Summer Blog Hiatus

There will be an approximately week-long blogging hiatus while I take some time off to recalibrate my brain with a vacation. Posts will resume July 14 so check back. One of these times I going to surprise you and get a guest blogger but I haven't been able to convince any of the co-workers to take on an extra task in my absence yet. Can't figure out why.

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.

Oregon Pay-By-The-Mile Program Appears to be Working

Well, here we sit, waiting for Congress to do something about the dwindling Highway Trust Fund. Starting in August, the money in the fund starts being rationed and after it runs out- who knows? What we do know is that our transportation infrastructure isn't fixing itself, so some new method of funding maintenance and preservation projects is imperative.

The problem is that the Highway Trust Fund is funded by the gas tax. With people driving less, cars being more efficient on fuel these days and the infrastructure aging and crumbling faster than we can fix it, the tax doesn't supply as much money for repairs and maintenance as is needed.

Every state has been struggling with this for a while now and many are trying experimental funding methods to try to solve the problem at the state-level. While many are looking at raising the gas tax, Oregon has been trying out a mileage-based funding system. And it seems to be working. A new report on the pilot program says revenue from it exceeded expected gas tax earnings by 28 percent.

This CityLab article looks at why the program appears to be working so far, and why it will help change our behavior if it goes country-wide.

Get A Grip Las Vegas Drivers!

While road rage is an issue all over the country, and around the world, Las Vegas seems to have more than it's fair share of it. Three road rage incidents since the beginning of the year have left people dead on Vegas roadways and police say they get road rage calls every single day.

KLAS-TV out of Las Vegas has more details.

Car-Sharing Programs Appear to Decrease DUIs in Philly

A private car being used for the Lyft car-sharing program

We've been hearing a lot about ride-sharing companies recently, with the arrival of Uber and Lyft in
Spokane. Companies like these that have civilians renting out the empty seats in their car have been in other communities for a while now, long enough to gauge their impact in some places and one of the conclusions drawn is that there appears to be a reduction in DUI arrests in cities where ride-sharing is an option. In fact, in Philadelphia, the average number of DUIs per month dropped by 11%, mostly in the under-30 age range.

Philly.com has the story. There's a lot of backstory near the top of the article you can skip to get to the meat about the DUI rates, closer to the bottom.

The U.S. City Where Motorized Vehicles Are Banned

Hey did you know there's a U.S. city where cars are not allowed? I didn't. It's in Michigan and it's an island; Mackinac Island, located just offshore in Lake Huron.

Downtoearthnw.com tells us why motorized vehicles have been banned there pretty much since they were invented.

BNSF Releases Information On Oil Trains Moving Through WA State

BNSF Railway says it's moving less oil trains through Washington state than in past months. BNSF previously reported as many as 19 trains of Bakken crude oil trains came through the area in a week. That number dropped to 13 for June.

The railroad had tried to keep information about oil train shipments from the public, but the state declined to sign a confidentiality agreement and BNSF provided it under public records law.

The Spokesman-Review has more.

City Collects Almost $90,000 In Overdue Parking Tickets

More than 400 people paid off more than 2,000 overdue parking citations during the 60-day Parking Amnesty Program, according to a news release just sent out by the City of Spokane.

During May and June, 443 people paid 2,046 past due parking citations at a value of $89,445. Many waited until the last week when 948 of those tickets were paid. Paying those tickets during the Parking Amnesty Program saved those drivers more than $74,298 in collection fees and $22,000 in interest, plus the possibility that their cars could be impounded.

Letters will be sent this week to people who still have four or more overdue parking tickets informing them that they are now eligible for the Boot-and-Tow Program, which begins this month. That group accounts for approximately 18,000 outstanding citations and $900,000 in citation fines, collection fees and interest.

Outstanding active parking citations going back 10 years totaled 76,000 past due citations and $3.9 million in fines, fees and interest. Fees and fines account for approximately half of both values.

I90 Repaving Project In Limbo Due To Federal Funding Issues

Well this is bad news! A Washington State Department of Transportation project to repave Interstate 90 east of Barker Road in Spokane Valley is one of 43 projects that may not happen due to the dwindling amount of money in the federal Highway Trust Fund.

The Spokesman-Review has the story here.

Train Derailment Dumps Plane Fuselages In MT River

Did you see this video or these pictures over the weekend? They're pretty incredible. Three Boeing airplane fuselages slid down a steep embankment into the Clark Fork River following a train derailment in western Montana, about ten miles west of Alberton.

The fuselages were traveling from a Spirit AeroSystems plant in Wichita, Kansas, to a Boeing facility in Renton, Washington, to be assembled into airliners. With our office in the Intermodal Center, we see these fuselages travel through the area on trains all the time.

SRTC Board Meets This Thursday

No hot weather break for our Policy Board! The Board meets this Thursday, July 10 at 1 p.m. for their regularly-scheduled monthly meeting. The agenda can be found here. This meeting will be interesting because the Board will be asked to approve a list of projects to receive funds from the Surface Transportation Program (STP) so you can get a sneak peek at the projects that will be underway over the next few years. Also, budget talks will start so if you're a number cruncher, feel free to attend.

Road Construction Update

SPOKANE CITY
Fireworks Road Closures for Friday, July 4- Fireworks will begin at 10 p.m. Roads will re-open after  Road Closures Starting at 4 p.m.:
pedestrian traffic has cleared.

o   Glass between Calispel and Jefferson

o   Courtland between Cedar and Cora

o   Gordon between Washington and Howard

o   Cliff Drive  between Grove and Sumner

Road Closures at 9:45 p.m.:

o   Washington from Spokane Falls to North River Drive northbound

o   Washington from Boone to Spokane Falls/Stevens southbound

Maple Street Bridge Lane Inspection- Tuesday, July 8, the southbound lane will have restrictions on the Maple Street Bridge from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for repairs.

Grand Boulevard Construction- McClellan Street between 8^th and 9^th Avenue has one lane southbound.  Northbound is detoured onto 9^th Avenue over to Cowley. 9^th Avenue/Rockwood Boulevard between Grand Boulevard and the hospital tower is closed with driveway access. Southbound on Stevens has access to the medical building on 9^th Avenue.

Traffic will be impacted both north and south bound mainly between 8^th and McClellan, 9^th and Rockwood, to Cliff and Grand. This work will take approximately 3 to 4 weeks. The movement of traffic will vary as each part of construction in this immediate area also varies. Drivers are asked to follow the detour route. Work south of 14^th is being done by the Wastewater Department.  This project will apply preservation treatments that consist of crack sealing, grind and overlay and some pavement rejuvenation techniques.  Upgrades to ADA ramps and minor curb and sidewalk repairs will also be done.

Cedar Road/Country Homes Boulevard Signal Installation- Work on removals of existing asphalt pavement, curb and sidewalk has begun.  This project is for installation of a traffic signal at the Cedar Road/Country Homes Boulevard intersection. Traffic will be routed along the west 1/2 of Country Homes Blvd. through the Cedar Rd. intersection with one lane access each way (north and south).  Removal of existing asphalt, concrete curb and sidewalk and water line work will begin on the east 1/2 of the intersection.

Cedar Road between Francis Ave. and Country Homes Boulevard is closed to through traffic with local access only. Spokane County’s project is just north of Cedar to Wall Street on Country Homes Boulevard with northbound traffic only.

Mission Avenue Eastbound from Hamilton to Perry- Construction continues with the two eastbound lanes of Mission from Hamilton to Perry Street closed. This project will reconstruct the street by replacing the asphalt surfacing, including ADA ramps, as needed.  

Westview Elementary Sidewalk Project- This project will remove existing curb/gutter, relocate drainage structures, and remove asphalt to install new curb/gutter on the north-northwest side of Bismark and create a 35’ road width from Assembly to Driscoll and 32’ from Driscoll to Moore. In addition, the project will install 5’ sidewalk with 5’ planter strip on Fotheringham from the alley one half block south of Bismark to Bismark and on Bismark from Fotheringham to the alley one half block south of Bismark to Bismark. ADA ramps will be installed on all new sidewalk corners, and on connecting corners where needed.

Rowan Avenue Sidewalks- The project will install 8 foot sidewalks on both sides of Rowan Avenue from Belt Street to Monroe Street with ADA compliant curb ramps.

Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline- Traffic has switched over to the north half of Francis Ave. allowing the removal of existing curb, sidewalk and asphalt pavement on the south half.  ITS installation along Colton St. and Dalke Ave. is proceeding.  Colton Street from Francis to Dalke Avenue is closed for approximately two weeks.  Dalke Avenue from Division Street to Colton Street has an area along the north curb closed for approximately 2 weeks to perform ITS installation. 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. 

Arthur Street from I-90 to 2nd Avenue- Arthur Street is closed from 5^th Avenue to 2^nd Avenue.  Third Avenue is reduced to one lane at the intersection of Arthur.  This project is to repave Arthur from I-90 to 2^nd Avenue, add sidewalks along the west side of Arthur, and adds curb ramps and pedestrian lighting to various intersections.

WSDOT

I-90/Barker Road to Idaho Border- Work gets underway the week of July 7 on resurfacing the freeway.  In general, work will take place evenings and overnight hours, from about 7 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. the following morning.  Drivers should be alert for lane restrictions, possible slow traffic, and rough pavement with equipment operating in the adjacent lane.  

US 2/Espanola Road to Interstate 90- Between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., Monday through Friday, expect intermittent lane closures in the vicinity of Flint Rd. to resurface the highway and install a traffic signal at the Flint Rd. intersection. Flint is closed from US 2 to the south, with a detour available.  Flint is closed to the north between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., Monday through Friday.  Beginning Tuesday, July 8, from about 7 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. grinding and paving will be underway between Espanola Rd. and Airway Heights. Expect single-lane, alternating traffic, directed by flaggers and pilot cars with delays between Espanola and Fairchild. 

I-90/Liberty Park to Havana Street- During evening and overnight hours, from about 9 p.m. until the following morning at 5 a.m.,  be alert for on and off ramp closures and outside lane closures. Crews are replacing existing illumination lighting, poles, and wiring, plus replacement of existing irrigation system.

I-90/Eastbound Sullivan Road Interchange Off Ramp- On Monday, July 7 from about 4 a.m. until as late as 3 p.m., the Sullivan Road eastbound off ramp will be reduced to one lane for traffic signal system and lane configuration revisions.

US 195 Southbound/Qualchan Drive to Mullen Hill Road- On Tuesday, July 8, from about 8 a.m. until as late as 3:30 p.m. southbound drivers should be alert for lane restrictions due to pavement core drilling.

SR 290-Trent Avenue/Hamilton Street to Sullivan Road- Work resumes Monday, July 14 to patch the roadway surface in damaged areas. Be alert for lane restrictions.

SPOKANE VALLEY

Argonne Road from Broadway to Sprague - Reduced to one lane through early July for resurfacing.  Closed overnight on Tuesday, July 8 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.  Signs will redirect traffic via Broadway, Vista, and Appleway.

Barker Road Between Riverway and Trent - Reduced to one lane from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8 and Wednesday, July 9 for street repairs.  

Sprague Westbound I-90 On-Ramp - Closed overnight on Wednesday, July 9 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for Sprague resurfacing.  Use I-90 westbound on-ramp at Broadway.

I-90 Westbound On-Ramp at Fancher - Closed overnight Thursday, July 10 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for Sprague resurfacing.  Use Sprague westbound I-90 on-ramp.

I-90 Westbound Exit 285 Off-Ramp at Fancher - Closed overnight Thursday, July 10 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for Sprague resurfacing.  Use Freya exit 283B.

Sprague Ave. Between Thierman Rd and Havana  - Lane reductions through early July for resurfacing, with overnight closures as noted below. Access to businesses will remain available.

• Wednesday, July 9 overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. - Sprague closed to through-traffic between Thierman and Fancher.  Westbound traffic will be rerouted via Thierman, 8^th and Havana.  Eastbound traffic will be rerouted via Fancher, Broadway and Thierman.  Access to businesses will remain available.
• Thursday, July 10 overnight from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. - Sprague closed to through-traffic between Havana and Fancher, including the Fancher intersection.  Traffic will be rerouted via Thierman, Broadway and Havana. Access to Sprague Avenue businesses will remain available via Sprague at Havana.

Sprague Avenue between University and Herald - remains reduced to two lanes westbound around the clock through mid-July for resurfacing.   

SPOKANE COUNTY

Farwell Road from Market to the North Spokane Corridor- Watch for lane restrictions.

Bruce Road Bridge- Bridge closed to be replaced. A detour is in place.

Masonic Temple Overhaul Will Include Robotic Parking Technology

The Masonic Temple in downtown Spokane is getting a facelift to go with it's new ownership. There are some big things planned for the historic building, including new restaurants, bars and parking. Parking? Who cares about  parking when you're talking about something as cool as revamping a historic building? Well, a large reason the new owner bought the building is because he's looking for a place to build, test and showcase his plan and technology for robotic parking. That's some pretty exciting stuff for Spokane!

The story is here, but the part about parking is toward the end of the article.

Hundreds of Thousands of Subarus Recalled

Subaru is recalling more than 660,000 cars and SUVs because the brake lines can rust and leak fluid.

According to Northwest Cable News, 2005 through 2009 Legacy and Outback, the 2008 through 2014 Impreza and the 2009 through 2013 Forester are affected.

 In documents filed with the U.S. government, Subaru said that salty water used to de-ice roads in cold-weather states can splash onto the brake lines through a gap in the fuel tank protector, causing rust. If they leak fluid, it could take longer to stop the car and increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the lines if needed and apply anti-corrosion wax.

The Parking Meters Have Eyes

The new parking meters in Madrid, Spain are very judgmental. They determine parking rates by what kind of car you drive! How do they know when you're driving? When paying for parking, drivers have to enter their license plate number into a key pad on the meter. Information on your car is pulled up from that, then a parking rate is determined, based on the car's age and model. Hybrids and fuel-efficient models are given a discount.

But will this unfairly penalize people who are driving older cars because they can't afford a new one?
Here's the story from Bloomberg Businessweek.

Gas Prices At Six Year High

Heading out of town for the holiday weekend? That's gonna cost you. AAA says U.S. gas prices are the highest they've been since 2008. $3.70 is expected to be the national average per gallon by July 4, but many places around here are already at $3.69 or above and I've seen as high as $3.80.

 According to this article by The Hill, the price hike is due to uncertainties in Iraq.

Some Old School Stuff From Our Files

Digging through some old files today I found some pretty cool stuff. This photo was in with a bunch of other random photos. It's where the current Martin Luther King Jr. Way will be extended soon, where Brown Building Supply used to be and the railroad tracks run. The caption on the back says "I90 ramp construction in background." Yep, that's the Hamilton Street ramp. Anyone know when that was built?

I also found a letter from the State of Washington Office of Financial Management from 1984 with population numbers attached. According to this, unincorporated Spokane County had 349,000 residents that year, with 171,500 within the City of Spokane.

And my favorite item? A flyer from 2003 that advertised a happy hour event offering citizens a chance to hear about SRTC's Southside Transportation Plan while having alcoholic beverages. Here's the agenda that was included on the flyer:

5-6 p.m.             Social Hour

6-6:30 p.m.        Presentation

6:30-6:45 p.m.   Citizen Input

6:45- 9 p.m.       Party on!!!

I'm not joking, it really said that. I miss the old days.

Holiday Closures

It's a holiday week so don't forget to do your government business early if you have any. Independence Day is this Friday so all government offices will be closed. 

There will be lots happening though, so if you come downtown for fireworks and other celebrations in the park, parking meters are free on Friday.

Also, road construction activities will be suspended by Thursday afternoon on most projects. The Washington State Department of Transportation isn't doing any work on Snoqualmie Pass from Thursday through Monday, July 7. They are expecting heavy traffic on I-90 though so allow extra time if you're travelling anywhere.

Paris Launches For Bike-Share Program for Kids

In the U.S., bike-share programs are popping up all over, which is a good thing. But what do you do if you have children you need to transport or would like to take with you? Then bike-share programs, and often transit systems or other alternative-transportation methods, usually won't work for you.

The French are getting creative though, in finding a way around the problem. In Paris, they've launched what is believed to be the first bike-share program for children. The program offers several size bikes to fit kids of all ages, and even has bikes with training wheels. They also come with helmets, unlike with adult bike-share programs.

StreetsBlogUSA has more on this fledgling program.

Plan In Place For When Highway Trust Fund Runs Out

I've been telling you for a while now that the Highway Trust Fund is dangerously low on funds and on track to run out of money in August. U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today sent a letter to the head of each state Department of Transportation and transit agencies in the U.S. with the plan for what will happen with transportation funding starting Aug. 1.

Normally, each state is assigned a percentage of federal funds based on an annual federal formula. The states spend that money as they see fit, and send the bill to the feds for reimbursement. That's going to change soon though. Under the new plan, we’ll use the same percentage each state is assigned annually to determine how much they’ll receive of whatever is left in the fund.



So how much less money will that be than what we're currently spending on transportation? And what will be the impact to our transportation infrastructure? Secretary Foxx has some answers on his blog.