Summer Committee Meeting Schedule

Summer at SRTC always means changes to our schedule of committee meetings. We like to give committee members a break when we can so here is what the schedule looks like for the next couple months. Everything gets back to normal in September:

• There WILL be a Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting on Monday, July 25. The agenda can be found here. This could be a really interesting one if you are interested in how construction projects happen, from beginning to end. Guest speakers from partner agencies will explain the process, and the timeline.
• TTC meeting scheduled for July 27 has been canceled
• The Board meeting scheduled for August 11 has been cancelled

Workshop Ideas Include Changes to North Spokane Corridor

A workshop on ways to make the area transportation system friendlier to neighborhoods came up

with an interesting idea on changing the design of the southern part of the North Spokane Corridor into a boulevard rather than a freeway.

The freeway, currently under construction, is designed to be a high-speed, multilane freeway with elevated sections south of the Spokane River, with a connection to I-90.

According to the Spokesman-Review, participants at a workshop funded by an Every Place Counts Design Challenge grant (a special program of the U.S. Department of Transportation) were charged with finding ways to  “reconnect neighborhoods and improve community health, mobility and opportunity.”

Spokane was one of four cities selected to participate in the program with workshops led by the federal engineers and consultants. About 60 local officials and neighborhood leaders attended.

Besides changing the scope of the new freeway, there was also the suggestion of building a land bridge over I-90 at Liberty Park to connect the two sides of the freeway and create new recreation and opportunities linked to a trail network.Another idea was to start construction of the Children of the Sun trail planned for the North Spokane Corridor as soon as possible and use it to create small parks.

A final report from the workshop is expected in a couple weeks.

Alarm Clock App Wakes You Earlier When Traffic Is Bad

I hate those days I get up at normal time, leave the house on time but still end up getting to work late. Issues with the time-space continuum? No, just traffic problems. But that's a thing of the past (supposedly).

A new iOS-only app called Snorelax will automatically wake you earlier if traffic problems along your daily route could cause you to be late.

The $2 app monitors real-time traffic conditions, including accidents and construction projects and factors in historical traffic data to help predict how long it might take you to get to work on a given day. You just enter your daily route and go to sleep knowing that you'll make it to work on time—unless you hit that snooze button.

Some Crazy Pictures Caught By Google Street View

Scuba divers in full gear on a city street. A guy getting out of the trunk of a car. A guy in a horse
mask eating a banana at a table near the road. A prison break. And kids threatening Gumby. What do all these things have in common? They, and some other

really strange stuff, all images caught by Google Street View in their quest to document pretty much every street in the
country.

Your Daily Dish has some pretty crazy stuff you're going to want to check out. If we could just hear from the people caught in these photos. They would have some 'splainin' to do.

Avista to Install Electric Vehicle Chargers in Homes and Workplaces

Are you driving an electric vehicle yet? Yeah, me neither. But within a couple decades, we all could be. At least that's what the Northwest Power and Conservation Council suggests, according to the Spokesman-Review- that 25 percent of passenger vehicles in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana could be electric by 2035. In preparation, area power company Avista Corp. will start installing 272 charging connections in region workplaces, homes and public areas this month.

Currently, about 350-400 of Avista's Washington customers own electric vehicles or electric-gas hybrids. Even so, Avista will install 120 charging stations in homes over a two-year period. Another 80 charging systems will be installed in workplaces and public areas.

If you own an electric vehicle, you can apply to have a charging station installed at your home for no cost.  Plugging an electric vehicle into a 110-volt outlet provides about 5 miles of driving distance per hour of charging, compared to about 25 miles per hour of charging with an AC Level 2 charging system.

The ideal candidate for the program is an electric car owner whose employer also is willing to have a workplace charger installed.

Transit Users Want System Improvements, Not Perks

WiFi- Not as important to transit
users as originally though.

Perks are nice but it turns out that what people really want on public transit is better service. According to Wired, a new report from research group TransitCenter says bonuses like power outlets, wifi and better shelters aren't really all that important to transit users. More than 3,000 respondents to a survey from 17 regions across the country ranked outlets and wifi dead last in what they would like to see on their commutes. What they did request though was more reliable service and spending funding for things like more plush seats and wifi on system improvements instead. Very interesting; there is more info here.

Local Road Construction Update

WSDOT

US 2/Sunset Blvd. to I-90- Weekday evenings from about 7 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. the following morning, be alert for possible lane restrictions as crews upgrade guardrails.

US 2/Airport Interchange to I-90; I-90/Geiger to Argonne- Beginning Monday, July 11, weekdays at various locations on these sections there could be delays for bridge inspections for up to 30 minutes per location.  Possible shoulder or lane restrictions.

US 2-Division Street/Curb and Sidewalk- Northbound Division Street is reduced to two lanes.  There may be congestion and delays. Curb and sidewalk improvements.  

I-90/Westbound Freya Off-Ramp- Westbound drivers should be alert for narrow shoulder as crews construct a new westbound Freya Street off-ramp about 1/4 miles to the east of the current ramp. Expect lane restrictions on 2^nd Avenue.

US 395-Division Street/Hawthorne Rd. Intersection- Hawthorne road closed east and west of Division for intersection improvements and a new signal system.

SPOKANE COUNTY

Market Street (Parksmith to Farwell)- Sewer and fiber optic installation and rehabilitation of the roadway.  

Seven Mile Bridge and Seven Mile Road- A detour is in place with the speed limit reduced to 25 mph wile the bridge is demolished and rebuilt.

Hawthorne Road West (Waikiki to US395)- Roadway rehabilitation, including stormwater drainage swales, trees, irrigation, new curbing, traffic signal improvement, bike lanes, and striping. Full Road closure until 8/30.

Hawthorne Road East (US395 to US2)- Roadway rehabilitation including stormwater sand filters, curbing, a traffic signal, bike lane, and striping.  

Houston Road from Colville Road to Grove Road- Crews will be working on ditching, culvert and shoulder work during day hours only. Road is open to local traffic, bus traffic and emergency vehicles around the clock. For all other traffic, the road is closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

SPOKANE VALLEY

32^nd Avenue from Dishman-Mica Road to University Road - Closed through mid-August for street preservation work. Signs detour traffic via Dishman-Mica Road and University Road.

32^nd Avenue from University Road to Pines Road - Reduced to one lane in each direction through mid-August. The north sidewalk is closed. 

Broadway Avenue between Sullivan Road and Conklin Road-Reduced to a single lane in each direction through the end of July. At least one lane in each direction will remain open except during overnight closures on July 11-15 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Signs detour traffic via Conklin Road and Sprague Avenue. Expect additional overnight closures to be announced.

Fancher Road between Trent Avenue and Sharp Avenue- Traffic reduced to one lane in each direction through early July.

Indiana Avenue and Evergreen Road Intersection- Indiana westbound reduced to one lane and one left turn lane through July 29, with Indiana eastbound reduced to two lanes with right turns permitted from the curb lane.  Evergreen northbound is reduced to a single lane with turns permitted in both directions.

 
Southbound Sullivan Road Bridge- Traffic is reduced to one lane northbound and two lanes southbound. Turns from Indiana Avenue onto northbound Sullivan Road are reduced to one lane. Southbound Sullivan Road at Flora Pit Road is reduced to one lane July 11-15, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Centennial Trail below the bridge is open.

SPOKANE CITY

2016 Residental Chip Seal Project- The Residential Chip seal pavement preservation projects will be Fog Sealing next week.  Chip Seal projects include minor pavement repair, crack sealing, sweeping and ¼ inch chip and fog seal. Fog Sealing will be at Rebecca and Upriver Drive on Tuesday, July 12. The road will be closed to all traffic during the Fog Seal process. Traffic may resume on these streets 2 to 4 hours after the Fog seal has been applied.

2016 Grind and Overlay Project- The following 2016 Grind and Overlay residential pavement preservation projects have begun. This work is to include minor subgrade repair, crack sealing, modify ADA ramps, and also add in striping.  These projects require a full closure during the work.

o   Garfield Street from Rockwood Blvd. To 25^th to 26^th Avenue.

o   Madison Street from Boone to Sinto, Sharp from Madison to Jefferson and Cedar Street from Boone to Sharp

o   Lee Street from Mission to Nora, Nora from Lee to Crestline, Crestline from Mission to Nora.

o   Cannon Street from Kieran to Garland.

o   Arthur Street from 37^th to 39^th Avenue

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

2016 Street Maintenance Curb Ramp Project-  Work continues on Lyons Avenue from Perry to Pittsburg. Work is currently in the area of 7th Avenue from Browne to Division Street to install ADA compliant curb ramps at each corner intersection:

Ben Burr Trail and Connection to the Centennial Trail-  Work continues along the trail at 3^rd Avenue and Arthur and 2^nd Avenue and Perry. This project will design and construct a shared use paved trail connection for bicyclists and pedestrian as well as security lighting installation.  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 Blvd./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.

Cochran Street Sewer Work- The Sewer department will be working in Cochran Street between Dalton and Courtland Avenues.  A detour route is in place. 

Freya and Thor Paving-  Skin Patch work on Freya and Thor at the intersections of 3rd Avenue begins Thursday, July 7 after 9 a.m. There will be lane closures with flaggers in place. Skin Patching adds 1-2 inches of asphalt on top of existing pavement. It is a temporary way to improve the surface of an extremely deteriorated street when there is not funding for a complete repair. Skin Patching will last about 2 to 3 years before the cracks in the original pavement propagate back to the surface.

Hatch Road Grind and Overlay Work- Crews are grinding Hatch Rd. working downhill from 57^th Avenue to Hwy 195.  Flaggers are directing traffic with one lane open at a time.  Crews are working on the mid-section currently with the section nearest Hwy 195 being the last segment to be completed.  The work near 195 that includes the bridge will require a full closure.  The detour route will include Hwy 195 with local access located east of Hwy 195 on Hatch Road using the completed section of Hatch Road east to 57^th Avenue as the detour route.

Hazels Creek Stormwater Treatment Project-Freya Street is anticipated to open between 37^th Avenue to Palouse Highway the week of July 11 after construction of a stormwater treatment system with disposal ponds and stormwater piping is beginning.  

Indiana Avenue from Dakota to Perry Street- Full construction starts Monday, July 11, proceeding from East to West.  Indiana Ave. from Dakota St. to Perry St. is closed with East-West traffic detoured to Mission Ave., Montgomery Ave. and Illinois Ave.  North-South arterials within the construction zone at Hamilton Ave. and Perry St. will remain open. This project includes curb ramps, storm swales, new curb, waterline replacement, signal installation work and some parking removal

Main Avenue and Division Street Intersection Improvements-  Work continues on the southwest corner of the intersection of Division and Main on sidewalk removal and excavation for underground storm water improvements.  Pedestrian detours are in place. There are lane restrictions on both Main and Division.  Work on this project involves curb bumpouts at all four corners of Division Street and Main Avenue, the removal and replacement of existing curbs, gutters, and sidewalks, ADA upgrades, installation of planter boxes and planting.

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 vehicular and truck traffic an efficient route that eliminates several safety issues and increases capacity into and out of the downtown area while passing along the south edge of the University District. These 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 proposes to construct a section of the Ben Burr trail to provide pedestrian circulation. The trail will be separated from roadway traffic and aligned parallel to the Spokane River, allowing pedestrians access with greater aesthetic experience. 

Monroe/Lincoln Street Couplet, 8th Avenue to 2nd Avenue- Work on Monroe Street from 4th Ave south to 8^th Ave continues. Curb installation will occur between 7^th and 8^th Avenues on Monroe Street beginning Monday, July 11. Landscape and sprinkler work also begins taht day on Monroe and in the swale pond along 4^th Avenue. Paving begins on Monroe Street the week of July 18. Monroe and Lincoln are closed with a detour along 14th Avenue and Bernard/Washington/Stevens and 2nd and 3rd Avenue. The on ramp for eastbound traffic at Monroe is open. Traffic exiting Maple Street eastbound is detoured off of 4^th at Jefferson Street. 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- Starting Monday, July 11 Lincoln Street will have four way stop signs located at the intersections of 1^st, Sprague and Riverside. Water work will require the closure of westbound traffic on Riverside from Post to Monroe Street. Traffic control is in place to minimize the effects of backups during peak traffic hours. Monroe has two open lanes of traffic on the west side of the street. 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 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 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.

Rowan Avenue Improvemetns from Driscoll Boulevard to Monroe Street- Rowan Avenue from Alberta to Ash Street is closed.  The intersection of Albert and Ash is open to north and southbound traffic. The intersection of Belt and Rowan is closed. Ash Street from Nebraska to Everett Avenues is reduced to one lane through Friday, July 15 for paving of Rowan Avenue. This project is for reconstruction work from Driscoll Blvd. to Monroe Street. The project also includes installation of bike lanes, filling sidewalk gaps and replacing water lines.

Street Maintenance Residential Crack Sealing- Work is finishing on C St. bounded by Wellesley to Heroy and A Street to G Street. Work will begin in Wedgewood bounded by Weile to Woodside and Five Mile Rd. to east end of the City Limits

Wall Street, Main Avenue to Spokane Falls Boulevard- Wall Street from Main to Spokane Falls will close Monday, July 11. Work will start at Main and Wall heading north toward Spokane Falls. This work is to construct storm water improvements, sidewalks, new asphalt pavement, traffic signal revisions, an irrigation system, and add lighting.

Wellesley Freya Utility Work for Future WSDOT Roundabout- This work is in preparation for a future roundabout being installed by WSDOT. Wellesley is closed from Market to Rebecca. Freya is closed from Broad to Longfellow.

Liberty, The Lyft for Rural America

One of the most common needs I hear from people when out in the public is that they need
transportation to services such as medical appointments and shopping from rural areas. Because outlying areas often have less expensive housing, many people choose to live outside the urban area. This is fine except that many start to experience mobility issues as they get older. The distance to the nearest city or a lack of public transit in rural areas can make getting around a challenge.

According to Silicon Prairie News, a new service could be the Uber or Lyft for rural dwellers. Liberty offers an Uber-like app people can use to get rides to the nearest urban area.

Besides getting people where they need to go, Liberty creators say the service will add jobs (drivers for the service) in rural communities where they are often needed.

So far, Liberty is only available in Texas and Nebraska and there is no word when, or if, it will be expanding.

Drone Video From Inside SR 99 Tunnel

This is kind of old but really cool. In early May, the Washington State Department of Transportation flew a drone through the SR 99 tunnel with a camera to show the progress made on drilling the tunnel.

Local Road Construction Update

SPOKANE CITY

Chip Seal Work (Residential)- The residential chip seal work around Comstock Park was not 100% completed due to a machinery breakdown so work starts again today, Wednesday, July 6th, in the afternoon to complete the other streets. Howard St. was completed and parking by the pool should not be a problem on Wednesday the 6th. 

Other chip seal work started on Kathleen Avenue (Indian Trail) yesterday. The road is completely closed to ALL traffic from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.   No Parking signs are in place. 

Northwest Boulevard and Columbia Circle (CSO 6)- This project is substantially complete. It included the installation of a 900,000 gallon tank. New water mains will be added at H Street, Glass Avenue and Columbia Circle these lines will be connected to the new main along Columbia Circle. Columbia Circle, H Street and Glass Avenue will be repaved and sidewalk repairs will happen in select areas. Many driveways will be replaced to match the new street grade.

Wall Street, Main Avenue to Spokane Falls Boulevard- Wall Street from Main to Spokane Falls will close Monday, July 11. Work will start at Main and Wall heading north toward Spokane Falls. This work is to construct storm water improvements, sidewalks, new asphalt pavement, traffic signal revisions, an irrigation system, and add lighting.

Rowan Avenue Improvements from Driscoll Boulevard to Monroe Street- Ash Street from Nebraska to Everett Avenues will be reduced to one lane from Monday, July 11 to Friday, July 15 for paving of Rowan Avenue. This project is for reconstruction work from Driscoll Blvd. to Monroe Street. The project also includes installation of bike lanes, filling sidewalk gaps and replacing water lines.

37^th Avenue, Regal Street to Custer Street- 37^th Avenue from Freya to Custer Street will be closed starting Tuesday, July 5. 37^th will be closed at Havana Street. The detour route is Glenrose to Palouse Highway to Regal Street.  Freya is currently closed from 37^th Avenue to the Palouse Highway for work on Hazel’s Creek.  When this work completes Freya will be the detour route for the 37^th Avenue closure. This work is to reconstruct the road, including pavement replacement, curbs, sidewalk, bike lanes, stormwater piping, and adding a water main.

Ben Burr Trail and Connection to the Centennial Trail-  Work continues along the trail at 3^rd Avenue and Arthur and 2^nd Avenue and Perry. This project will design and construct a shared use paved trail connection for bicyclists and pedestrian as well as security lighting installation.  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 Blvd./Bridge Ave. is closed to traffic. Lincoln has one northbound lane open.  Lincoln southbound is closed at Broadway with local access maintained to Anthony’s restaurant and parking lots. This project will construct a Combined Sewer Overflow Tank (CSO) tank and the necessary piping for our Cleaner River Faster Program.

Hatch Road Grind and Overlay Work- Streets Crews are grinding Hatch Rd. working downhill from 57^th Avenue. There will be lane restrictions and some delays at times.

Hazels Creek Stormwater Treatment Project- Freya Street is closed from 37^th Avenue to Palouse Highway until mid-July. Work continues on Freya south of 37^th Avenue. Paving is scheduled early in the week. Construction of a stormwater treatment system with disposal ponds and stormwater piping is beginning. 

High Drive Phase II, Bernard to Grand Street Repair Work- Repairs to the storm sewer will go to Thursday, July 7. Lane restrictions will be in place at High Drive and Lamonte and High Drive and Manito. Flaggers are on site to direct traffic.

Indiana Avenue from Dakota to Perry Street- Limited construction activities will begin Tuesday, July 5. Full construction should be underway Monday, July 11, proceeding from East to West. Indiana Ave. from Dakota St. to Perry St. will be closed with East-West traffic detoured to Mission Ave., Montgomery Ave. and Illinois Ave.  North-South arterials within the construction zone at Hamilton Ave. and Perry St. will remain open. This project includes curb ramps, storm swales, new curb, waterline replacement, signal installation work and some parking removal.

Main Avenue and Division Street Intersection Improvements- Work continues on sidewalk removal and excavation for underground storm water improvements.  Pedestrian detours will be in place. Work on this project involves curb bumpouts at all four corners of Division Street and Main Avenue, the removal and replacement of existing curbs, gutters, and sidewalks, ADA upgrades, installation of planter boxes and planting. 

Monroe/Lincoln Street Couplet, 8^th Avenue to 2^nd Avenue- Work on Monroe Street from 4th Ave. south to 8^th Ave. continues. Monroe and Lincoln are closed completely to traffic. Detours are in place. The current two way traffic on Lincoln will remain open between 4th Avenue and 6th Avenue to provide access.  Access along 7th will be provided through the work zone, but will be on unpaved surfaces.  There may be times when access along 7th Avenue will be restricted to limited hours during the day.  Monroe between 14th and 8th Avenue will remain open for local traffic to serve the businesses and residents in that area.   

The detour for through traffic is along 14th Avenue and Bernard/Washington/Stevens and 2nd and 3rd Avenue. This phase of construction is expected to last 3 to 4 weeks.  Once this phase is complete, Monroe will be opened to traffic southbound.  Northbound traffic will continue to be detoured until the project is complete.

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- Work is underway.  Monroe has two open lanes of traffic on the west side of the street. Four way stop signs are located at the intersections of 1st, 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.

Northwest Boulevard and Columbia Circle (CSO 6)- Construction of catch basins and drywells in the following intersections has begun:  Wellington and Cora (both Coras), Park Blvd. and Cora, Sheridan Court and Cora. This project includes the installation of a 900,000 gallon tank. New water mains will be added at H Street, Glass Avenue and Columbia Circle these lines will be connected to the new main along Columbia Circle. Columbia Circle, H Street and Glass Avenue will be repaved and sidewalk repairs will happen in select areas. 

Pettet Drive/TJ Meenach Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO 12) Project- Work is underway and Pettet Drive is closed to traffic until November. The clover leaf that services TJ Meenach, Down River and Pettit Drive (three out of the four legs) is open. The leg that comes off of Pettit northbound re-directs 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 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.

Rowan Avenue Improvements from Driscoll Boulevard to Monroe Street- Phase II of Rowan from Alberta to Monroe Street is underway. Rowan Avenue from Alberta to Ash Street is closed. The intersection of Albert and Ash is open to north and southbound traffic. The intersection of Belt and Rowan is closed to traffic for the duration of the project. This project is for reconstruction work from Driscoll Blvd. to Monroe Street. The project also includes installation of bike lanes, filling sidewalk gaps and replacing water lines.

Wall Street, Main Avenue to Spokane Falls Boulevard- Wall Street from Main to Spokane Falls is closed. Work will start at Main and Wall heading north toward Spokane Falls. This work is to construct over 100 feet of storm sewer, five drainage structures, sidewalks, new asphalt pavement, traffic signal revisions, an irrigation system, and ten luminaires.

SPOKANE COUNTY

Market Street (Parksmith to Farwell)-Rehabilitating the roadway after installing sewer and fiber optics. The road is open to traffic but there are possible lane restrictions.

Seven Mile Bridge & Seven Mile Road- A detour is in place while this bridge is being demolished and rebuilt. The temporary speed limit is 25 mph.

Hawthorne Road West (Waikiki to US395)- The road is closed until late August for road rehabilitation, stormwater drainage swales, tree planting, signal improvement, bike lane installation and striping.

Hawthorne Road East (US395 to US2)- The road is closed to traffic, with street parking prohibited, for roadway rehabilitation, installation of stormwater sand filters, curbing, a traffic signal, bike lane and striping.

Houston Road from Colville Road to Grove Road- Crews will be working on ditching, culvert and shoulder work during day hours only. No detours in place and road will remain open to local traffic, bus traffic and emergency vehicles around the clock. For all other traffic, the road will be closed from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  

SPOKANE VALLEY32^nd Avenue from Dishman-Mica Road to University Road- Closed through mid-August for street preservation work. Signs detour traffic via Dishman-Mica Road and University Road.

32^nd Avenue from University Road to Pines Road- Reduced to one lane in each direction through mid-August. The north sidewalk is closed. 

Fancher Road between Trent Avenue and Sharp Avenue- Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction through early July.

Indiana Avenue and Evergreen Road Intersection- Through July 29, Indiana westbound is reduced to one lane and one left turn lane, with Indiana eastbound reduced to two lanes with right turns permitted from the curb lane. Evergreen northbound is reduced to a single lane with turns permitted in both directions.

Southbound Sullivan Road Bridge across the Spokane River- Traffic is reduced to one lane northbound and two lanes southbound. Turns from Indiana Avenue onto northbound Sullivan Road are reduced to one lane. Southbound Sullivan Road at Flora Pit Road is reduced to one lane, July 5-July 8, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WSDOT

US 2/Sunset Blvd. to I-90- Weekday evenings from about 7 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m. the following morning, drivers should be alert for lane restrictions as crews upgrade guardrails.

US 2-Division Street/Curb and Sidewalk- Northbound Division Street is reduced to two lanes.  Drivers may experience congestion and some delays as crews improve sidewalks and curbs.

I-90/Westbound Freya Off-Ramp- Westbound drivers should be alert for narrow shoulders.  All ramps open.  Expect lane restrictions on 2^nd Avenue as crews construct a new westbound Freya Street off-ramp approximately ¼ mile to the east of the current ramp.

US 395-Division Street/Hawthorne Rd. Intersection-Wednesday through Friday, July 6-8, from about 6 p.m. until as late as 6 a.m., Division Street will be reduced to one lane in each direction with some slow traffic and congestion.  Following that work, Hawthorne road will be closed east and west of Division. Crews are making intersection improvements and installing a new signal system.

Merging: It's Not That Hard

I've noticed that it appears that merging is not a strong point for drivers in our area. People really don't want to let other drivers in and don't seem to understand that you can still use both lanes up until it ends, but other drivers need to let them in. Maybe this video by the Missouri Department of Transportation of adults in cardboard cars will help.

Area Government Services Closed July 4

In observance of the Independence Day holiday, all area government agencies will be closed on Monday, July 4, including SRTC.

Offices will reopen with regular hours on Tuesday, July 5. Parking meters don’t have to be plugged on July 4.

If you're headed to the west side of the state this weekend, travel on I-90 from the summit of Snoqualmie Pass to Vantage is going to be particularly tricky this weekend due to a number of projects.

The heaviest congestion is westbound near Cle Elum from mileposts, where repaving work means a single-lane detour. You can avoid these backups by using an alternate route via US 97 to SR 10.

Spokane Wins "Every Place Counts" Design Challenge

Awesome news for Spokane! On Monday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced that our city was one of four to win the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) "Every Place Counts Design Challenge," aimed at raising awareness and identifying community design solutions that bridge the infrastructure divide to reconnect people to opportunity.

Other winners were Ramsey County, MN; Nashville, TN; and Philadelphia, PA. Each area will receive a design session that convenes elected officials, urban planners, designers, and local residents around a transportation project that has the potential to link communities to services such as jobs, healthcare, and schools.

They will also get on-site technical assistance from the USDOT and design experts. Spokane's session is July 7 and 8 and will look at the issue of Interstate 90 dividing the East Central neighborhood. The City hopes the technical assistance will bring together those affected by the I-90 corridor with partners who can create solutions and opportunities to maximize connectivity from new projects underway while minimizing barriers.

In addition to USDOT staff, volunteers including architectural design firms, urban and regional planners, engineers, and academia have been asked to offer their knowledge and expertise to help the selected cities create forward-thinking, cutting edge solutions to infrastructure problems created by past decisions that cut off and isolated communities from opportunity. 

VW To Settle With WA State to the Tune of $26M

Volkswagen will pay $26 million to Washington State as a penalty for deceptive marketing of vehicles that weren’t as “green” as the company claimed. Buyers of the vehicles will also be given restitution.

As part of federal and state litigation, the settlement will pay states $1,100 per car for violating consumer protection laws. In Washington, 22,170 vehicles are subject to the settlment, plus more than $1.7 million to the state for being a leader in the investigation.

VW also must implement a restitution and recall program for vehicles with 2.0 liter diesel engines built between 2009 and 2015 and pay $2.7 billion into a trust account to mitigate environmental damage. Under terms of the agreement, Washington could receive $103 million for mitigation projects.

WA Gas Tax Increases July 1

Washington State is about to get the second highest gas tax in the country when an increase of 4.9 cents kicks in on July 1. Added to the current tax, that will increase the state tax on gas to 49.4 cents per gallon, second highest behind Pennsylvania.

The hike is the final installment of a nearly 12 cent increase, part of the state legislature's Connecting Washington package approved last year.


The money will go to fund a series of specific projects over the next 15 years across the state, including I90 interchanges at Medical Lake and Geiger, completion of the North Spokane Corridor, and widening of I90 from Barker to Harvard roads.

Vehicle registration fees also go up July 1, from $15 to $35, depending on the weight of your vehicle. Registration for electric cars will also increase; from $100 to $150.

Take Your Whole Group Biking With the Conference Bike

We attend a lot of meetings in our field. Both internally and at other agencies. Sometimes they are very technical and can tend to be dry. Sometimes it's hard to stay awake when the room is stuffy. Say goodbye to those days of nodding off during the world's longest PowerPoint presentation though, because I present to you the "Conference Bike."

The Conference Bike is a way to bring people together, literally, because seven people sit in a circle and pedal. The bikes are being used around the world for touring and corporate team-building and even as a way for blind people to bike in some communities. I just want one to tool around with my six best friends on.

Local Road Construction Update

SPOKANE COUNTY

Market Street (Parksmith to Farwell)- Road open to traffic with some work happening on the shoulder. This project installed sewer components, fiber optic and rehabilitated the roadway.

Seven Mile Bridge & Seven Mile Road- Detour in place with a temporary lowered speed limit of 25 mph while bridge is demolished and replaced. 

Hawthorne Road West (Waikiki to US395)- Road closed for road rehabilitation, including installing stormwater drainage swales, trees, irrigation, curbing and a bike lane.

Hawthorne Road East (US395 to US2)- Road will be closed completely on July 5. This project includes roadway rehabilitation, stormwater sand filters, curbing, bike lane and striping.

Houston Road from Colville Road to Grove Road- Crews are working on ditching, culvert and shoulder work during day hours only. No detours in place and the road is open to local traffic, bus traffic and emergency vehicles around the clock. For all other traffic, the road is closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

WSDOT

US 2/Hayford Rd. Intersection-Eastbound drivers should be alert for lane restriction and some congestion as a developer constructs access to a business.

US 2-Division Street/Curb and Sidewalk- Northbound Division Street is reduced to two lanes to give crews room to work on curb and sidewalk improvements. Drivers may experience delays.

I-90/Westbound Freya Off-Ramp-Westbound drivers should be alert for narrow shoulders as crews construct a new westbound Freya Street off-ramp approximately 1/4 mile to the east of the current one.  All ramps open.  Expect lane restrictions on 2^nd Avenue.

US 395-Division Street/Hawthorne Rd. Intersection- Be alert for some turn restrictions on Division as Spokane County work has Hawthorne Road closed between Division and Waikiki.

SPOKANE VALLEY

32^nd Avenue from Dishman-Mica Road to University Road- Closed through mid-August for street preservation work. Signs detour traffic via Dishman-Mica Road and University Road.

32^nd Avenue from University Road to Pines Road - Reduced to one lane in each direction through mid-August. The north sidewalk is closed. Anticipate brief interruptions to side streets and driveways from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fancher Road between Trent Avenue and Sharp Avenue - Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction through early July.

Southbound Sullivan Road Bridge- Traffic is reduced to one lane northbound and two lanes southbound. Oversized vehicles should use Barker Road or Pines Road as alternatives. Turns from Indiana Avenue onto northbound Sullivan Road are reduced to one lane. Southbound Sullivan Road at Flora Pit Road will be reduced to one lane on weekdays through Friday, July 1 from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SPOKANE CITY

Maple Street Bridge Lane Closure-Wednesday, June 29 one lane in each direction on the Maple Street Bridge will be closed. In celebration of the 25^th anniversary of the Waste to Energy Facility employees will be painting the undercoat for a mural. In July artist Todd Benson will paint the mural.

Hazels Creek Stormwater Treatment Project-Freya Street is closed from 37^th Avenue to Palouse Highway until early/mid-July. This project is located southeast of 37^th Avenue and Rebecca Street. It will construct a stormwater treatment system with disposal ponds and stormwater piping.  

37^th Avenue, Regal Street to Custer Street-  Due to a closure on Freya Street for the Hazel’s Creek Project, 37^th Avenue will be closed east of Havana Street to Custer Street. The closure will NOT impact the intersection of 37^th and Havana. This work is to reconstruct the road, include pavement replacement, curbs, sidewalk, bike lanes, stormwater piping, and a 36 inch water main.

      2016 Street Maintenance Curb Ramp Project- Work continues on Lyons Avenue from Perry St. to Pittsburg St. to install ADA compliant curb ramps.

Ben Burr Trail and Connection to the Centennial Trail- Work continues along the trail at Fiske and 11^th Avenue with work progressing to the north. This project will construct a shared use paved trail connection for bicyclists and pedestrian as well as security lighting installation.  The project will be from the Centennial Trail at the Gonzaga Bridge southeast of Erie Street, 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 Avenue is closed to traffic. Lincoln has one northbound lane open.  Lincoln southbound is closed at Broadway with local access maintained to Anthony’s restaurant and parking lots. This project will construct a Combined Sewer Overflow Tank (CSO) tank and the necessary piping for our Cleaner River Faster Program.

Residential Chip Seal Work- The Residential Chip Seal Project will begin the actual chip seal application at the following locations and dates:

o   Kathleen Avenue Area (Indian Trail): Wednesday, June 29

o   Rebecca Street Area (Upriver Drive): Thursday, June 30

o   33^rd Avenue Area (Comstock Park): Friday, July 1

During these days the roads will be closed to ALL traffic from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.   No Parking signs will be in place. Surrounding residents will receive letters from the contractor a few days before the operation.

High Drive Phase II, Bernard to Grand Street Repair Work- Street repairs continue along High Drive. Traffic restrictions are in place and flaggers are on site to direct traffic.

Indiana Avenue from Dakota to Perry 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.

Main Avenue and Division Street Intersection Improvements- Work continues on sidewalk removal and excavation for underground storm water improvements.  Pedestrian detours are in place. There are lane restrictions on both Main and Division. Work on this project involves curb bumpouts at all four corners of Division Street and Main Avenue, the removal and replacement of existing curbs, gutters, and sidewalks, ADA upgrades, installation of planter boxes and planting.

Monroe/Lincoln Street Couplet, 8^th Avenue to 2^nd Avenue- This project reconstructs the roadway from 8^th to 2^nd Avenue and installs water facilities.  Crews have closed Monroe and Lincoln completely. The current two way traffic on Lincoln is open between 4th Avenue and 6th Avenue.  Access along 7th is through the work zone, but will be on unpaved surfaces.  There may be times when access along 7th Avenue will be restricted to limited hours during the day.  Monroe between 14th and 8th Avenue is open.   

The detour for through traffic is along 14th Avenue and Bernard/Washington/Stevens and 2nd and 3rd Avenue. The on ramp for eastbound traffic at Monroe is open.  Crews work from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. six to seven days a week as needed. Expect more noise in the area during these hours.

Monroe and Lincoln Street, Main Avenue to 2nd Avenue- Starting Monday, June 27 at 10 a.m., Monroe will have two open lanes of traffic on the west side of the street.  After the morning commute, four way stop signs will be added at the intersections of 1st, Sprague, and Riverside Avenues beginning around 10 a.m. 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. 

Pettet Drive/TJ Meenach Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO 12) Project- 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. 
Pettet Drive is closed to traffic until November. The clover leaf that services TJ Meenach, Down River and Pettit Drive (three out of the four legs) is open. 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.

Rowan Avenue Improvements from Driscoll Boulevard to Monroe Street- The intersection of Alberta, Belt, and Ash will remain open to north and southbound traffic.  Rowan Avenue is open to traffic from Ash Street to Monroe Street.

Street Maintenance Grind and Overlay Work- Work continues on Indian Trail Rd. from Ridgecrest to the North City Limits. Flaggers will be closing one lane.  

Wellesley Freya Utility Work for Future WSDOT Roundabout- Water and sewer work is underway and expected to continue through the end of July.  This work is in preparation for a future roundabout being installed by WSDOT. Wellesley will be closed from Market to Rebecca.Freya will be closed from Broad to Longfellow.

New App For Meeting People at the Airport

Killing time at the airport waiting for a flight? Single? Then the new app, Btrfly, could be for you. The airport dating app lets users log in using their flight details or airport, and are then shown a list of other users who are in the same airport or even on the same flight. 

The app gives information on where other users are flying to, and what time, to ensure you know you'll have enough time before they jet off. Seems like possibly too much information though, in my opinion.

Some are calling Btrfly "Tinder for airports," although the company says it's not specifically for dating but could be used to meet new friends headed to the same destination or even find people just to share cabs with.

Construction and Increased Traffic Equals Extra Delays

Due to a number of events taking place in eastern Washington this weekend, you're encouraged to either get to your destinations early, wait to go later or use an alternate route.

Starting Thursday, June 23 through Friday, June 24 drivers will see delays on I90 in both directions near the Cle Elum area due to a paving project. Drivers are encouraged to use an alternate route via US 97 to SR 10. 

The Vantage Bridge is still down to a single lane eastbound due to a painting project. Drivers headed east will experience heavy congestion and stop and go traffic between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. and should consider taking an alternate route via US 97, I-82 or SR 24.

And rock blasting is scheduled to close I-90 east of Snoqualmie Pass in both directions from mileposts 56 to 62 for an hour at 8 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, June 21 and Thursday, June 23.

Amendment Would Add Two Bridge Projects to Transportation Improvement Program

SRTC is asking for your input on an amendment to the 2016-2019 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that proposes adding two new Washington State Department of Transportation projects to the program.

The TIP identifies projects slated to be undertaken or constructed during the upcoming four years. It includes project names and descriptions, the jurisdiction sponsoring them, funding attached to each project, and where the funding came from (local, state or federal funds). The TIP is updated regularly throughout the year as SRTC’s member jurisdictions have projects to add, change or remove from the program, often as funding becomes available.

Details of the projects proposed to be added to the TIP are in the graphic below. Click on it to view it full size.

A public comment period for the amendment starts Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Members of the public are encouraged to provide input on the projects included. All comments must be received by 4 p.m. on Friday, July 1, 2016. Comments can be submitted by emailing to contact.srtc@srtc.org, mailing to SRTC at 421 W. Riverside Ave., Suite 500, Spokane, WA, or by calling (509) 343-6370.