The Plastic Road Concept

Everywhere I go, people are complaining about potholes. And it's no wonder. After all the freeze/thaw/rain/ice/death/destruction, it's not surprising our roads are looking a little worse for wear this winter. But what if, instead of having to rebuild an entire stretch of roadway that has lots of potholes, you could just remove the section and drop in a new piece, like those toy car tracks you used to play with as a kid? Could the modular system shown in this video, called The Plastic Road Concept, speed up road construction and make our roads last a lot longer?

If nothing else, this video has a happenin' soundtrack.

City Staff Report to City Council on Possible Downtown Construction Delays

It's a race to finish an overhaul of Lincoln and Monroe streets downtown before cold weather gets here, which could put the project on hold until spring. According to the Spokesman-Review, City Council members yesterday were told there are few options to speed up the remaining 40 to 50 days of the reconstruction project, which has gotten lots of complaints from drivers through the area and even more from area businesses.

Public Works Director Scott Simmons, construction supervisors and utilities department representatives appeared before the City Council last night to see what can be done to ensure work isn't held over until next year. Some of the possibilities included closing the streets entirely or extending overtime hours.

It was pointed out though that workers already had one thousand hours of overtime due to a mess of underground pipes. The project also got started later than originally planned due to a delay in the bidding process on the project.

Simmons said the city will look at paying additional overtime, but can't force utility companies and contractors to work extra hours if conditions are unsafe. Crews are also losing much-needed hours as it starts to get dark earlier.

Fully closing the streets wouldn't pay off at this time either, according to officials, because most of the utility work was needed on only one side of the street.

Twohig is expected to brief the City Council next week on potential options for speeding construction.

If It Wouldn't Happen At Your Place...

An interesting take on road rage. If it wouldn't happen at your workplace, you probably shouldn't subject road construction workers to it.

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

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

Liberty Lake 2016 Budget Includes

Liberty Lake's draft 2016 budget has been revealed and it includes several large-scale street projects. According to the Liberty Lake Splash, including a renovation of Liberty Lake Road. The work will include surface and signalization improvements at the intersection of the intersection with Country Vista. The intersection of Appleway and Liberty Lake Road will also get new signals to improve the flow of traffic.

The budget allocates $2.2 million of the $2.8 million allotted under the Capital Improvement Plan to transportation improvements. The balance will go toward projects at city parks, Trailhead Golf Course, Town Square and community signage. 

The Liberty Lake City Council is expected to pass the (possibly amended) budget on Dec. 15.

It's Construction Time, Which Means You'll Be Needing Our Online Construction Map

Zoom in to your neighborhood or commute route
to see what projects are planned there.

Road construction projects are starting up around the area so it's time to check out the 2015 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map. Every year, SRTC partners with jurisdictions in Spokane County to put all construction projects that impact traffic on one map. It’s a clearinghouse of information to help you avoid road construction because delays and traffic jams cost us all time and money.

Click on a line or point identifying a project
to see a description of it.

The online map can be viewed on your smartphone, tablet or computer. It is interactive and lets you zoom in on your neighborhood or commute route, read project descriptions by clicking on a location, and click on links embedded in the map to learn more about each project. The Regional Road Construction map is updated often to reflect progress made, including when new projects start and others are completed.

You can also click on the logo
to go to that jurisdictions page for more
information on each project.

Using ArcGIS technology for this map allows SRTC to more actively involve the public in transportation planning and activities. By reducing the number of vehicles delayed by road construction, the amount of pollution released into the air is also reduced, safety is increased through driver awareness of construction zones, and the impact on the economy caused by time wasted in traffic is lessened. 

Click the "Share" link to send the map in an email
or embed it in a website or blog.

ArcGIS Online maps also provide more information than traditional paper maps by allowing users to access additional project information through links to other websites and allowing users to pass the information to others by emailing a link to the map or embedding it in a blog or website.

Check out the 2015 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map by clicking here and see what projects are scheduled for your neighborhood. 

Firefox, Safari, Chrome, the latest versions of Internet Explorer and mobile browsers work the best with ArcGIS Online. 

Online Bike and Construction Maps Help You Get Around Easier

The Bike Map in all it's glory

A reminder about two things; 1.) being summer, there is lots of road construction happening and 2.) being summer, it's a great time to ride your bike instead of driving your car. This also helps you to get around construction projects easier. Or you can check the 2014 Spokane Regional Road Construction map. But if you choose to ride instead, there's the 2014 Spokane Regional Bike Map to help navigate all of Spokane County via bike, no matter your skill level on two wheels.

So the whole point of this post was to remind you that we have two new "interactive" maps online for your use; the Bike Map and Construction Map, both which can be found at https://srtc.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html. On both maps, you can pan and zoom to different areas, such as your neighborhood or route to work, to see what your bicycling options are in that area or what construction projects are scheduled.

You can zoom in to see more detail on the construction map

Each local jurisdiction provided updated information on bicycling facilities and road construction in their area to increase public awareness about what’s happening with our transportation system. On both maps, you can click on a bicycle facility or construction project to learn more about it. On the Construction Map, clicking on a project location will give you the details of the project, including the exact location, approximate dates of construction and a direct link to that project’s web page or the agency’s  construction page.

On the Bike Map, you can click on points such as trailheads, park and ride lots and bike shops. This will tell you what amenities each offers, such as restrooms, parking and bike lockers. You can also visit websites for area bike shops by clicking the shop location.

Firefox, Safari, Chrome and the latest versions of Internet Explorer and mobile browsers on all types of devices work best with ArcGIS Online.

SRTC Board Awards $20M To Local Projects/Programs

Good news for a bunch of local transportation projects and programs. The SRTC Policy Board just voted to award approximately $20 million dollars in federal fiscal year 2017-2019 Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds to those projects.

STP provides flexible funding that may be used by States and localities for projects to preserve and improve the conditions and performance on any Federal-aid highway, bridge projects, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and transit capital projects. Generally, projects must be located on a road functionally classified as higher than local or rural minor collectors (bicycle and pedestrian projects can be located on any public roadway or off-road trail).

For more information on the Surface Transportation Program, click the link. If you'd like to just cut to the chase though and see which projects will get money, click this link instead.

Avoid Construction Delays With SRTC's Interactive Construction Map

We launched the interactive 2014 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map a while back, but with construction in full swing around the area now, wanted to remind folks that it's out there to help you avoid construction zones. By avoiding being delayed by road work, you prevent traffic jams that waste time and money and cause air pollution.

The City of Spokane's City Cable 5 just completed this cool video on how to use the interactive map. Check it out then check out the map itself here.

Help the City of Spokane Improve Construction Work With A Quick Survey

Okay all you folks who like to critique area construction, this is your chance to weigh-in in an official
capacity. The City of Spokane is asking you to evaluate progress and quality of work of their construction projects by taking a quick online survey.

Here's the link for more info and to get to the survey.

Road Construction Update for Week of April 28

SPOKANE VALLEY

Park Avenue at Sprague Intersection - Expect closures north of Sprague and south of Sprague at times until early May for resurfacing, depending on weather.  Signs will redirect traffic to detours via Vista/Broadway or Thierman/Appleway as appropriate.

Sprague Avenue from Vista to Park - Reduced to two lanes westbound through early May for resurfacing, depending on weather.  Signs will redirect traffic to detours via Vista/Broadway or Thierman/Appleway as appropriate.

WSDOT

North Spokane Corridor/Francis Avenue Bridge and Intersection Improvements- No right turns allowed from westbound Francis Avenue to northbound Market Street continuing through Tuesday April 29^th.  Crews are placing cement concrete pavement on Francis Avenue for the new right–turn slip lane at the Market/Francis intersection. People with time-sensitive travels are encouraged to find alternate routes. The dedicated right turn lane for southbound traffic on Freya Street is closed in order to construct the new roadway at the northwest corner.  All traffic movements will still be allowed, but the right turn onto westbound Francis Avenue will need to be done from the through lane so some additional traffic congestion is anticipated.  This traffic configuration will remain in place through late April, and will be restored once the asphalt paving is completed at this location. 

I-90/Westbound Hamilton to westbound I-90 on-ramp- On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, April 29, 30, and May 1, from 9 a.m. until as late as 3 p.m., drivers entering westbound I-90 from Hamilton Street should be alert for right lane closures on the on ramp. Crews will be removing a tree.

US 195/Cheney-Spokane Road Interchange- HIGH IMPACT!!  Asphalt paving is scheduled to begin Wednesday, April 30.  When paving is underway, the southbound off-ramp will be closed and drivers will need to use the southbound right-turn into Cheney-Spokane Road.  In general, northbound US 195 drivers need to be alert for slow traffic entering the highway left lane from Cheney-Spokane Road. The dedicated northbound acceleration lane has been removed. The northbound left turn lane remains closed and is signed for no left turns. 

SPOKANE CITY
Convention Center Hotel Project- Construction continues on a private developer’s onsite Convention Center Hotel Project within the entire block between Washington St and Bernard St and Main Ave and Spokane Falls Blvd. Summary of changes and closures:

§  Northbound east curb thru lane on Washington St will be closed during working hours.

§  Eastbound middle thru lane on Main Ave will be closed during working hours.

§  Eastside Parking on Bernard St will be closed during working hours.

o   Main Avenue has eastbound lane and parking lane closure starting at Washington Street and continuing to Bernard Street

o   Bernard Street is closed to southbound traffic from Spokane Falls Boulevard to Main Avenue 

o   Spokane Falls Boulevard has two westbound lanes and a parking lane closure starting east of Bernard Street and continuing to Washington Street.

Ruby and Baldwin Closure- The northbound thru lane on North Ruby St at East Baldwin Ave. will be closed on Tuesday, April 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for work on an existing aerial communication line within the  right of way.

28th and Southeast Blvd. Water Line Service-  Major impacts at E 28^th Ave and Southeast Blvd are planned for Thursday, May 1 through Friday, May 2 for installation of a private water line service tap,

o   The intersection’s south leg will be completely closed limiting access from 29^th Ave east and westbound traffic as well as southbound traffic from Southeast blvd. 

o   Southbound traffic will not be able to access Southeast Blvd from 29^th Ave and will be detoured to E 29^th Ave and the Regal St intersection. 

o   Southeast Blvd northbound thru traffic will be closed at the intersection of Regal St and Southeast Blvd. 

o   Local access to Southeast Blvd from 29^th Ave to Regal St will be provided from the intersection of Regal St and Southeast Blvd.  

Francis Ave. Division to Crestline Work- This project will rehabilitate Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline Streets.  The work is curb to curb and includes installation of ADA curb ramps, where needed.

Traffic is open on the south side of Francis with one lane in each direction. 

Palouse Highway and Regal Work- The construction of improvements at Regal and Palouse Highway Intersection is in full swing. A temporary roadway is in place for Regal Street for northbound and southbound traffic.  There is no direct access to Palouse Highway.  Access to the highway will be restored by May 28.

Francis and Freya Signal Work-A signal removal and replacement will occur at the Francis/Freya intersection with construction continuing for approximately one month. The dedicated right turn lane is closed for southbound traffic on Freya Street in order to construct the new roadway at the northwest corner.  All traffic movements will still be allowed. The right turn onto westbound Francis Avenue is routed from the through lane. This traffic configuration will remain in place for approximately 1 month or until paving is complete. 

North Division Signal and Lighting Work- This work will involve changing out existing controller cabinets for new cabinets for the adaptive signal control project. Signals will be in red-red flash for an extended period within the time frames provided below and dark for very short durations (one or two minutes) as the wiring for each head is transferred.

o   Tuesday,  April 29,  5 a.m. to ~ 10 a.m., Wellesley & Division

o   Wednesday,  April 30, 5 a.m. to ~ 10 a.m., Francis & Division

o   Thursday, May 1,  5 a.m. to ~ 10 a.m., Lyons & Division

Bloomsday Course Sweeping- Bloomsday sweeping begins Tuesday, April 29 at 9 a.m.  No Parking signs will be placed along the sweeping route, Monday morning, April 28. Cars parked where no parking signs are located will be towed.  The sweeping route will begin along the north side of Riverside and Cedar heading west of Hemlock, Broadway, Maple, and Lindeke.

Wednesday April 30, sweeping will begin to the south side of the street and follow the above route.

Bloomsday Road Closures- The following roads will be closed on Sunday, May 4 for the annual Bloomsday run:

o   Riverside from Post to Lincoln Street will close starting at 4:30 a.m.

o   Monroe Street Bridge Closes at 5:30 a.m.

o   Most of Downtown Closes between 6:30 and 7 a.m.

o   The entire route is closed by 8:15 a.m.

o   The roadways will be opened as soon as possible after cleanup

o   Most of downtown will reopen around noon.

o   The entire route should be open near 2 p.m. 

Local Construction Update

SPOKANE VALLEY

Mirabeau Parkway between Pinecroft and Mansfield - Expect 2- to 3-minute closures of the southbound lane Mondays through Thursdays from 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for utility work until Thursday, April 24. 

Park Rd. at Sprague Ave. Intersection - Expect closures north of Sprague and south of Sprague at times until early May for resurfacing, depending on weather.  Signs will redirect traffic to detours via Vista/Broadway or Thierman/Appleway as appropriate.

The eastbound lane of Sharp Ave. from Seehorn to Lake Rd.- Closed from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. through Saturday, April 26 for utility work. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work area.

Sprague Ave. from Vista to Park - Reduced to two lanes westbound around the clock through early May for resurfacing, depending on weather.  Signs will redirect traffic to detours via Vista/Broadway or Thierman/Appleway as appropriate.

WSDOT

North Spokane Corridor/Francis Avenue Bridge and Intersection Improvements- The dedicated right turn lane for southbound traffic on Freya Street is closed to construct new roadway at the northwest corner.  All traffic movements will still be allowed, but the right turn onto westbound Francis Avenue will need to be done from the through lane so some additional traffic congestion is anticipated.  This traffic configuration will remain in place through late April, and will be restored once the asphalt paving is completed at this location. 

Market Street has single lanes in each direction through the Market/Francis intersection on the west half of Market Street.  Francis Avenue is operating as single lanes in each direction on the new bridge.  The south side of the bridge along the traffic barrier is designated for the movement of bicycles and pedestrians.  No left turns are allowed at the intersection from Market Street to Francis Avenue, but are allowed from Francis Avenue to Market Street, and right turns are allowed on all approaches.  

US 195/Cheney-Spokane Road Interchange- Work resumes Monday, April 21.  Northbound US 195 drivers need to be alert for slow traffic entering the highway left lane from Cheney-Spokane Road.  The dedicated northbound acceleration lane has been removed.  The northbound left turn lane remains closed and is signed for no left turns.  US 195 northbound drivers must use Qualchan Road to access Cheney-Spokane Road.  The southbound off ramp to Cheney-Spokane Road is open to traffic. Vehicles must use this off ramp as no right turns are allowed from southbound US 195 to Cheney-Spokane Road.  

SPOKANE CITY

Francis Ave. from Division to Crestline- This project will rehabilitate Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline Streets. The work is curb to curb and includes installation of ADA curb ramps, where needed.

Traffic is open on the south side of Francis with one lane in each direction. Underground catch basins are being installed on the north side of the street. An Avista gas line is requiring some unanticipated extra treatment which is currently causing some delay on the project.  

Regal Street and Palouse Hwy. Project- The construction of Privately Driven Improvements at Regal and Palouse Intersection is in full swing. A temporary roadway is in place for Regal Street for northbound and southbound traffic. There is no direct access to Palouse Highway. This temporary roadway has curves with an advisory speed of 20 MPH for the construction zone.

 Palouse Highway is closed to traffic just east of Regal Street and will have no direct access to Regal Street.  All local businesses are open. The contractor will maintain existing access to Palouse Highway between Regal and Freya Street. All Palouse thru traffic will be re-routed using established marked detours starting at the intersection of Palouse Highway and Freya Street. The City has a commitment from the Private Contractor to have access to re-open the Palouse Highway by May 28.

Francis and Freya Signal Work- A signal removal and replacement will occur at the Francis/Freya intersection with construction continuing for approximately one month. Flagging at the intersection will occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.  The dedicated right turn lane is closed for southbound traffic on Freya Street in order to construct the new roadway at the northwest corner. All traffic movements will still be allowed. The right turn onto westbound Francis Avenue will be routed from the through lane.  Additional traffic congestion is anticipated. This traffic configuration will remain in place for approximately 1 month or until HMA paving is completed at this location. Traffic is encouraged to find alternate routes. PCMS boards are running to alert motorists of this upcoming work.

Chandler Water Main Project- Construction of a new 42 inch diameter water main begins on Chandler from 8^th to 7^th Avenue, on 8^th from Chandler to Cowley, and on Cowley from 7^th to 8^th Avenue.

Liberty St. Construction- Construction to rehabilitate Liberty from Oak Street to Ash Place and Ash Place from Liberty to Dalton is on winter shutdown.  Most of the underground work has been completed, with surface improvements planned for 2014.  Liberty is closed with local access only.

Road Construction Update

WSDOT
Freeway and Highway Sweeping- Be alert for slow moving sweeping operations on most highway routes, especially in the Spokane metro area.  Sweepers and/or water flushing trucks followed by warning vehicles will be moving slowly along highway shoulders. On multi-lane freeways and divided highways, sweeping may be taking place on the inside shoulder along the left lane.

North Spokane Corridor/Francis Avenue Bridge and Intersection Improvements- The right turn lane for southbound traffic on Freya Street is closed to construct the new roadway at the northwest corner.  All traffic movements are allowed, but the right turn onto westbound Francis Avenue needs to be done from the through lane. This configuration will be in place through late April, and will be restored once the asphalt paving is completed at this location. 

SPOKANE VALLEY

Sharp Ave. from Seehorn to Lake Rd. - The eastbound lane will be closed from 7:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Monday, April 7 through Friday, April 11 for utility work. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work area.

Mirabeau Parkway between Pinecroft and Mansfield - Expect 2- to 3-minute closures of the southbound lane on Mondays through Thursdays from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for utility work beginning Monday, April 7 continuing through Thursday, April 24.  You may wish to use alternative routes.

SPOKANE CITY
Francis Ave. from Division to Crestline- This project will rehabilitate Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline Streets.  The work is curb to curb and includes installation of ADA curb ramps, where needed.

Regal Street and Palouse Highway Intersection- Regal Street and the Palouse Hwy. Intersection will have traffic disruptions starting Monday, April 7 in preparation for construction of a new traffic signal and street upgrades. The first phase begins Monday, April 14 with minor traffic impacts for the construction of a temporary detour to the west for Regal Street traffic. This work requires sidewalk closures, lane closures, and other minor temporary traffic revisions. This will also include at times, no direct access to the existing parking lot for the Park on the west side of this intersection.

o   Starting Sunday Night, April 13 at 7 p.m., the contractor will start the second phase which will include major traffic impacts at this intersection.  Regal Street traffic will be re-routed to the new temporary roadway alignment to the west.   This temporary roadway will allow for northbound and southbound thru movement at Palouse Hwy and access to the existing parking lot on the west side to southbound traffic only.  This new alignment will include curves with an advisory speed of 20 MPH in the construction zone.  Traffic using the new temporary roadway will have no direct access to Palouse Hwy. 

o   The Palouse Hwy will be closed to all traffic just east of Regal Street and will have no direct access to Regal Street. The traffic control will maintain local driveway access to all businesses that use Palouse Hwy between Regal Street and Freya Street. All Palouse thru traffic will be re-routed using established marked detours starting at the intersection of Palouse Hwy and Freya Street.

Cured in Place Pipe (CIPP) Sewer Rehab Project- Installation of a pipe liner to rehabilitate sanitary sewer pipes at various locations around town is underway at the following locations:

o   Work on Helena from Rowan south to Crown Avenue, near Whitman Elementary started Friday, April 4 and includes the closure of the intersection at Rowan and Helena.  Work continues through April 11.

o   Work in the residential area on one block of Crestline Street north of Upriver Drive to North Crescent began April 3 with the street closed April 4 to accommodate the scheduled work.

o   Work at the intersection of Illinois and Crestline will impact traffic beginning through Sunday, April 6.  

Francis and Freya Intersection Work- A signal removal and replacement will occur at the Francis/Freya intersection with construction continuing for approximately one month.  Flagging at the intersection will occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.  The dedicated right turn lane will be closed for southbound traffic on Freya Street in order to construct the new roadway at the northwest corner.  All traffic movements will still be allowed.   The right turn onto westbound Francis Avenue will be routed from the through lane. This configuration remains in place approximately one month or until paving is complete. 

Chandler Watermain Work- Construction of a new 42 inch diameter water main begins on Chandler from 8^th to 7^th Avenue, on 8^th from Chandler to Cowley, and on Cowley from 7^th to 8^th Avenue.  Cowley is closed until April 11.  Weather conditions may cause delays.

Monroe from Broadway to Mallon- The northbound outside lane on Monroe Street from Broadway Avenue to Mallon Avenue will be closed April 7 through April 9.  

Boone Street from Ash to Cedar- The eastbound outside lane on West Boone Street from North Ash to North Cedar will be closed  for Avista utility Pole work. 

31^st Avenue between Division and Tekoa- Closed  through Wednesday, April 9^th for a private sewer line replacement.

STILL Haven't Tried Out the New 2014 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map?

A big thanks to the Spokesman-Review's "Getting There" column for helping us publicize our new 2014 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map in today's edition of the paper. The map has construction projects from all the jurisdictions across the county on it, and descriptions of what each project will accomplish. Here's a direct link to the map. Keep in mind that if you're viewing it in an older version of Internet Explorer, some of the project descriptions won't show up. Try Chrome, Firefox or Mozilla as an aternative.

Also in today's Getting There column, a staff member at our member agency Spokane Transit is recognized with an award, slowdowns are expected this week on Snoqualmie Pass, an expert on traffic is coming to the area to talk about a report on the potential increase in rail traffic through the Inland Northwest as a result of coal shipments from Montana and Wyoming, studded tires need to come off your car and more! Enjoy!

Try the 2014 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map. It's Interactive!

Construction season is officially underway. That means you're going to run into some delays if you don't plan things out. Why should I care if you get stuck in traffic? Besides the fact that I feel your pain, it also costs all of us money and time everytime there's a traffic jam. That's why there are agencies like the Spokane Regional Transportation Management Center (SRTMC) that have almost 100 live traffic cameras to monitor traffic and make sure things are moving smoothly.

The 2014 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map can help also. This year it's got a new look. Because resources are tight, and times are changing, we opted to only do the map in an electronic format.  While that means no more paper map, it also means you no longer have to try to fold it up after using it. You can still take the map with you wherever you go on your smartphone or other handheld device though.

Another really cool thing about the map this year is that it's interactive. Check it out here. Then find the area where you live or commute to see if there are any projects planned for it. You can also zoom on smaller "neighborhood level" projects that we couldn't put on maps in the past because they were too small. And click on each project to read it's description.

There are other things you can do with the map too so we made an infographic to let you know about all it's capabilities. Click on the pic to see if full size. And give us feedback. We're trying to decide whether to use this format in the future so let me know if you like it or otherwise.

Road Construction Update

WSDOT

I-90, US 2, US 195, US 395, and selected state routes/Sweeping- Slow moving sweeping operations on most highway routes, especially in the metro area.  Sweepers and/or water flushing trucks followed by warning vehicles will be moving slowly along highway shoulders.  On multi-lane freeways and divided highways, sweeping may be taking place on the inside shoulder along the left lane.

North Spokane Corridor/Francis Avenue Bridge and Intersection Improvements- The right turn lane for southbound traffic on Freya Street is closed to construct the new roadway at the northwest corner.  All traffic movements are still allowed, but the right turn onto westbound Francis Avenue will need to be done from the through lane so additional traffic congestion is anticipated.  This configuration will be in place through mid-April. 

Market Street has single lanes in each direction through the Market/Francis intersection on the west half of Market Street.  Francis Avenue is operating as single lanes each direction on the new bridge. No left turns are allowed at the intersection from Market Street to Francis Avenue, but are allowed from Francis Avenue to Market Street, and right turns are allowed on all approaches. 

SPOKANE CITY
Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP) Sewer Rehab Project- Installation of a pipe liner to rehabilitate sanitary sewer pipes at various locations around town is underway at the following locations:

o   Work on Rowan Avenue between Nevada and Helena Streets will complete Saturday, March 22.
o   Work on Jackson from Perry Street east to Hogan will close the Perry/Hogan intersection from March 23 - 26.  A detour of Perry St will be set up around to the east via Carlisle, Madelia and Buckeye. Other local street restrictions will also occur in the area.
o   29^th Avenue from Martin Street west about 700 feet, will have the center lanes (one in each direction) closed overnight after 7 p.m. March 23 through morning March 24.  The outside lanes, one in each direction will remain open at all times.
o   Work in the area north of Rowan Avenue to Joseph St. on Pittsburg will impact residential streets in that area beginning Monday, March 24.  Beginning Friday, March 28 the north side of Rowan Avenue between Magnolia and Helena will be closed but two-way traffic will be maintained on Rowan and shifted to the south through Thursday, April 3.

 Francis and Freya Signalized Intersection Work- A signal removal and replacement will occur at the Francis/Freya intersection Monday, March 17 with construction continuing for approximately one month.  Flagging at the intersection will occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.  The dedicated right turn lane will be closed for southbound traffic on Freya Street in order to construct the new roadway at the northwest corner.  All traffic movements will still be allowed. The right turn onto westbound Francis Avenue will be routed from the through lane.  Additional traffic congestion is anticipated. This traffic configuration will remain in place for approximately 1 month or until paving is complete. Traffic is encouraged to find alternate routes.

Chandler Watermain Reroute Project- Construct a new 42 inch diameter water main on Chandler from 8^th to 7^th Avenue, on 8^th from Chandler to Cowley, and on Cowley from 7^th to 8^th Avenue.  Cowley will be closed beginning Wednesday, March 26 – April 11.  Weather conditions may cause delays.

SPOKANE VALLEY
Conklin Rd. south of Sprague Ave. - Center turn lane closed on Tuesday, March 25 from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Signs will direct traffic through the work area.

Sprague Ave. east of Conklin - Reduced to one lane in each direction on Tuesday, March 25 from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Signs will direct traffic through the work area.

 

Local Transportation Construction Spending Holds Steady In 2014

More than $140 million in new and continuing transportation-related construction projects are slated for 2014 across Spokane County, which is pretty much the same amount as last year.

The Journal of Business has a roundup of each jurisdictions major projects for the year, and even included a mention of our famous (just let me have my delusions please) Horizon 2040 plan.

The article is here. And keep checking this blog because we're going to be releasing our new and improved, more cool than ever, interactive Spokane Regional Road Construction Map soon! This year you can view it on your phone or handheld device (not while driving of course!) and you can play with it to zoom in to your particular neighborhood or the route you drive to work to see smaller neighborhood-level projects we couldn't put on the map in the past. Plus it will have pictures and web links embedded in it. This is exciting stuff for a transportation geek like myself so you have to at least humor me and check it out when it's ready. I'll keep you updated.

WSDOT Construction For Next Week

North Spokane Corridor/Francis Avenue Bridge and Intersection Improvements

EXTREMELY HIGH IMPACT!!!  On Monday, March 25th, the City of Spokane will close Francis between Market and Crestline for resurfacing and other work. When that is in place, the left turn for westbound Francis to southbound Market will be restored. As a result of these changes, drivers should expect congestion and long delays on Francis Avenue and Market Street near the bridge project, especially during the morning and afternoon commute hours. Delays are also possible at the Francis and Freya intersection.
I-90/Sullivan Road BridgeOn Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, March 26-28 from about 9 a.m. until as late as 3 p.m., drivers should be alert for lane restriction on the Sullivan Road bridge that crosses I-90. No mainline I-90 impacts. Crews will be making repairs to the bridge.
I-90/Greenacres OverpassMonday, March 25, from about 9 a.m. until as late as 3 p.m., drivers should be alert for westbound lane restrictions at the Greenacres/Country Vista/Appleway exit overpass for bridge repairs.

US 195/Cheney-Spokane Road Interchange
HIGH IMPACT!! The southbound off ramp to Cheney-Spokane road is now closed so drivers will need to be alert for southbound highway traffic slowing to make right turns into Cheney-Spokane Road. Drivers should also be alert for lane restrictions on Cheney-Spokane Road at the US 195 intersection with flaggers directing traffic at times. The US 195/Inland Empire Way intersection is now closed. Inland Empire Way traffic is directed to the Thorpe Road intersection. This is a permanent closure to accommodate the new northbound Cheney-Spokane Road on ramp. Bicycle riders need to use extreme caution on this section of US 195 and be alert for equipment adjacent to the roadway, turning truck traffic, and other construction-related activities and may wish to seek alternate routes to avoid delays.

US Infrastructure Given Poor Marks On Report Card

Who's going to sign off on this one? The latest infrastructure “report card” from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) shows small improvements in the overall condition of America’s infrastructure. But, it still got only an overall grade of D+, up from a D four years ago.

So I can't think of a lot that's improved in that time, but ASCE says drinking water, wastewater, solid waste, roads, bridges and rail all improved slightly. I'm surprised at the inclusion of bridges, as it seems like we're not fixing/replacing them fast enough to keep up with them aging.


The highest score for a category of infrastructure was B- and the lowest D-. Engineering News-Record breaks down the report card.