construction.

Rowan Avenue Improvements from Driscoll Boulevard to Monroe Street- Rowan Avenue from Alberta to Monroe Street is closed.  The intersection of Alberta, Belt, Ash, and Maple will remain open to north and southbound traffic. Ash southbound, and Maple northbound at Rowan are reduced to one lane southbound or northbound respectively. 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.

Backup Cameras Aren't Stopping Drivers From Backing Into Things

That fancy backup camera in your new car doesn't mean you're going to stop hitting things. Federal

According to the Washington Post, back-up cameras have been around longer than other car safety technology, so the government has years of data on their impact. Between 2008 and 2011, the most recent years for which data is available, back-up cameras more than doubled from 32 percent to 68 percent of all new cars sold. Even so, injuries fell less than 8 percent- from about 13,000 down to 12,000.

Today, only 20 models out of 362 industry-wide don't have backup cameras. By 2018, they will be mandated in all new vehicles as a way to cut down on injuries and death. The fatality rate has improved somewhat, dropping 31 percent since 2003. Research shows deaths declined from 274 to 189 between 2008 and 2011, and the number was volatile year to year.

The cameras do reduce blind spots by 90 percent, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but people are still hitting things as people are being distracted by many things while in reverse.

Transportation Technical Committee Meeting June 22

The next meeting of the Transportation Technical Committee (TTC) is next Wednesday, June 22 at 1:30 p.m. at the SRTC office at 421 W. Riverside, Suite 500. The meeting agenda can be found here.  It includes an amendment to the Transportation Improvement Program, information on an update SRTC staff is starting on the long-range transportation plan, and information on a call for projects for regional, Tribal and port freight projects, plus more.

If anything on the agenda catches your interest, please feel free to attend the meeting. Everyone is welcome.

Plan Identifies Transit-Supportive Economic Development Opportunities

As part of ongoing planning for the Central City Line (CCL), the City of Spokane and Spokane Transit Authority have recently developed a draft Strategic Overlay Plan to identify transit-supportive economic development opportunities and land use policy changes. This plan recommends policies and actions that will advance Spokane’s vision for community vitality along the CCL corridor.

The draft plan is available for review at: https://www.spokanetransit.com/projects-plans/central-city-line-strategic-overlay-planning and the City and STA are asking for your input on it. Please send your comments to kweinand@spokanetransit.com. Comments submitted by Thursday, June 23^rd can be incorporated into the next edition of the draft plan.

Upcoming Meetings & Actions:

• A City Plan Commission hearing on the draft plan will be held on Wednesday, July 13^th at 4:00 pm in the Council Chambers, in the Lower Level of Spokane City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
• The CCL Steering Committee will be asked to make a recommendation on the draft plan to the City Council on Monday, July 18^th, 1:00-2:30 pm, at the Spokane Regional Transportation Council Office, 421 W Riverside Ave, Suite 500, in the Paulsen Building.
• The City Council is scheduled to take action on the plan in early August. Updates will be posted on the above webpage.

Help Design A New Bridge

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is holding an open house to talk about bridges- in particular the design for a new bridge on State Route 290 just east of downtown Spokane. The Spokane River East Trent Bridge is slated to be replaced starting in 2019 so that means design work needs to start now.


The open house is Wednesday, June 22 at the Union Gospel Mission Recovery Center building at 1306 E. Trent. This is the new building at the southeast corner of Trent and Denver Streets (not the main mission building on Erie).  The open house hours are 4-7 p.m.


This is a very early opportunity to talk with engineers and explore design concepts for the project. The open house will not have a formal presentation but staff members will be available to answer questions and explain conepts.

Subprime Auto Loans Are Hurting the Economy and Making the Poor Poorer

First there was the burst of the real estate bubble, now economists are warning there could be a bubble in the auto lending market.

Streetsblog USA says, since the economic recovery began, lending institutions have actually loosened standards for car loans.

Since then, more Americans have borrowed to pay for their cars, rather than pay for them straight out. About 86 percent of new cars were financed in 2015, up from 80 percent in 2008, according to the Frontier Group. For used cars, the financing rate rose to 55 percent in 2015; 7 percent higher than 2010. A New York Times article says subprime auto lending increased 130 percent in the five years following the recession and that lower-income borrowers account for a large share of the growth in car loans.

Default rates are also on the increase. CNN Money said in March that unpaid subprime car loans are at a 20-year high, which could be risky for the economy overall.

Some, such as the author Carjacked, Catherine Lutz, blame the subprime auto market increase on the fact that in so much of the country, owning a car is necessary to get to jobs and health services.

The typical length of an auto loan used to be about four years (48 months) but now many are agreeing to 72 month loans. The problem is that by the time the car is paid off, it is often not worth what the borrow just paid for it and sometimes doesn't even run anymore.

Local Road Construction Update

WSDOT

I-90/New Westbound Freya Off-Ramp- Minor items may get underway on Monday, June 13 in ^nd Avenue.
advance of constructing a new westbound Freya Street off-ramp approximately 1/4 to the east.  No mainline freeway impacts.  All ramps open.  Possible lane restrictions on 2

US 395-Division Street/Hawthorne Rd. Intersection- Beginning on Wednesday, June 15, drivers should be alert for some turn restrictions on Division.Spokane County work has Hawthorne Road closed between Division and Waikiki.

SPOKANE COUNTY

Market Street from Parksmith to Farwell- Road closed with a detour in place to install sewer and fiber optic components and rehabilitate the roadway. 

Seven Mile Bridge and Seven Mile Road- A detour is in place and the speed limit reduced to 25 miles per hour as crews demolish the bridge in preparation for construction of a new one.

Hawthorne Road West from Waikiki to US 395- The road will be closed completely from June 15 until the end of August for roadway rehabilitation that includes stormwater drainage swales, tree planting, irrigation, curb installation, signal improvement, roadway striping and the installation of a bike lane.

Hawthorne Road East  from US 395 to US 2- Closed until early July for roadway rehabilitation, including stormwater components, curb installation, traffic signal installation, bike lane installation and roadway striping. 

SPOKANE CITY
Sprague Way Closure- Thursday, June 16,  from 7:30 am to 8:30 p.m. Z Nation will be filming.  The closures for this work include Sprague Way from Sprague to the west side of the over-pass at Erie, and Erie from the south side of the railroad over-pass to 1^st Ave. 

S     Park Zone Speed Reductions-  20 MPH park zone signs will tentatively begin being installed beginning the week of June 13 at the following parks and playgrounds: Cannon, Chief Gary, Mission, Shadle, Audubon, Comstock Park and Pool, Hays, and Lincoln.

37^th Avenue, Regal Street to Custer Street- This project begins Monday, June 13 from Custer Street to Freya. This work is to reconstruct the road, including pavement replacement, curbs, sidewalk, bike lanes, stormwater piping, and a water main.

2016 Street Maintenance Curb Ramp Project- Work continues on Lyons Avenue from Perry St. to Pittsburg Street. Also planned for this year is work in to install ADA compliant curb ramps at 7^th Avenue from Browne to Division Street and  Thurston Avenue from Lee to Regal Street.

Ben Burr Trail and Connection to the Centennial Trail- Work continues along the trail at Fiske and 11^th Avenue with work progressing to the north. This project will design and construct a shared use paved trail connection for bicyclists and pedestrian as well as security lighting from the Centennial Trail at the Gonzaga Bridge southeast of Erie Street to Liberty Park where a connection will be made to the existing Ben Burr Trail and immediately south of Underhill Park.

Bridge Avenue and Monroe Street CSO Work- Rock blasting continues. Summit Blvd/Bridge Avenue is closed to traffic. Lincoln has one northbound lane open.  Lincoln southbound is closed at Broadway with local access maintained to Anthony’s restaurant and parking lots. This project will construct a Combined Sewer Overflow Tank (CSO) tank.

·       Residential Chip Seal Work- This project will begin the actual chip seal application at the following locations and dates:

o   Kathleen: Monday June 20^th

o   Rebecca/Upriver Drive: Tuesday June 21^st

o   Comstock: Wednesday June 22^nd.

During these days the roads will be completely closed to ALL traffic from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. The surrounding residents will receive letters from the contractor a few days before the operation.

Parade Street Closures- The 25th annual NW Pride Parade is this Saturday, June 11. Various street closures begin at 10:30 a.m. and reopen around 1:30 p.m. so you may want to avoid driving through the downtown area.

Hazels Creek Stormwater Treatment Project- This project is located southeast of 37^th Avenue and Rebecca Street. Work to construct a stormwater treatment system with disposal ponds and stormwater piping is beginning.  This system will be an extension of the existing Hazel’s Creek Facility on 42^nd Avenue.

High Drive Phase II, Bernard to Grand Street Repair Work- Work begins Monday, June 13, for repairs along High Drive.  Traffic restrictions will be in place and flaggers on site to direct traffic.

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

Main Avenue and Division Street Intersection Improvements- Work continues on sidewalk removal and excavation for underground storm water improvements Monday, June 13. There will be lane restrictions on both Main and Division.  Traffic control will be in place, as well as pedestrian detours. Work on this project involves curb bumpouts at all four corners of Division Street and Main Avenue, the removal and replacement of existing curbs, gutters, and sidewalks, ADA upgrades, installation of planter boxes and planting.

Rowan Avenue Improvements from Driscoll Boulevard to Monroe Street- Rowan Avenue from Alberta to Monroe Street is closed. The intersection of Alberta, Belt, Ash, and Maple is open to north and southbound traffic. Ash southbound, and Maple northbound at Rowan are reduced to one lane southbound or northbound respectively. 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.

Monroe/Lincoln Street Couplet, 8th Avenue to 2nd Avenue- Monroe is closed to traffic. Fifth Avenue will close Monday late afternoon, June 13, for final paving re-opening Tuesday, June 14. Monroe Street will begin concrete paving Tuesday, June 14 and Friday, June 17.  Concrete paving requires cure time and will continue through the end of June until all sections of Monroe from 4^th to 8^th have been completed. The on ramp for eastbound traffic at Monroe is open. Traffic exiting Maple Street eastbound is detoured off of 4^th at Jefferson Street. The alternative route during the Lincoln Monroe Project is the converted two-way traffic on Lincoln.  The official detour route is Stevens and is clearly marked. 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.

Northwest Boulevard and Columbia Circle (CSO 6)-  Construction of catch basins and drywells in the following intersections has begun: Wellington and Cora (both Coras), Park Blvd and Cora, Sheridan Court and Cora. The project includes the installation of a 900,000 gallon tank. New water mains will be added at H Street, Glass Avenue and Columbia Circle these lines will be connected to the new main along Columbia Circle. Columbia Circle, H Street and Glass Avenue will be repaved and sidewalk repairs will happen in select areas. Many driveways will be replaced to match the new street grade.

Pettet Drive/TJ Meenach Combined Sewer Overflow Project (CSO 12)- Pettet Drive is closed to traffic. The clover leaf that services TJ Meenach, Down River and Pettit Drive (three out of the four legs) is open. The leg that comes off of Pettit north bound re-directs citizens to Northwest Blvd. Vehicles traveling southbound on Down River Drive have two options: enter onto TJ Meenach or continue under the bridge and turn uphill to Northwest Blvd. This project will build a 690,000 gallon storage facility and connections to existing CSO Basin 10 outfall. Work also includes repaving of Pettet Drive and pedestrian/bike trail construction.

SPOKANE VALLEY

Indiana Parkway from Desmet Court to Steen Parkway- Closed through Thursday, June 16 at 5 p.m. for utility work. Signs redirect traffic via Mission Parkway.

Southbound Sullivan Road Bridge-Traffic is reduced to one lane northbound and two lanes southbound. Turns from Indiana Avenue onto northbound Sullivan Road are reduced to one lane.  Southbound Sullivan Road at Flora Pit Road will be reduced to one lane on Thursday, June 16, 2016 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Centennial Trail below the bridge is open.

Spokane Transit Revises Proposal to Increase Fares

Spokane Transit has updated their proposal to increase fares after talking extensively with the public. The most significant change is that the  proposal was revised to phase in the increase between 2017 and 2018, rather than all at once. If approved, changes to the fare structure will not go into effect until July 1, 2017. The proposed changes are below. Click the graphic to view it full size.

The Draft Recommendation will go to the Board of Directors for a Public Hearing on June 16, 2016 at 1:30 pm in the STA Board Room at 1230 W. Boone Avenue so attend if you have comments or
email them to Jan Watson, Clerk of the board at jwatson@spokanetransit.com.

Is West Spokane In For a Makeover?

About a million years ago (okay, maybe it was only a thousand), I worked for KHQ News. It had just moved to the studio downtown and staff was known to frequent the Little Nickel tavern directly across the street and the Coach House restaurant about a block down (the morning crew would get breakfast there on a regular basis). Soon after, the building those businesses were in was purchased and the businesses closed for "revitalization." Probably 15 years later, no new businesses have opened up there and the building has not been refurbished.

Today, the former site of Far West Billiards also sits empty, as does the Tradewinds Motel and several other businesses on that end of downtown. Even so, the Spokane Rising blog is asking if you've noticed signs of revitalization in that end of downtown?

The blog posts points to several new projects in the works, including a condo tower in Peaceful Valley, lofts, a brewery incubator, a hotel and restaurant. Check it out at the link above to see what businesses you could be frequenting in the future.

What does this have to do with transportation? Along with revitalization comes the issues of getting people to and from new businesses, parking, etc.

Spokane City Council Asks UP to Halt Train Traffic Through Town Where Derailment Happened

An oil train burns near the town of Mosier last week.

Spokane's City Council is asking Union Pacific to halt train shipments of oil through the Columbia River town of Mosier, Oregon, until the oil tankers from Friday’s derailment are removed from the accident site.

According to the Spokesman-Review, the council voted 5-1 last night to make the nonbinding request, with councilman Mike Fagan voting against the resolution.

Last weekend, a train derailed, catching fire and forcing residents of the Columbia River Gorge town to evacuate. Just three days later, UP's trains were moving through the town again, even before the derailment mess was cleaned up. The town’s mayor and fire chief expressed concerns about running trains before an investigation was complete and the damaged tankers cleared.

The Spokane City Council’s resolution backs the city of Mosier’s request for a temporary halt in rail traffic until hazardous debris has been removed and the site has been inspected and declared safe.