Want to know what transportation projects are proposed for Spokane County, what your alternatives are to driving alone, and how to find out about local road closures or backups caused by accidents and other incidents? This blog is designed to educate the public on all transportation-related issues in Spokane County.
The City of Spokane has just sent out a release that they are closing the south half of the pedestrian suspension bridge (seen above in less wet days) in Riverfront Park near the YMCA because of very strong spray from the waves hitting the pinnacle rock near the bridge.
The spray is sporadic and unpredictable, and City Parks & Recreation Department officials believe it could pose a public safety hazard. The bridge will remain closed until officials determine it is safe.
Riverfront Park has some flooding of it's own, in the Red Wagon Meadow, on the Carrousel steps, and under the Washington Street Bridge by the Clocktower. Flooded areas are barricaded, and the public is asked to stay out of these areas.
Here's what will be open/closed on Monday for the City and County in observance of Memorial Day:
County offices will be closed, as well as the the County Courthouse, Public Safety Building and Veterans Services. The Sheriff's Office will be open.
Spokane City Hall will be closed, along with the garbage transfer stations and the waste-to-energy plant. Parking meters don’t have to be plugged on Monday, and garbage pickup and curbside recycling will be a day late all week.
All Spokane Public Library branches will be closed Monday, and the Downtown, East Side, Hillyard, and Indian Trail branches also will be closed on Tuesday. Since those branches are normally closed on Mondays, the holiday is observed on Tuesday.
The Spokane City Council briefing session and legislative meeting will be held on Tuesday.
Get 'em while they're hot! The WSDOT announces their free state map is now available, and they're doing it with the very humorous news release below. Good for you WSDOT, thanks for letting us know you're not all typing monkeys. Oh wait, I think we just hired a couple of typing monkeys because that work cheaper than their human counterparts. Disregard that last comment.
And did you know that WSDOT has a 'nationally recognized cartographer?' Sweet! How do we get one of those?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 23, 2008
Contacts: Al Gilson, WSDOT Communications (509) 324-6015
Tank of gas: $75; Knowing where you’re going: priceless
WSDOT releases the wildly popular, free, 2008 state map in time for Memorial Day travel
SEATTLE – While it’s not like waiting in line all night for the latest version of Grand Theft Auto, people do get excited about the biennial release of the WSDOT state map.
This year, WSDOT printed 800,000 maps. Anyone can get a free Washington State map by visiting the WSDOT Web site, www.wsdot.wa.gov/publications/highwaymap, or by calling the map line at 360-705-7279.
The Washington State map, produced by WSDOT’s nationally recognized cartographer Mark Bozanich, is unlike any map you can get anywhere.
“We produce the only map that is all Washington. Other maps link us with Oregon and therefore have smaller print, fewer icons, less detailed city information,” said Bozanich.
What can you find on the WSDOT map that you can’t find on any other map? Here’s a look:
Larger print for baby boomers Interesting location nuggets like Ranald McDonald’s grave in Ferry County Amtrak routes All 281 cities and their populations Twelve city insets Hill shading from the USGS The new HOT lanes The new South Lake Union Streetcar in Seattle
Commercial map publishers AAA and McGraw-Hill fact check their maps against ours because our cartographers and researchers have driven every inch of Washington State highways and stake their reputation on 100 percent accuracy. WSDOT has produced the maps every two years since 1931.
Having the map in your car allows you to travel our beautiful state and not worry about sketchy cell phone reception or going off the beaten path, unable to get back. It’s your guide to adventure, well-loved and used just like that old t-shirt you’ll be wearing this summer as you crisscross the state.
If you're trying to get out of town early tomorrow to beat the rush, here's some good news; most area construction work will be suspended by noon on Friday in anticipation of increased holiday traffic. Area agencies plan to have crews off the roads in order to make traffic flow easier.
If you can't decide when to travel though, the Washington State Department of Transportation has some 'travel graphs' that can help you decide the best times to travel highways around the state.
SR 206 is open to limited traffic-washout repair work continues
SPOKANE – As of 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 22, SR 206 has been restored and emergency or residential traffic is being escorted through the site. The gravel surface is narrow with steep slopes. The culvert installation is complete and stable. Roadway reconstruction and slope protection will continue tomorrow.
Lat Sunday, snow runoff water overwhelmed culverts under the State Park equipment shed and the state highway and undermined the roadway, subsequently destroying about 1,000 feet of the route. An emergency contract was set up to perform temporary repairs to open the roadway for limited traffic. A project to fully rebuild the highway will be under construction and completed later this summer.
The Governor visited Spokane on Wednesday to survey flood damage among other other things. She has declared an emergency which qualifies our region for federal money to repair some of the flood damage. Eye on Olympia reported the story here.
You'll want to avoid driving in the area of Regal at Third Avenue this morning. A 10-inch, cast-iron water main broke at about 6 a.m. today there. Three homes are without water as Water Department crews work to repair the problem. The water is expected to be back on at about noon.
Also, because of the topography of the area, water from the break has collected at the intersections from Third to Fifth avenues, Regal to Altamont. Drivers should use caution through these intersections.
As of last night, the vote on the 0.3 percent sales tax for the Spokane Transit Authority is passing.
When ballot counting wrapped up last night, the measure had approval from 65 percent of the ballots. More ballots will be counted in the next few days.
The vote allows STA to maintain about the same level of service and move forward with proposals to increase frequency of routes to the Spokane International Airport and Liberty Lake.
The city of Spokane has closed East Upriver Drive from North Center Street to Regal Street because of flooding from the Spokane River. Traffic is being detoured to North Cresent Ave. because of water over the roadway. The river is now about six inches over flood stage.
In observance of the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 26, Spokane City Hall will be closed along with other City facilities, including the garbage transfer stations and the waste-to-energy plant. Parking meters don’t have to be plugged on Monday, and garbage pickup and curbside recycling will be a day late all week.
All Spokane Public Library branches will be closed on Monday, May 26, and the Downtown, East Side, Hillyard, and Indian Trail branches also will be closed on Tuesday, May 27, in observance of Memorial Day. Since those branch libraries are normally closed on Mondays, the holiday is observed on Tuesday.
The Spokane City Council briefing session and legislative meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 27, at 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively in the City Council Chambers in the lower level of City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
Meanwhile, the Riverfront Park attractions, including the Imax Theater, Spokane Falls Skyride, Pavilion rides, and Carousel, are open on Memorial Day and throughout the weekend. Go to www.spokaneriverfrontpark.com for information on hours of operation. And the most important part, City golf courses also are open.
Interesting enough, the Washington State Patrol called me today, in a follow up to a thread we posted last week and asked me to do an update. Last Wednesday, I reported how I was contacted by the WSP, on my personal cell phone, just minutes after taking a picture of the weigh station out near Stateline.
In my original thread, I blogged about how I found it kind of scary that they could get my cell phone number that fast, but on the other hand, that it was kind of reassuring to know that someone is watching our transportation facilities. And that was it. I never said I was beat down by the po-po, or harassed, or anything further. The initial trooper who contacted me was very polite and after I explained that I was taking the photo for a power point presentation of projects scheduled for the next 20 years (the weigh station is scheduled to be moved within the next couple years), he was very cordial and simply asked me to alert him ahead of time the next time I need to take pictures of WSP property.
That thread was picked up by the national blog ‘Boing Boing’ then by others in turn, including one in Germany and several blogs devoted to photography, and in some cases, blown out of proportion.
So today my phone rings and it’s Bob Caulkins from the WSP out of Olympia. He asked me clear up how they got my phone number so quickly because he’s getting calls from the Spokesman-Review asking the same thing. The Spokesman even posted a thread on their own blog yesterday explaining what happened. So here goes: apparently, anytime you get in a traffic accident, get a ticket of any kind, or contact law enforcement for any other reason, they ask your personal information. The info you provide is put into a database that ALL the law enforcement agencies can access. So, they see me take pictures, they pull up my license number, and wa-la, there’s my phone number.
Mr. Caulkins said that they do have the ability to get your cell phone number from your provider if they need to, without a warrant, but they can’t do it as quickly as getting it out of their own database.
So in addition to that explanation, I would like to emphasize that all interaction I have had with the WSP to date has been very pleasant and cordial, including when I received the speeding ticket that landed my number in their data base in the first place.
So thanks for the call Mr. Caulkins, and here’s my tribute to you, all in fun of course. I’ll leave you with this classic from John Cougar Mellencamp where he combines two of my favorite songs.
Obviously, Mr. Brown, you haven't worked on the streets and roads of a major city, county or state. What may look like chaos to you is usually the coordinated effort of a group of highly skilled individuals defying death or serious injury at the hands of a few frustrated drivers while attempting to repair or improve a damaged roadway. Perhaps the street department could be persuaded to let you put on a yellow hard hat and spend a few exciting hours repairing potholes, sweeping up or paving. A little hot asphalt on your shoes might improve your oversight.
Don't disparage the efforts of hard-working individuals in the street department through a juvenile comparison with the antics of comic characters. These men and women are out there in all kinds of conditions, rain, snow and heat, doing their job. They would be able to do a safer and better job with the knowledgeable support of the driving public in cutting them a little slack by obeying the signs and traffic directors provided for our mutual protection.
Our discussion of the weigh station last week somehow got Jeff and I onto the topic of the old song 'Convoy' by CW McCall (I know, a loose connection at best). I couldn't remember exactly how the reference to 'the 11 friends of Jesus in a chartreuse microbus' was worded, so Jeff was kind enough to look up the lyrics. While at it, he found this 'tribute' to the classic. Here is a pretty good cover of the original song. Looks like we got us a convoy...
Wow, we're busy around here! Here's what you have to look forward to this week: seatbelt checks, construction on US 195, and a break from construction for the holiday weekend.
SPOKANE –Water cascading through small creek tributaries blocked culverts and washed out a section of State Route 206 on Mt. Spokane late Sunday, May 18th
State Route 206 is now closed from just below the State Park gates to the summit.
In addition, high water in Deadman Creek has overflowed several of the County road approaches and private bridges that cross the stream.
WSDOT maintenance personnel are on site and engineering staff will be assessing the roadway later today. With temperatures reaching into the 80’s today, water will continue to flow and repairs will not be possible until the water recedes. There is no estimated time for reopening.
Residents who live above the closure will not be able to cross the damaged area on SR 206 or the adjacent approaches.
Good Morning America featured Eric Farmer of Spokane in new segment this morning about how gas prices are encouraging more and more people to bike to work. Check it out Here
Question: Did you participate in "Bike to Work Week?"
So, Staci Lehman in our office blogged earlier this week about her escapades at the stateline weigh station (see her post a few threads below), and it was linked by a national civil liberties blog called Boing Boing. Apparently, Boing Boing is the equivalent of the Drudge Report in the national blogosphere. Our post on this blog generated at least 27 comments, and the post on Boing Boing got another 22 comments. You can check it out Here
Hat Tip: Rich Roesler, Spokesman Review, who discovered and blogged about our national exposure Here
A big thanks to Theo from Cycle Sport and Great Harvest Bakery in Liberty Lake. They took it upon themselves to provide 'Breakfast on the Bridge' for people taking part in Bike to Work Day today. Starting at 6 a.m., Cycle Sports and Great Harvest set up a table on the pedestrian overpass at Liberty Lake and provided breakfast to all the bicyclists who came by.
What I thought was really cool about this was that it wasn't part of a community effort, Theo said there was nothing in particular planned in Liberty Lake for Bike To Work Week, so he decided to do his own thing and recruited Great Harvest to help. Thanks Theo and Great Harvest! That's what we need in our community, more people taking initiative and recognizing the people who take steps to improve things!
Here are the streets that will be closed Saturday for the Lilac Festival Armed Forces Torchlight Parade (closures are from 4:15 to 11 p.m.):
· Boone Ave. will be closed from Howard to Division streets · Washington St. will be closed from Maxwell to First avenues · Sharp and Boone avenues will be closed to west bound traffic at Division St. · Lincoln St. will be closed to southbound traffic at Boone Ave. · Spokane Falls Blvd. will be closed from Browne to Lincoln streets
The remaining streets on the parade route will be closed from 5:30 to 11 p.m. or so:
· Main, Riverside, Sprague, First, and Second avenues from Browne to Lincoln streets
Motorists should anticipate delays. Division, Monroe, and Hamilton streets will remain open, and the Maple St. Bridge will remain open northbound only.
SRTC is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Spokane County. Urbanized areas with populations exceeding 50,000 people are required to have an MPO. SRTC was formed to address the county's transportation planning needs. It provides coordination in planning between the public, cities, small towns, the county, the state, transit providers, and tribes.
SRTC offers services including transportation monitoring, transportation modeling, census information analysis, travel demand forecasting, historical traffic count analysis, geographic information systems, and trip generation rates.
