Last Chance to Comment on the draft Transportation Improvement Program

Last chance to give us your thoughts on the draft 2017-2020 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The public comment period ends this Sunday, Oct. 2.

The TIP lists transportation projects and programs to be built or implemented during the upcoming four years. All projects receiving federal funds are required to be included in the TIP. It is updated with new projects annually and includes project names and descriptions, jurisdictions sponsoring them, funding attached to each project, and where the funding came from (local, state or federal). The 2017-2020 TIP contains:

•  One hundred and twenty projects, with 24 projects new to the TIP this year (a table of the new projects is below);
•  A total of $563.4 million in local transportation investments to be spent between 2017 and 2020.

The 2017-2020 TIP can be viewed at http://www.srtc.org/tip.html. There is also an interactive map at that page that shows how the projects are distributed throughout Spokane County.

Comments can be emailed to contact.srtc@srtc.org, mailed to SRTC at the address below, or phoned in to (509) 343-6370.

Table 2. New Projects in the 2017-2020 TIP

Agency	Project Name	TIP ID	Page
Spokane	Sprague Ave at Sherman St. Pedestrian Plaza	SP051	X
Spokane County	Harvard Road	CO043	X
Spokane County	Bigelow Gulch/Forker Road Connector Project #6	CO044	X
WSDOT	Eastern Region BST Rumble Strips E - Install Rumble Strip	WS099	X
WSDOT	Eastern Region Guardrail Installation and Retrofit 2021-23	WS100	X
WSDOT	Eastern Region Safety Improvements - Install Rumble Strip	WS101	X
WSDOT	I-90/Geiger I/C to Latah Creek - Illumination Rebuild	WS102	X
WSDOT	I-90/Lincoln Co Line to Geiger Rd - Roadside Safety Improvements	WS103	X
WSDOT	US 2/Fairchild AFB - Signal Replacement	WS104	X
WSDOT	US 2/Garfield Rd - Signal Rehabilitation	WS105	X
WSDOT	US 2/Lawson Rd - Signal Rehabilitation	WS106	X
WSDOT	US 395/NSC Columbia to Freya	WS107	X
WSDOT	US 395/NSC Spokane River Crossing	WS109	X
WSDOT	US 395/NSC Spokane River to Wellesley	WS110	X
WSDOT	US 395/NSC Sprague Ave to Spokane River	WS111	X
WSDOT	US 395/NSC Wellesley to Columbia	WS112	X
WSDOT	2021-23 ER Region Wide Basic Safety - Signing	WS113	X
WSDOT	2021-23 ER Region Wide Safety - Guardrail	WS114	X
WSDOT	I-90/Barker Rd Intersection Improvements	WS115	X
WSDOT	I-90/ER Illumination Rehab Phase 2 - Retrofit Luminaires	WS116	X
WSDOT	US 2/ER Illumination Rehab Phase 2 - Retrofit Luminaires	WS117	X
WSDOT	US 395/Deer Park Corridor Safety Improvements	WS118	X
WSDOT	US 395/Illumination Rehab Phase 2 - Retrofit Luminaires	WS119	X
WSDOT	US 2/N Fork Deep Creek Bridge - Replace Rail	WS120	X

26 Minute Wait Time for Pedestrian "Walk" Signal

I hear from people all the time complaining about how long it takes a traffic light to change to green or about extended wait times after pedestrians push the "walk" button at a crosswalk. But 26 minutes?? That's how long it took for the light to change to "walk" recently on Martin Luther King Jr. Way in South Seattle, as documented by a determined walker.

King 5 News looks at the problem.

U.S. Hit's "Peak Demand" for Gas- Again

Apparently we were doing this with gasoline this summer
because gas sales hit an all-time high in August.

August was the biggest month ever in the United States for gasoline consumption. According to the Energy Institute at Haas, Americans burned through 9.7 million barrels per day- more than a gallon a day for every man, woman and child.

This comes as a surprise for some as analysts have said the U.S. reached "peak demand" in 2012 and that gas consumption would continue to decline in the foreseeable future. Ummmm, no. U.S. gas consumption has increased steadily four years in a row now for a couple reasons. Those include the end of the recession and people having more income, plus low gas prices.

Economists have shown in many studies that there is a definite relationship between income and gasoline consumption – when people have more to spend, gasoline usage goes up. During the recession, Americans gravitated toward smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. Today, they are buying bigger cars and trucks again and driving more miles. Gas prices were also high during the recession, above $4 a gallon at times.

Pilot Program To Provide Rides to Urgent Care, Rather Than Ambulances to the ER

An ambulance isn't necessary for many of the medical
calls they are currently being used for.

So what is THE most expensive way to obtain healthcare? Take an ambulance to the emergency
room, according to a Rockwood official who was in our office last week. And yet, he says it happens all the time for people who aren't in emergency situations but just don't have any other way to access healthcare. We've had this discussion in our office several times recently- there has to be better transportation services to get people to the services they need rather than over-using emergency services.

That trend may end if a local experiment works out. According to the Spokesman-Review, Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs (SNAP) is coordinating a pilot program where patients who call 911 with minor medical issues are given a ride to an urgent care center rather than the hospital.

The majority of 911 calls received by the Spokane Fire Department are medical; over half for “low-acuity” conditions such as urinary tract infections and broken fingers that could be handled better at an urgent care facility. So far in 2016, the department has dealt with 3,735 of these calls, for issues including back pain, toothaches and fatigue.

The problem is that many people either don't realize that urgent care is an option or don't have a way to get there. Starting in early 2017, patients will have the option to be taken to urgent care in a vehicle paid for by SNAP. The "Ride to Care" service, as it's being called, will be paid for with grant funding and contributions from some insurance companies and other private sources. The pilot program will run six months if enough money can be raised to fund it.

When someone calls 911 in the future, they will be offered the less urgent option of a ride and be allowed to decide if they want to go to the emergency room or urgent care. That frees up an ambulance to respond to more serious calls. The SNAP vehicle can take the patient to a pharmacy before returning them home after the visit. The option will only be available during the hours urgent care centers are open, usually 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

SNAP estimates the average patient will save $300 to $800 in health care costs by being taken to urgent care, rather than the emergency room. This will also save tax payers money as many of the people who use this program will be low income. Because emergency rooms treat people in order of the severity of their medical issues, patients also will avoid long ER waits.

Because the idea is so new, there’s no medical code to bill insurance for a ride, which was how the nonprofit SNAP became involved. The eventual goal is to bill these rides to insurance, reducing or eliminating the need for nonprofit funding. Several insurance companies have agreed to provide funding, include Amerigroup (one of the insurance providers for Washington’s Medicaid program), Premera Blue Cross and Group Health.

Data from the pilot will be tracked to see if taking people to urgent care reduces overall emergency room visits and costs and to identify long-term funding strategies for a permanent program.

WSU Comes Up With Pot Breathalyzer

Legalizing marijuana has brought some new challenges- including how to enforce driving under the influence laws. Police may soon have a new tool to let them know when someone truly is too high to drive.

According to the Inlander, researchers in the Chemistry department at Washington State University have developed a method of measuring THC on the breath using ion mobility spectrometry, which has been used in the past to detect evidence of chemical warfare. The study obtained results from 15 student volunteers that proved accurate in 80 percent of instances.

The hope is that the device will be further refined and ready to be used in the field within a year. Not everyone is convinced that pot breathalyzers are the right way to measure inebriation though. Some people say that what can be measured in your mouth or lungs doesn't necessarily indicate how much has reached your brain.

Local Road Construction Update

WSDOT

US 2/Spotted Road to I-90 Intelligent Transportation Systems- Fiber optic cable installation. Possible shoulder and/or lane restrictions.  Most work scheduled during evening and overnight hours.

US 395-NSC/Freya & Wellesley Intersection Roundabout- Roundabout construction. The Wellesley/Freya intersection is closed to traffic. A signed detour is in place. Planned completion is late Monday, Oct. 10.

US 395-Division Street/Hawthorne Rd. Intersection Improvements-  Intersection improvements and new signal system. Hawthorne Road is closed east of Division. Division Street turn lanes are closed. All mainline lanes of Division are open.

SPOKANE VALLEY
44^th from Locust to Ponderosa - Reduced to a two lane gravel roadway with speeds reduced to 15 mph through October 7.

44^th from Schafer Branch to Ponderosa- Reduced to one lane from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays through October 7.

Appleway from Park to Dishman-Mica- Reduced to two lanes through the end of October for street improvement work with sidewalk, lane, and temporary side street closures.

Bates, Rego and Wilbur- Bates from Boone to Rego will be narrowed with flaggers directing traffic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.  As part of the same project, Wilbur between Boone to Broadway and Rego from Bates to Wilbur will be closed through October 3 for stormwater improvements.

McDonald northbound from Mission to Broadway- Will be open Sunday, September 25 through Wednesday, September 28. Otherwise it remains reduced to one lane around the clock.

McDonald southbound from Mission to Sprague- Remains reduced to one lane around the clock.

McDonald from Sprague to Mission - Closed to all but local traffic from Thursday, September 29 until Wednesday, October 12. This closure includes the Broadway/McDonald intersection. A detour will be posted.

Montgomery between Argonne and Hutchinson - Closed to all but local traffic from 7 a.m. on Monday, September 26 through 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 28  for paving. Detour via Marguerite and Knox will be posted. Please remember to use extra caution when driving through the residential detour, observe the speed limit, and watch for pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles backing from driveways.

Sprague between University and Pines- Rolling full closure along the Valleyfest Parade route on Friday, September 23 starting at 5:45 p.m. between University and Bowdish, and extending eastward at 7 p.m. from Bowdish to Pines until the end of the parade. Expect side streets closures as well. Signs will redirect traffic via Valleyway and 4^th. 

Sullivan Road Bridge Replacement Project- Northbound traffic is reduced to one lane with vehicles restricted to 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. One southbound lane will be closed at Flora Pit Rd during working hours.

SPOKANE COUNTY

Seven Mile Bridge & Seven Mile Road- Bridge approach work with road work tie ins. Watch for loose gravel. A bypass road is in place with a reduced speed limit of 25 mph.

Hawthorne Road West (Waikiki to US 395)- Completion of road, stormwater reconstruction, signal improvement, bike lane, and striping. Open with temporary lane restrictions during completion of landscaping. Use alternate route to avoid delays. 

Hawthorne Road East (US 395 to US 2)- Road reconstruction, stormwater upgrades, curb, signal, bike, striping; paving operations. Road closed to traffic.

Argonne Road (Spokane River to Wellesley)- Road reconstruction, stormwater retrofit, paving. Argonne is reduced to one lane in each direction, expect long delays, use alternate route, right turns only at Maringo Dr (no cross traffic movements).

Country Homes (Wall to SR 395)- Stormwater work in the raised islands. Traffic is one lane in each direction on the North side of the islands, side road access to and from Country Homes is restricted, expect delays, and on street parking is limited.

61^st (Palouse Highway to Yale) and Ben Burr Road (from 57^th to 65^th)- Road Reconstruction & Waterline installation. Road Closure, detour in place.

  

Ben Burr Road (57^th Ave. to 61^st Ave.)- Road Reconstruction. Road Closure, detour in place.

SPOKANE CITY

1st Avenue Et Al, Erie to Helena- Water Main installation work is ongoing: Watermain installation in Perry Street is complete.  Perry remains closed for Concrete and roadway rebuilding which begins Monday, September 26. This project will provide storm water conveyance to Pacific and Perry Infiltration Facility and replace old water distribution lines. The project also includes associated street construction.

37th Avenue, Regal Street to Custer Street- 37^th Avenue from Freya to Custer Street is closed. The detour route is Glenrose to Palouse Highway to Regal Street. Crews are currently grading from Freya to Myrtle. Installation will be completed the week of Monday, September 26. This work is to reconstruct the road, including pavement replacement, curbs, sidewalk, bike lanes, stormwater piping, and a 36 inch water main.

Ben Burr Trail and Connection to the Centennial Trail- Crews are installing new storm crossing and new ADA ramps on 2^nd Avenue, closing the street from Napa to Arthur Street. Lane restrictions are in pace on 2^nd Avenue between Altamont and Napa. The freeway on ramp remains open and exit 282B has been reduced to one lane.

·     Third Avenue has lane restrictions from Arthur to Altamont Street.  The crossing at Perry Street under the I-90 freeway is closed. Crews are installing new ADA ramp in these locations.

This project will design and construct a paved trail connection for bicyclists and pedestrians from the Centennial Trail at the Gonzaga Bridge southeast of Erie Street and 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 Ave. is closed to traffic. 

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.

Hazel's Creek Stormwater Treatment Project- Work continues on Freya south of 37^th Avenue on construction of a stormwater treatment system with disposal ponds.  This system will be an extension of the existing Hazel’s Creek Facility on 42^nd Avenue.

Indiana Avnue from Dakota to Perry Street- Paving of Indiana Ave. is scheduled to begin Tuesday, September 27^th and continue through the week. Hamilton Street will have lane closures as crews do curb and signal work on each corner from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through the week of Oct. 3.

Perry St. will continue to be reduced to one travel lane in each direction for work within and near the Perry/Indiana intersection.  Crescent Ave. east of the Perry/Indiana intersection will be closed at the intersection and railroad crossing.  Crescent Ave. east and north of the railroad tracks will remain open. This project will include curb ramps, storm swales, new curb, waterline replacement, signal installation work and some parking removal.

Main Avenue Restriping Project- The south lane of Main is closed from Browne to Division.  Roadwork from Washington to Division will be complete by the end of next week.  The project calls for the restriping of Main Ave between Washington St and Pine St. and adding entry features, a flexible multi-purpose space in the center of the street that can be used for parking or events, mid-block crossing with curb extensions and planting, mid-block planters and benches and a kiosk parking system.

Martin Luther King Jr. Way Phase 2A, Sherman to Erie Street- Phase 2A is an extension of Martin Luther King Jr. Way from Sherman to Erie Street. This is a continuation of the Riverside Extension Phase 1 project. This project will provide a route that eliminates several safety issues and increases capacity into and out of the downtown area. Improvements include a new asphalt pavement street, utility infrastructure, storm drainage improvements, street lighting, street trees, and re-vegetation with native species. In lieu of sidewalks, a section of the Ben Burr trail will be constructed separated from the roadway.

Monroe/Lincoln Street Couplet, 8th Avenue to 2nd Avenue- Crews are finishing the base paving on Lincoln and 7^th Ave. Friday, September 23.  Top lift begins the week of October 8. Striping and cleanup follows the week of October 10 – 14.  Lincoln is scheduled to open late day Friday, October 14. Monroe is expected to be fully open by late day Friday, October 4. This project reconstructs the roadway from 8^th to 2^nd Avenue and installs storm water and water facilities.  

Monroe and Lincoln Street, Main Avenue to 2nd Avenue-  Crews are working in the intersection of Lincoln and Sprague and Riverside and Lincoln for storm pipe connection. They will be working on Lincoln and Monroe Saturday, September 24.  

Monday, September 26, crews will move traffic on Monroe from 2^nd to Sprague Avenue onto the paved east side lanes.  Work will begin in the west lane section. Crews will move traffic on Lincoln from 2^nd to 1^st Avenue onto the paved east side lanes. Work will begin in the west lane section.

Tuesday, September 27, the eastbound lanes of Riverside from Madison to Monroe will be closed for hydrant installation work.

Storm and sewer work continues with 4 way stops at the intersections of 1^st, Sprague, and Riverside Avenues.  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.

Pettet Drive/TJ Meenach Combined Sewer Overlow (CSO 12) Project- Pettet Drive is closed to traffic. The intersection of Pettet Drive and Nora Avenue is scheduled for paving on Monday, October 3. 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 Pettit, north bound, re-directs citizens to Northwest Blvd. Vehicles that 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.

Wall Street, Main Avenue to Spokane Falls Boulevard- Sidewalk and curb installation is complete.  Roadwork on Wall Street is anticipated to be completed by September 30. Wall Street from Main to Spokane Falls is closed. This work is to construct storm water improvements, sidewalks, new asphalt pavement, traffic signal revisions, an irrigation system, and add lighting. 

Is The 85 and Over Crowd Taking Over the Roads?

Me in the not-so-distant future.

Here's an eye opener: drivers over the age of 85 are now the fastest-growing segment of American drivers. According to the Orlando Sentinel, their numbers doubled between 1998 and 2013- to amost 3.5 million. Kind of concerning when you consider that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that, per mile traveled, fatal crash rates increase starting at age 70 and are highest for driver over the age of 85. The CDC says this isn't because they are more likely to collide with something, but because they are more likely to succumb to injuries when involved in crashes.

Drivers over the age of 50 are increasing too, with 93.5 million in 2013, making up 44% of all drivers. Conversely, there are fewer 16-year-old on the road now than at any times since the 1960s. In 2014, there were 1.08 million drivers aged 16. Five years earlier, in 2009, there were 1.72 million, so a big drop. The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute says only 24% of eligible U.S. 16-year-olds have a driver's license. 

Transportation Technical Committee Meeting Next Wednesday

Next week is going to be a busy week around SRTC; we have multiple meetings/workshops scheduled, including the monthly meeting of the Transportation Technical Committee (TTC), SRTC's professional committee of area engineers and planners.

The meeting agenda is here.  Of particular interest is the Spokane Tribe of Indians presentation on the Promise Zone grant the Tribe recently received that will create jobs, improve educational opportunities, increase economic activity, reduce crime, and increase access to affordable housing. Planner Mike Tedesco will talk about how the money will help to accomplish this.

All SRTC committee meetings are open to the public, so if something on the agenda catches your interest, feel free to attend. The meeting starts at 1:30 p.m. next Wednesday, September 28 at the SRTC office, 421 W. Riverside, Suite 500.

The Netherlands Wins Again- This Time for Being the Best Place to Drive

Bike parking in Amsterdam.

I feel like the U.S. is developing an inferiority complex when it comes to the Netherlands. Those everything. Everyone knows that the Netherlands are the best place to commute by bike, where virtually everyone does, but now a new report by Waze says it's also the best place to be a driver. Yes, a driver!
folks win

According to Daily Hive, the country has 18 million bicycles and 16 million residents. With over a quarter of daily trips made by bike, you would think it would be a nightmare for drivers. Not so, says Waze. The company's Driver Satisfaction Index – which analyzes the driving experiences of 65 million monthly users in 38 countries and 235 cities nationally – named The Netherlands the most satisfying place in the world to drive due to its “smooth traffic conditions” and “solid road quality.”

With most people using alternatives to driving, the country's roadways are uncrowded, which also decreases the wear and tear on them.  

Oh Deer! How Likely You Are to Hit A Deer Depends on the State You Live In

Perhaps training deer to use crosswalks could help?

Live in West Virginia? Then you have a greater chance of hitting a deer than drivers in other states.

KCRA News reports that the odds for such an accident in WV are an estimated 1 of 41 drivers, according to a report from State Farm Insurance.

Hawaiians, on the other hand, have the lowest risk in the U.S. of colliding with a deer with 1 in 10,281 chance.

Surprisingly, Washington ranks 41, with a 1 in 372 likelihood of hitting a deer. Oregon is 37 and Idaho 28. Nationally, the odds of a driver hitting a deer are 1 in 169.

Nationally, 191 people were killed in 2013 (the most recent year with available data) as a result of collisions with animals, according to the Insurance Information Institute and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Deer were the most common animal to be struck.
These accidents tend to happen most frequently at dusk and dawn and in the fall. November is the month that drivers in Ohio are mostly likely to hit a deer, followed by October and December.

Proposal Calls For Limiting I-5 to Self-Driving Cars

I've been stuck on I-5 in Western Washington several times lately, but I'm not sure this is how to fix Kuow.com reports that a proposal to ban human drivers from the freeway is being discussed at a technology conference in Vancouver, B.C., that Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, B.C. Premier Christy Clark, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, and Microsoft founder Bill Gates are all expected to attend today.

the congestion problem.
Seattle's Madrona Venture Group suggests that a 150-mile stretch of the freeway between Seattle and Vancouver be occupied only by driverless cars — except for quiet times at nights and weekends.

Under the idea, robot-cars would just get to share the HOV lanes on I-5 to start. Over time, the driverless cars would get their own lanes, then eventually all the lanes 10 to 15 years from now, allowing human drivers on I-5 only during non-congested times such as weekends and 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. on weekdays.

The brains behind this suggestion say a driverless I-5 would boost business and tourism between the two cities. Some critics disagree though. University of Washington civil engineering professor Don MacKenzie said social equity must be considered and that a huge number of families with older vehicles would be out of luck. MacKenzie says that, with 60 percent of cars in the U.S. lasting 15 years or more, about 1.5 million cars will still be on the road in Washington in 15 years that were manufactured this year or earlier.

Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting Next Monday

The next meeting of the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC), SRTC's citizen's group) is next Monday, Sept. 26 at 3 p.m. at the SRTC office at 421 W. Riverside, Suite 500. The meeting agenda is here. The meetings are open to everyone, so if you are interested in an of the agenda items, feel free to attend. Of particular interest is the STA presentation on Proposition One. If you have had questions about the ballot measure that would expand STA service, come watch.

Local Road Construction Update

SPOKANE COUNTY

Seven Mile Bridge & Seven Mile Road- Work is underway on the bridge approach. Watch for loose gravel and a reduced speed limit of 25 mph. A bypass road is in place. 

Hawthorne Road East (US 395 to US 2)- Road reconstruction, stormwater upgrades, curb, signal, bike, striping; paving operations have begun look for additional road access restrictions.The road is closed.

Argonne Road (Spokane River to Wellesley)- Argonne is reduced to one lane in each direction for road reconstruction and stormwater retrofitting. Expect long delays. Right turns only at Maringo Dr. (no cross traffic movements).

Country Homes (Wall to SR 395)- Stormwater work in the raised islands. Traffic is one lane in each direction on the north side of the islands. Side road access to and from Country Homes Blvd. is restricted.

SPOKANE VALLEY

44^th from Locust to Ponderosa- Reduced to a two lane gravel roadway with speeds reduced to 15 mph through October 7. 

44^th from Schafer Branch to Ponderosa- Reduced to one lane from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays through October 7.

Appleway from Park to Dishman-Mica- Reduced to two lanes through October for street improvement work with sidewalk, lane, and temporary side street closures. Local access and access to businesses will remain available.

Bates, Rego and Wilbur- Bates from Boone to Rego will be narrowed with flaggers directing traffic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. As part of the same project, Wilbur between Boone to Broadway and Rego from Bates to Wilbur will be closed to all but local traffic through October 3 for stormwater improvements. 

Desmet from Thierman to Bradley- Will be closed to all but local traffic from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, September 19 for paving.

McDonald northbound from Mission to Broadway and McDonald southbound from Mission to Sprague - Reduced to one lane.

Sprague from University to Bowdish- Closed to all traffic on Friday, September 23 from 5:45 p.m. until the end of the Valleyfest parade.

Sullivan Road Bridge Replacement Project- Northbound traffic is reduced to one lane. Turns from Indiana onto northbound Sullivan are reduced to one lane.  One southbound lane is closed at Flora Pit Rd. during working hours.

      WSDOT

US 2/Spotted Road to I-90 Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)- Installation of fiber optic cable along US 2 from mile post 281 to 283. Possible shoulder and/or night lane restrictions.

US 395-NSC/Freya & Wellesley Intersection Roundabout- Roundabout construction. The Wellesley/Freya intersection is closed to traffic. A signed detour is in place. This is a long-term closure that is in place 24 hours a day, seven days per week, for the duration of the project.  Planned completion is late Monday, Oct. 10.

US 395-Division Street/Hawthorne Rd. Intersection Improvements- Intersection improvements and new signal system. Hawthorne Road is closed east of Division. Division Street turn lanes are closed. All mainline lanes of Division are open.

SPOKANE CITY
25th Avenue, Southeast Boulevard to Lacey Court- 25^th Avenue is scheduled to reopen Monday, September 19 or Tuesday, September 20. This project reconstructed 25^th Avenue.  

37th Avenue, Regal Street to Custer Street- 37^th Avenue from Freya to Custer Street is closed. The detour is Glenrose to Palouse Highway to Regal Street. This work is to reconstruct the road, including pavement replacement, curbs, sidewalk, bike lanes, stormwater piping, and a new water main.

Ben Burr Trail and Connection to the Centennial Trail- Crews are installing new crossing and ADA ramps on 2^nd Avenue, closing the street from Napa to Arthur Street. Lane restrictions are in pace on 2^nd Avenue between Altamont and Napa. Freeway exit 282B has been reduced to one lane.  Third Avenue has lane restrictions from Arthur to Altamont Street.  The crossing at Perry Street under the I-90 freeway is closed. Crews are installing new ADA ramp in these locations.

This project will design and construct a shared use paved trail connection for bicyclists and pedestrian as well as security lighting.  The project will be from the Centennial Trail at the Gonzaga Bridge southeast of Erie Street and 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 Boulevard/Bridge Avenue is closed to traffic. 

Lincoln has one northbound lane open.  Lincoln southbound is closed at Broadway. This project will construct a Combined Sewer Overflow Tank (CSO) tank and piping.

Hazels Creek Stormwater Treatment Project- Work continues on Freya south of 37^th Avenue to construct a stormwater treatment system with disposal ponds and stormwater piping.  This system will be an extension of the existing Hazel’s Creek Facility on 42^nd Avenue.

Indiana Avenue from Dakota to Perry Street- Electrical, water and storm work is underway. Hamilton Street will have lane closures as crews do curb and signal work on each corner from Monday, September 19 to Monday, September 26 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Perry St. is reduced to one lane in each direction for work in the Perry/Indiana intersection.  Crescent Ave. east of the Perry/Indiana intersection will be closed at the intersection and railroad crossing.  Crescent Ave. east and north of the railroad tracks will remain open and provide access to Avista’s campus.  

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

Main Avenue Restriping Project- The north two lanes of Main Avenue from Washington to Pine Street are closed.  Restriping of the area will limit parking access for short durations. The project calls for restriping, an entry feature, a flexible multi-purpose space in the center of the street that can be used for different purposes during different times, mid-block crossing with curb extensions and planting, mid-block planters and benches and a parking system with kiosks.

Martin Luther King Jr. Way Phase 2A, Sherman to Erie Street- Rock excavation is in progress. This is a continuation of the Riverside Extension Phase 1 project. This project will provide an efficient route that eliminates several safety issues and increases capacity into and out of the downtown area. Improvements include a new asphalt street, utility infrastructure, storm drainage improvements, street lighting, street trees, and re-vegetation with native species. In lieu of sidewalks, the project will construct a section of the Ben Burr trail.

Monroe/Lincoln Street Couplet, 8th Avenue to 2nd Avenue- Paving is scheduled Tuesday, September 20 from the north side of 4^th Avenue to the south side of 5^th Avenue. The intersection of 5^th Avenue and Lincoln will close during paving. Lincoln paving from 5^th to 8^th Avenue will take place Thursday, September 22 – Saturday, September 25.

This project reconstructs the roadway and installs storm water and water facilities.  

Pettet Drive/TJ Meenach Combined Overflow (CSO 12) Project- Pettet Drive is closed to traffic. The clover leaf that services TJ Meenach, Down River and Pettit Drive (three out of the four legs) will be in service. 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. This project will build a storage facility and connections to existing CSO Basin 10 outfall.  Work also includes repaving of Pettet Drive and pedestrian/bike trail construction.

Wall Street, Main Avenue to Spokane Falls Boulevard- Sidewalk and curb installation is in progress.  Wall Street is anticipated to be completed by September 30. This work is to construct storm water improvements, sidewalks, new asphalt pavement, traffic signal revisions, an irrigation system, and add lighting.

1st Avenue Et Al, Erie to Helena- Water Main installation work is ongoing at the following locations. This project will provide storm water conveyance to Pacific and Perry Infiltration Facility and replace old water distribution lines. The project also includes associated street construction.

• 1^st Avenue from Erie Street to Helena Street
• Perry Street from 1^st Avenue to Sprague Avenue
•  Ivory Street from 2^nd Avenue to Sprague Avenue
• Helena Street from 1^st Avenue to Sprague Avenue
• Perry Street from 2^nd Avenue to Hogan Street

Will Self-Driving Cars Put Us All Out of Work?

We've discussed some of the impacts that self-driving cars could have when the concept of them is fully realized- senior citizens and disabled people being able to "drive," how well-rested we will all be because we can take a nap in the car instead of driving, an increase in miles driven because many people will send their car home after arriving at work rather than pay to park it- but one aspect we haven't addressed at SRTC yet is that the autonomous car revolution could take American jobs.

According to MarketWatch, 4.1 million jobs could disapear, including chauffeurs and drivers of trucks, cabs and ride-share vehicles.

The potential savings are predicted to outweigh the human cost, as drivers are one of the biggest expenses for transportation companies. And they have to sleep and take vacation, which isn't necessary for their self-driving replacements.

Some disagree though. Uber, expected to benefit hugely from autonomous cars, says it won't completely phase out drivers. Uber started a self-driving pilot program in Pittsburgh recently, although the car arrives with a human sitting in the front seat to take over if something goes wrong.
Still, the naysayers — and there are plenty — just aren’t buying it.

When To Cross? When the Car Smiles At You

How do you know when it's safe to cross the street? When the car approaching you smiles at you. A new self-driving car, called the Smiling Car, lights up with a smile to show that it has detected you and isn't going to run you over.

According to Fastcoexist.com, when you're standing on a street corner waiting to cross, you usually make eye contact with the driver of the car in your path to create some sort of understanding that they won't drive into you. With self-driving cars, that doesn't work. So the Sweden-based engineering firm Semcon had a little fun with technology in order to let the car "communicate" with others.

Eventually, designers say that eye-tracking and laser technology will be able to not only detect a pedestrian waiting to cross the road, but also small head or eye movements.

Cats Take Over London Subway Station

The Clapham Common subway station in London is overrun with cats. They are everywhere- staring at you from giant posters on the wall and from stick-ons on turnstiles.

According to CNN, the cats are part of a crowdfunded campaign to replace all ads. The campaign raised more than $26,000 to make 68 ads at the station disappear. Their replacement are photos of stray cats from two area rescue groups.

The idea came from a group called Citizens Advertising Takeover Service (or CATS). Instead of asking you to buy something, CATS wants you to think about what's really valuable.