Signing Off. Just For A Week.

This is an actual scene from my vacation last year. And I'm happy to say I will be employeeing that boat driver again next week as I once again take a week off in the middle of the summer to do absolutely nothing. I'm so lazy on vacation I can't even be bothered to drive a boat. That's why I rely on neighbor children.

My point here is that Jeff will be taking over the blog next week. He's working on a big grant application though, so I'm guessing he won't be posting at the same alarming rate that I do. Play nice please so Jeff will cover for me again on my next vacation.

Mileage Deal Reached With Automakers

President Obama today announced an agreement with major auto makers to increase the average fuel economy by the year 2025- to over 54 miles per gallon!

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood writes about it in his blog today.

I90 Project Wrapping Up Early

The Spokesman-Review is reporting that a bridge repair project on Interstate 90 in East Spokane is more than a week ahead of schedule and should be completed by Sunday.

Road restrictions on I-90 from Altamont to Havana streets will be lifted in time for Monday’s morning commute, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The job involved rebuilding overpass bridges at Havana and Altamont. Incentives for early completion were included in the $941,000 contract, and Westway took advantage of those, Simonson said.

Alaska Picks Up Southwest's Dropped Flights Slack

You can stop with the panic now over how you're going to get to Seattle from Spokane once Southwest Airlines cuts that route in January. Alaska Airlines announced yesterday it's taking up the slack by adding two new daily flights from Spokane to Seattle and Boise. The service begins daily starting January 8, 2012, right around the same time Southwest will stop it's Spokane-Seattle flights. KXLY News has the details.

New Road Closures For Next Week

You knew it was coming and here it is: new road closures due to construction next week. They're posted on the home page of the www.SpokaneRoadFix.net website. New suggested alternate route maps are also posted on the 'Alternate Routes' page.

Even Al-Qaeda Criticizing Our Transportation System Now

It's Thursday and we're STILL slogging through this week that won't seem to end. I don't know about you, but I need a nap and maybe a laugh. Well, can't do much for you on the nap end, especially since the janitor stole my nest of shredded copier paper from under my desk, but this article from The Onion should provide the laugh. According to the (satirical) article, Al-Qaeda leaders criticized the U.S. government for its lack of foresight in failing to provide Americans with efficient and reliable modes of public transport to reduce traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions, improve air quality, and supply suitable targets for terrorists.

Good Samaritans Foil Bicycle Thief

Awesome video of a would-be bicycle thief being foiled in San Francisco.

Southwest Cutting Spokane-Seattle Flight

Can't talk now, I'm mourning the loss of the Southwest Airlines direct flights between Spokane and Seattle. The airline says they'll discontinuing the flight in January, in order to cut costs. Here are the routes they'll keep.

Got A Traffic Ticket? Just Take Care Of It Already

Here's some interesting trivia for you; about 25% of traffic tickets per year in Washington State end up in collections! That means 1/4 of us aren't paying, or taking care of, our tickets. You may want to amend that behavior, because there are a LOT of hoops to jump through to get your license back if you lose it due to unpaid tickets, as detailed in this Spokesman-Review article.

Thanks For The Thanks

To the nice lady named Jeanne who left me the voicemail thanking me for fixing Lyons and Nevada: I wish I could take credit for it, but it's the folks at the City who did that work. I have forwarded your thanks and your request for a right turn lane on to them. It's nice to hear a positive message rather than a complaint about construction now and then. Thanks for the call!

Bike Swap Sponsors Needed

Spokane's Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) program recently announced that they're partnering with the Friends of the Centennial Trail to host the 1st Annual Spokane Bike Swap Event in March of 2012, at the Spokane County Fair and Expo. The Bike Swap will provide a venue for folks to purchase affordable bicycles and bicycle-related products that can be used for recreation, health and fitness, and transportation for all. Proceeds from the event will go to the Friends of the Centennial Trail.

Sounds like a great event, but what it needs now are sponsors. CTR is looking for companies that are willing to provide financial donations in return for publicity.

If you or your company are interested, or have questions, contact LeAnn Yamamoto at the CTR program at (509) 477-7674 or email her here.

Bike/Ped Master Program Schedule Modified

To provide additional time for review, the schedule for consideration of Spokane Valley's proposed Bike & Pedestrian Master Program (BPMP) has been modified. Anticipated readings of the ordinance adopting the BPMP originally scheduled for August 9 and 23 have been cancelled.

A discussion of the BPMP has been added to the agenda for the regularly scheduled Study Session on Tuesday, August 30 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers.

Community members are welcome to attend the August 30 Study Session. Because it is a Study Session, no public comment will be taken.

The proposed BPMP includes an inventory and assessment of current biking/walking facilities as well as recommendations for making Spokane Valley safer and more attractive for those modes of transportation.

Downtown Street Closures Wednesday

Washington and Stevens streets from First to Third avenues in downtown Spokane will be closed on Wednesday, July 27, as part of paving work on Second Avenue rehabilitation project. The south half of Second Avenue between Browne and Howard streets will be paved, and drivers should consider alternative routes, including the Division/Browne streets and Maple/Ash streets corridors.

The City is rehabilitating Second Avenue from Arthur to Howard streets. The first phase from Arthur to Browne streets was completed earlier this summer. The entire project is expected to be complete by mid-September.

City Council Press Candidate Calls Streetcar 'Sexy'

Spokane City Council President candidate Victor Noder had some... um... interesting things to say about transportation in Spokane when he sat down with the Spokesman-Review to explain why he's the best candidate for the position.

In fact, his answers to many of the questions, across a variety of issues, are interesting. Why does he feel he's the best candidate? His looks, for one thing. Would he support a tax boost for libraries? Noder feels libraries are a place for bums to 'crash out' among other things. In response to the question should a new Street Bond include money to pay for sidewalks, bike lanes, street trees or other improvements besides pavement from “curb-to-curb" Noder responded "Street trees conflict with yard gardens."

Do your homework before you vote folks and check out your candidates. The Noder interview is here. I'll post other candidate interviews as they're published.

Will Transportation Funding Go Away If Debt Deal Isn't Reached?

So the big question of the day is, if a debt deal isn’t reached and the government defaults, what will happen to transportation funding?

According to an analysis by the Bipartisan Policy Commission (BPC) there would be barely enough funding to pay interest, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, defense, and unemployment benefits. But another scenario suggests a “safety net” analysis swaps defense spending for some social program spending.

Either way, transportation funding would be at the bottom of the list, and payments to states and local agencies presumably would stop. Or would they? Larry Ehl at Transportation Issues Daily talked to some transportation heavy weights on what they think will happen.

Council Approves Trolley As Preferred Alternative

Spokane's City Council last night voted to approve the recommendation of an electric trolley system through the downtown area, but that doesn't mean it's a done deal. The decision means that’s the system that will be pursued in the coming years, but it would still need voter approval for local taxes needed to pay for the approximately $36 million system. The Spokesman-Review has details on when a vote would take place and where the trolley would run.

Council To Vote On STA Plan Tonight

Spokane's City Council will be asked to vote tonight on a plan to build a trolley bus line in downtown Spokane. The Spokane Transit Authority board unanimously approved moving forward with the plan, but now City Council gets a shot at it.

The electric trolley bus would carry passengers from Browne's Addition through downtown to the University District. No design plans have been officially made and it would be several years before a trolley would become a reality as the project would cost approximately $36 Million.

Various Transportation Happenings

A new business opens at Spokane International Airport, there's a new detour due to a construction project and Cheney's mayor is appointed to the Governor's Connecting Washington Task Force to develop a 10-year plan for building and funding transportation projects in the state. The Spokesman-Review's 'Getting There' column has a look at area transportation happenings this week.

Transportation Bill Contains Dedicated Funding For Bike/Ped Programs

At a hearing on Friday on a new transportation reauthorization, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) confirmed that dedicated federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian programs remains in the bill. StreetsBlog has the details on that as well as the debt ceiling debate and it's impact on a new transportation bill.

LaHood Gives Career Advice

Ever wonder how U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood got his start in transportation? Well, maybe you're not as much of a transportation nerd as I am. Those who read this blog regularly know that I have a fascination with Mr. LaHood. Specializing in public outreach, its hard for me not to admire what Ray (I like to pretend like I know him personally and call him by his first name) has done with his position; how visible he has made it. Can anyone name who preceded him? Yeah, me neither. That's because his predecessors never went to the lengths that LaHood has to get the word out there about the state of transportation in our country, the latest happenings in transportation, and what his office is doing to improve it.

In this month's 'On the Go' video, Ray answers some of your transportation questions, and talks about how he got started in his career field. Plus he has a little advice for those trying to get into the field. Who knows- maybe you could be the next Secretary of Transportation.