SRTC Board Retreat Coming Up

If you're one of SRTC's many 'groupies,' here's something you may be interested in. We're holding our second annual Board retreat next Thursday, Oct. 8. Because that's the day of our usual monthly Board meeting, we'll get the meeting out of the way in the morning, then move on to other retreat items such as policy, visioning, and interlocal agreements. I know, all rivetting stuff.

The meeting is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bear Creek Lodge on Mt. Spokane. That's the first lodge (formerly Kirk's) by the tubing hill. Because this is an open meeting, anyone from the public is welcome to attend, although participation will be limited to Board and staff members.

SRTC will be providing a light breakfast and lunch for Board members, but will not be able to feed observers. There is a restaurant at the lodge though. And one more warning, there isn't any cell phone service at the lodge, so don't plan to text, chat, or tweet while there.

Mark Fenton- The Day After

I've spent the past two days with pedestrian advocate Mark Fenton and I'm tired. The man is like a hummingbird; always moving. But he's got a lot of experience, great ideas on making our area more walkable and bikeable on a limited budget, and is very entertaining.

After walking, driving, and running around the area for two days, Mark was impressed with what we have, but says there are 8 things we need to do to start the process towards making Spokane more bike and pedestrian friendly.

Those 8 things are:
1. Creating a team across the disciplines to get things moving. For example, have representatives from not just transportation, but also the Health District, Spokane Transit, the YMCA/YWCA, social service groups, environmental groups, local schools, and more.

2. Take baseline measurements. We already know how many people bike and walk and ride the bus, but the schools may not know how many children walk or bike to school and what routes they use. Fill in statistics we don't currently have.

3. Implement a 'Complete Streets' policy. You can find out more about Complete Streets here.

4. Make a priority list of connectors to link existing trails and bike lanes.

5. Revisit growth management policies.

6. Revitalize public transit by changing the image. Perhaps a new campaign to make transit more attractive to professionals, such as by adding cup holders to buses, offering countdown clocks at bus stops to let riders know when the next bus will arrive, and providing wifi on buses that don't currently have it.

7. Implement a local Safe Routes to School program, but brand it as something else so as not to imply that current routes aren't safe.

8. Possibly combine our governing bodies (City, City of Spokane Valley, County, etc.) into one governing body or create regionwide zoning and roadway standards so that everyone is working off the same set of rules.

Mr. Fenton said we also need to look at our current parking situation and discourage more parking lots and structures in downtown Spokane. In addition, he talked about dismissal time at local schools (we observed dismissal at Garry Junior High) and how to make them flow smoother, and discussed area streets that could be put on 'road diets' (reducing them from four lanes to two with a center turn lane and bike lanes on both sides).

So now the hard part starts, we're processing what we learned and discussing how to implement it. You'll be hearing more about this in the near future, I'm sure. Although I'm pretty sure Mark's 'P.A.P.P.I.' project isn't going to go far. That stands for 'Phsycial Activity Promotion through Predator Introduction' and involves wild animals chasing you from outlying areas into the core areas to work.

Final Reminder; Community Meeting With Mark Fenton Tommorrow

A reminder that there is a community meeting with famed 'pedestrian advocate' Mark Fenton tomorrow night. Mr. Fenton will address the ‘Complete Streets’ concept and how the average person can help make Spokane a more livable city.

The meeting is at the Lincoln Center, 1316 N. Lincoln Street, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Community and neighborhood advocates, elected and appointed officials, business leaders, everyday citizens, and anyone who wants to make Spokane a better, safer, and more interesting place to walk and bike are encouraged to participate.

I have to say, I think this meeting will do anything but bore you. I spent the afternoon running after Mr. Fenton today, because the man not only doesn't hold still for long periods of time, but being a former racewalker, he's also very quick.

We walked and drove through downtown Spokane, the 395 area, north Spokane and the south hill today, and Mr. Fenton actually seemed pretty impressed. He said there are cities that would love to have the 'bones' that we have- a major river and park right in our downtown area, high density attractive neighborhoods like the south hill, and neighborhoods on the north side where many children live within walking distance of their school.

I'll be out of the office most of the day tomorrow for more Mark Fenton mania, but will post more when I get back on Wednesday.

Maybe They Felt Guilty?

Here's something interesting: guy at work had his car stolen last week. It was found a few days later, only about 2 1/2 miles from his house. The thieves took some oil, washer fluid, and a coat he had in the car, but the good news is that they actually put gas in the car before abandoning it!

PARK(ing) Day Doesn't Go Over So Well In Spokane

Spokane's first crack at taking part in International PARK(ing) Day didn't go so well. PARK(ing) Day is an annual, one-day, global event where artists, activists, and citizens transform metered parking spots into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public parks.

Anyone can participate in PARK(ing) Day, though it is strictly a non-commercial project, intended to promote creativity, civic engagement, critical thinking, and social interactions.

Members of the Youth Sustainability Council last Friday adopted a parking spot in downtown and made it into a miniature park and garden. Until they got kicked out. I guess Parking Enforcement doesn't recognize that holiday.

Here's what happened from the 'Spovangelist' blog.

It Only Looks Like A High-Tech Vaccuum

Look Ma. No hands! That's what Honda bigwigs are saying about their new 'personal mobility' device they just unveiled.

The vehicle looks like a unicycle, but don't worry, you won't fall off this ride because it maintains its own balance.

Here's more on the 'U3-x,' including a pretty cool video.

Some Items From The City Of Spokane

- Sprague Ave. from Helena to Crestline streets is closed during working hours Monday through Friday so crews can install fire hydrants.

- Third Ave. from Freya to Havana streets is closed for three weeks; Trent Ave. from Freya St. east to Mission Ave.; and Myrtle St. from Trent to Mission avenues are closed with local access only. Crews are connecting the South Valley Interceptor to the new wastewater reclamation facility.

- Eighth Ave. from Sunset Blvd. to Government Way remains closed as part of the Fish Lake Trail project.

Pedestrian In Critical Condition After Being Hit By Car

Pedestrian accidents just keep happening in our community. An injured pedestrian is in critical condition at a local hospital following an accident last night, and Spokane Police are asking for help in identifying the woman. Here's more from the Spokesman-Review.

Mark Your Calendars For Public Meeting

A reminder that famed pedestrian advocate Mark Fenton will be in town to talk to you next week about getting public officials and policy makers to take action towards making Spokane a more walkable and bikeable community.

Fenton will host a public meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 29 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Center, 1316 N. Lincoln Street. Everyone is invited, and the meeting includes a walk audit, so wear your walking shoes. A flyer for the meeting is below, you can click on it to see it full size.

The Going Could Be Slow If You're Headed To The West Side

A warning if you're headed to the west side of the state this weekend. Between Cle Elum and Easton on Fridays and Saturdays, westbound travelers headed to the Seattle area may experience heavy congestion and up to two hours of additional travel time between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m.

On Sundays from Easton to Cle Elum, eastbound travelers may experience the same conditions between noon and 9 p.m.

Construction crews are replacing damaged concrete panels. Both my neighbor and my brother. My brother said that he was stuck in the mess for 2 hours and traffic was completely stopped. People turned off their cars and he said many people could be seen sneaking off into the woods to use the facilities, if you know what I mean.

Deadly Crashes Drop To 50 Year Low

Deadly crashes on Washington roads are at their lowest level in more than 50 years, state officials said Tuesday.

Early numbers show 522 traffic-related deaths last year – the lowest amount since 1955, when 461 people died.

This Spokesman-Review article has more information.

Ped Plan Available For Review/Comment

We love those guys over at City Cable 5. They asked me if I needed anything publicized, I said yes, and they cranked out this snazzy piece on our Spokane County Pedestrian Plan in no time.



After almost a year of partnering with the Spokane Regional Health District, we've come up with a draft of the Spokane Regional Pedestrian Plan. The goal of the plan is to create a pedestrian system to increase walking for transportation and improve the health of our community, while meeting the needs of pedestrians in our area.

The plan can be reviewed by clicking here. Comments can be submitted by clicking here. You have to have them submitted by Oct. 12 though.

Beacon Hill Trail Map Available To Buy

Maps of the Beacon Hill recreation Area trail are now complete and available for sale. The two-sided, full-color map shows trails, access points, points of interest, parks, land ownership,and community connections. One side of the map is an overview of the entire trail system. The other focuses on Camp Sekani mountain bike park. Trails are rated for mountain bike ability levels, but are open to all non-motorized users including hikers, trail runners, dog walkers, and climbers.

The map is available to buy for $8 at local bike and outdoor shops, including Mountain Gear, Bike Hub, Bicycle Butler, Wheel Sport East and North Division Bike and Ski.

Sales of the map are a fundraiser for the Fat Tire Trail Riders Club (FTTRC, which supports local trail building, maintenancem and advocacy activities.

Still Time To Take Summer Parkways Survey

A reminder that you've got a couple days left to let us know if you're interested in 'Summer Parkways.'

'Summer Parkways' is a new event we're trying to get started in conjunction with other local groups like the Spokane Regional Health District, the YMCA/YWCA, The Lands Council, Spokane Transit, and others.

Summer Parkways involve the closure of streets to vehicular traffic for a day or portion of a day in favor of walking, bicycling, rolling, and other non-motorized forms of transportation.

We're curious if you would support something like this, so please click here to take a survey regarding Summer Parkways. This survey will close at the end of this month - so please take 3 minutes now to complete it!

Downtown Street Lights Out

Traffic lights are out in downtown Spokane so be careful if you're headed that way. At least all the ones between the SRTC office and City Hall are. For the most part, everyone was treating intersections as 4-way stops, but I was walking so it made it kind of scary to cross the street. Sure, the guy in the lane closest to me would motion for me to walk, but the guy in the next lane over would fly up at a too-fast speed and not see me so I was a little nervous that I wasn't going to make it back to the office in one piece.

Bus Routes Eliminated; Parents Not Happy

The article below is from Washington's west side, but with the economy the way it is, it could be happening in a lot of school districts nationwide in the near future.

3,000 students in the Edmonds Schoold District have to find a new way to school after their bus routes were eliminated recently to save the district $500,000 a year. And one school has even eliminated busing all together.

While there is a move to get more students to walk to school to reduce vehicle emissions and reduce obesity, some routes children would have to walk just aren't safe. One mother in the article even complains that her child has to walk past a bikini espresso stand to get to school! Many parents are calling the busing plan an accident waiting to happen.

Here's the article.

Letter Writer Not Happy With NSC

Spokesman-Review Letters To The Editor
Highway plan doesn’t rock

A few years ago I drove by the construction area of the North-South Corridor near the base of Mount St. Michaels. There were mountains of beautiful granite rock that had been excavated from that area. I called the Department of Transportation office, suggesting that the granite be incorporated into the design aspects of the freeway. It has always been my understanding that freeways were required to incorporate materials and vegetation into the design that are native to the area.

Recently I drove that new segment, expecting to see the inclusion of that beautiful rock in the design. Absolutely none! I was outraged! But then I realized that that is not the way government operates. They most generally pay millions of dollars to private enterprise for materials.

I also noticed three other vehicles on the entire stretch during the rush hour. What a bust! We wait nearly five decades for relief from all the interstate traffic passing through our neighborhoods and this is what we get. A freeway built in reverse that serves hardly anyone.
Instead of a ribbon-cutting ceremony and all the plaudits, we should have had a tomato toss.

Allan LeTourneau
Spokane

Where to start? Okay, you can't just use thousands of tons of granite to build a freeway. There are certain materials you have to use, mixed just right, to make sure your freeway doesn't fall apart when the first car drives over it. True, the granite could have been used in a decorative way but how much granite can you decorate with? As for the lack of cars on the NSC, I've mentioned that before. At this point, the NSC is three miles long. That's not enough roadway to be a timesaver for most drivers. That will change when the next section opens in 2011. Harold White of the WSDOT was in our office last week for the monthly Transportation Technical Committee meeting and said things are slow out there, but they were expecting that. This is just the first step in the bigger picture.

Multiple Traffic Accidents Slow A.M. Commute

It's not even winter yet and we're already having multiple traffic accidents slowing things down.

A series of crashes between 7 and 8 a.m. today slowed traffic in several locations. One at the south end of the Maple Street Bridge involved two vehicles and blocked traffic, according to police.

Another, on U.S. Highway 2 in the vicinity of Oregon Road, slowed traffic in the northbound lane. There were also accidents at Post Street and Mansfield Avenue, Frederick Street and Freya Avenue, and Belt Avenue and Glass Street.

In all those accidents, only one injury was reported. That's good news, but what's going on out there folks? Let's slow down and be observant.

Volunteers Needed For River Clean-Up Bike Corral

The 7th Annual Spokane River Clean-up is this Saturday, Sept. 26 and volunteers are needed. Not just to clean up the river, but also to staff a bike corral for the people who clean up the river.

High Bridge Park, where volunteers check in before heading out to pick up trash, has very little parking so organizers recommend biking or taking the bus to the location. As a result, volunteers are needed to set up the bike corral at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, to staff it during the clean-up, and to tear it down at 2 p.m.

If you can help, click this link to send an email to Bike To Work Spokane.

Letter Writer Complains About I90 Repairs

Spokesman-Review Letters to the Editor
Highway work half done

We spent $8.1 million resurfacing Interstate 90. Then why not fix the joints at the overpasses? I-90 eastbound at the S curve at Hamilton Street, the first joint is a small bump, the second you can really notice, the third almost tears the wheels off my pickup.

They go in there and weld up the bridges every year or so, then put a big blob patch on top of it so the traffic then pounds the repair to dust in a few short months. Then they repair it again and reblob it. Maybe if they smoothed it over and did like a professional repair on the surface the joints would last longer, and so would my pickup.

They resurfaced the bridge on I-90 at Four Lakes but missed the exit 270 off ramp for Four Lakes-Cheney that needs a resurface. They told me they would do that last year but it’s still all potholes and broken and uneven pavement. Guess we’re lucky to have even that.

Norm Ellefson
Cheney

I hadn't noticed the rough ride over the joints. Has anyone else? I go over that stretch everyday, but traffic is usually at a crawl at that point so I might not notice it at low speeds. And I'm usually on the bus, stuck in the nightly backup at Hamilton Street.