WSDOT Construction For Next Week

North Spokane Corridor/Francis Avenue Bridge and Intersection Improvements

EXTREMELY HIGH IMPACT!!!  On Monday, March 25th, the City of Spokane will close Francis between Market and Crestline for resurfacing and other work. When that is in place, the left turn for westbound Francis to southbound Market will be restored. As a result of these changes, drivers should expect congestion and long delays on Francis Avenue and Market Street near the bridge project, especially during the morning and afternoon commute hours. Delays are also possible at the Francis and Freya intersection.
I-90/Sullivan Road BridgeOn Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, March 26-28 from about 9 a.m. until as late as 3 p.m., drivers should be alert for lane restriction on the Sullivan Road bridge that crosses I-90. No mainline I-90 impacts. Crews will be making repairs to the bridge.
I-90/Greenacres OverpassMonday, March 25, from about 9 a.m. until as late as 3 p.m., drivers should be alert for westbound lane restrictions at the Greenacres/Country Vista/Appleway exit overpass for bridge repairs.

US 195/Cheney-Spokane Road Interchange
HIGH IMPACT!! The southbound off ramp to Cheney-Spokane road is now closed so drivers will need to be alert for southbound highway traffic slowing to make right turns into Cheney-Spokane Road. Drivers should also be alert for lane restrictions on Cheney-Spokane Road at the US 195 intersection with flaggers directing traffic at times. The US 195/Inland Empire Way intersection is now closed. Inland Empire Way traffic is directed to the Thorpe Road intersection. This is a permanent closure to accommodate the new northbound Cheney-Spokane Road on ramp. Bicycle riders need to use extreme caution on this section of US 195 and be alert for equipment adjacent to the roadway, turning truck traffic, and other construction-related activities and may wish to seek alternate routes to avoid delays.

Will Global Warming Have To Be Considered Before Approving Major Projects?

Since 1970, the National Environmental Protection Act has required federal agencies to consider the impacts of their projects on air, water, and soil pollution — but not on climate change.

One of the services we do here at SRTC is air quality monitoring, analysis and modeling. Projects under consideration for funding are analyzed to ensure they won't add to air quality issues, such as by forcing more cars to idle in one spot.

Until recently, carbon dioxide, which causes global warning, wasn’t classified as a pollutant and so couldn’t be regulated under environmental laws. Well, it sounds like President Obama is about to change all that, with an impending announcement that all federal agencies will have to consider the impact on global warming before approving major projects, from pipelines to highways.”

While SRTC isn't a federal agency, some of the funding we distribute to local jurisdictions to construct transportation projects comes from federal sources, meaning major projects like the North Spokane Corridor could be impacted.
So does this mean no more highways? DC Streetsblog takes a look at the implications.

A Transportation Planners Goal of "Abundant Access"

One of our Transportation Planners, Ryan, sent me a link to a really interesting post on Jarrett Walker's Human Transit blog. It's about how there is no black or white when it comes to transit; the underlying geometry of transit requires communities to make a series of choices, or tradeoffs, between two desires. And what makes these decisions so difficult is that there is no technical ground for making one choice or the other. Examples of these choices include choosing between high ridership numbers or expanded coverage; requiring riders to transfer or creating an incredibly complex system; and making people walk further to bus stops or have them closer together, slowing down service with more stops.

Many of these topics will be discussed in the scenario planning portion of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan we're working on right now, Horizon 2040. Until we get there though, you may want to look at how Walker diagrams each of these options, noticing that for each choices, one option seems to trigger a positive-feedback loop, while the other option does not.

And at the center of the "positive" choices? What Walker calls a single, consistent goal: the greatest possible number of jobs and other destinations located within 30 minutes one way travel time of the greatest possible number of residents.

To see how that would look locally, go to the Mapnificent website and play with the map a little. Then read the rest of Walker's blog post and weigh in on his idea of "abundant access."

US Infrastructure Given Poor Marks On Report Card

Who's going to sign off on this one? The latest infrastructure “report card” from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) shows small improvements in the overall condition of America’s infrastructure. But, it still got only an overall grade of D+, up from a D four years ago.

So I can't think of a lot that's improved in that time, but ASCE says drinking water, wastewater, solid waste, roads, bridges and rail all improved slightly. I'm surprised at the inclusion of bridges, as it seems like we're not fixing/replacing them fast enough to keep up with them aging.


The highest score for a category of infrastructure was B- and the lowest D-. Engineering News-Record breaks down the report card.

Pedestrians Asked To Carry Flags For Visibility

The city of Coeur d’Alene is going to try a low-tech, low-cost way to make pedestrians more visible, and therefore safer. They will be asked to carry brightly colored flags to cross the intersections of Ironwood Drive and Ironwood Place and 6th and Sherman.

The flags have helped to reduce collisions between cars and pedestrians in other cities but will it work in our area? KREM 2 News has the story.

Mixup Leads To Major Travel Delays At Sea-Tac

A security breach at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last night caused some major disruptions for travelers. The Associated Press reports that a passenger entered a secure area through an exit lane Tuesday night, prompting authorities to clear several concourses until the man was located.


Airport spokesman Perry Cooper says 1,000 to 1,500 passengers in the C and D concourses and central terminal had to be rescreened later through security checkpoints.

Port of Seattle police and Transportation Security Administration officials found the passenger at about 9 p.m. He was questioned and released. Cooper says the issue was a misunderstanding, "not anything of a security concern to passengers."

After the man was cleared, passengers began the rescreening process. Cooper says the checkpoint backup was cleared by about 10:30 p.m. He says airlines typically try to accommodate passengers caught in such a delay.

Does the Federal Tax Code Favor Driving Over Other Modes?

With taxes due in just a month, Tri-State, an east coast transportation blog, took a look at available and recently-expired tax credits and deductions related to automobile and transit use in the federal tax code to see if the tax breaks being offered incentivized or had a bias towards automobile use.
So what did they find? The results are right here.

By the way, if you decide to use some of these deductions, keep in mind the people who keep these blogs aren't lawyers or accountants so you'll need to do the appropriate research.

Trailhead Parking Lot Breakins

If you park at a trailhead parking lot to use the Centennial Trail, hide your valuables! A series of car prowlings has been happening at these lots. The Spokesman-Review has the details.

30 Days of Biking Coming Up In April

What are you doing in April? How about riding your bike? Every day. The Bicycle Alliance of Washington wants you to ride every day in April this year as part of their event 30 Days of Biking event.


In its fourth year, 30 Days of Biking asks just one thing: Pledge to ride your bike every single day for 30 days. Whether you take your bike out of the garage and wheel it around the block for a breath of fresh air or take off on a long expedition, ride every day.

More info? Right here on the Bicycle Alliance website.

Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting Next Month

The monthly meeting of the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) is next Monday, March 25. Here's the agenda. Look it over and if anything jumps out at you feel free to attend. We're a fairly informal group so if you have something transportation related you'd like to share, the group would be glad to hear it.

A Little of This, A Little of That

A workshop to discuss transportation improvements to the West Plains area, restrictions on Maple Street and funding for air traffic control towers at smaller airports like Felts Field could be cut do to sequestration. That's what's happening in regional transportation this week from the Spokesman-Review's "Getting There" column.

Bike Swap Volunteers Needed

Got a little extra time on your hands? The Spokane Bike Swap is less than a month away and in need of volunteers.
If you can help, please go to the http://www.mycommute.org/surveys/24/2013-spokane-bike-swap-volunteer-sign-up and fill out the form. You will be able to pick the date(s), time(s) and area you prefer to work in and you will receive a follow up email to confirm.

Friday, April 12 will be building set up and bike registration, Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 will be event shopping days with Sunday concluding with cleanup and bike/payment distributions.
New this year, David’s Pizza will be hosting a Volunteer Night for all volunteers on Tuesday, April 9 at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center from 6-7pm and FREE PIZZA will be served.

New WSDOT Secretary Orders Review Of 'Megaprojects'

So amidst all the hoopla of coming to Spokane yesterday and only being on the job for two days, new WSDOT Secretary Lynn Peterson announced that Washington State’s three largest, most expensive and controversial megaprojects underway will be reviewed “to ensure the best accountability and project-delivery practices.”
An assessment will be conducted of the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement, the S.R. 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program, and the I-5 Columbia River Crossing projects.
So what, exactly, does this mean? Transportation Issues Daily breaks it down for us.

Plan Ahead For Parade Parking

You won't need the luck of the Irish driving downtown this weekend, but you may want to plan ahead to avoid road and parking closures that accompany the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. The parade is Saturday, March 16, at noon.

Parking restrictions begin on Friday, March 15. Any vehicles parked in restricted parking areas by 7a.m. on Saturday are subject to tow. Parking will be restricted on:

• Spokane Falls Blvd. from Bernard St. to Post St.
• Bernard St. from Spokane Falls Blvd. to Main Ave.
• Main Ave. from Bernard St. to Stevens St.
• Washington St. from Spokane Falls Blvd. to Main Ave.
• Stevens St. from Spokane Falls Blvd. to Main Ave.
• Post St. from Spokane Falls Blvd. to the River.
• On Dean and Cataldo avenues from Howard St. to Washington St.

Streets will be closed to traffic for the parade itself on Saturday. The parade staging area on Washington St. from Boone Ave. to Spokane Falls Blvd. and on Howard from Boone to Mallon will close down at 9:45am. The entire parade route will close at 11 a.m. and reopen at about 2:30 p.m. Parade starts at Spokane Falls Blvd. and Washington, runs east on Spokane Falls to Browne, south on Browne to Main, west on Main to Stevens, north on Stevens to Spokane Falls, west on Spokane Falls to Post, over the Post St. Bridge and back to the Spokane Arena lots. More information at www.friendlysonsofstpatrick.com.

Wide Load: Slow Drive Across Two States

At our monthly Board meeting yesterday, a staff member from WSDOT talked about the journey of part of the new Keller Ferry boat from Oregon to it's new home on the Columbia River near Grand Coulee earlier this week.

The moving of the hull by semi was called a "super load" (versus the controversial mega loads of last year) due to its size. The trip was an arduous one at a top speed of 14 miles per hour across two states (reminds me of a trip through three states I took on a tiny spare tire last summer). The piece was so big that it had to go through Portland at night last Friday so as not to disrupt traffic.

The new boat is called the "Sanpoil." Sanpoil is the Anglicized form of the name given to the Columbia River, as well as to the ancestral and current native residents of the area it will serve. Parts for the boat were made in Rainier, Oregon and the whole thing will be assembled onsite near the river. The boat is expected to be launched in July 2013 and will replace the current vessel, the 65-year-old Martha S.

WSDOT's New Secretary Spends Second Day On The Job In Spokane

That's Peterson third from the left in the red coat.

New Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson was just at the SRTC Board meeting, and it's only her second day on the job! She came to Spokane for the groundbreaking ceremony of the 195 Interchange, stayed for our meeting, then took an STA bus to the airport to catch her flight back to Olympia. Wow, I'm impressed already. Yesterday it was a Pope that uses public transportation and today we get a new Transportation Secretary that does.

Ms. Peterson got to know Board members a little before the meeting started, then spoke for a few minutes about her impressions so far. It was gratifying to hear her say that Washington transportation agencies have done a lot in the way of coordination and leveraging each other's work.

Spokane City Councilmember Nancy McLaughlin asked her what Governor Inslee's transportation priorities are. Ms. Peterson said finishing 'mega projects' and maintaining the existing infrastructure while building safe and health communities. She also mentioned getting more electric and hybrid cars on the road and more people on public transit.

Spokane County Commissioner Al French asked Ms. Peterson if she had any ideas for funding transportation in the future. She said that she'd like to see a state-level version of the TIGER program that helped fund construction of the North Spokane Corridor (NSC) and is interested in further studies of programs where you pay per mile versus a gas tax. 

County Commissioner Todd Mielke pointed out that the NSC was one of three mega projects a couple years ago statewide and the other two have been funded and construction completed. When asked if she'd been versed on the NSC, Peteron pulled a "Complete the North Spokane Corridor" sign out of her bag and waved it around, and also pointed to the neon orange "Jobs" pin on her lapel, both courtesy of Wayne Brokaw, Executive Director at Inland Northwest Associated General Contractors.

E. Susan Meyer, CEO at Spokane Transit, asked what Peterson's 30 day plan is. Peterson said she will start with reviewing the executive management team at WSDOT, start strategic planning processes and start forming partnerships. She said not to call her yet though because, at just day two two on the job, she doesn't know her cell phone number yet.

Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson, Chair of the SRTC Board, concluded the session with Peterson and said he has invited her back for a bike ride on the Centennial Trail. Peterson, who previously worked for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), said she's already challenged the ODOT director to a bike race between ODOT and WSDOT employees. This should be interesting.

Study: Drivers Can't Concentrate on Turning Left While Talking on the Phone

The bottom is your brain on the phone.

Using a bluetooth or other hands-free device may make the physical act of turning left at an intersection easier to pull off when you're on the phone, but it doesn't make it any safer. That's because attempting to make a left turn at a busy intersection taxes the brain more than turning right or driving straight through. And having a conversation at the same time further impairs the brain's ability to focus on the road, according to new data published in "Frontiers of Human Neuroscience." Or, as researchers sum it up, "'Hands free' not does mean 'brains free.'" The Atlantic takes a closer look at this study.

WSDOT Work For This/Next Week

I-90/Flora and Greenacres Overpasses- Today and Friday, March 14-15 and Monday through Thursday, March 18-21, from about 9 a.m. until as late as 3 p.m., drivers should be alert for eastbound lane restrictions at the Flora Road overpass and/or at the Country Vista/Appleway exit overpass. Crews will be doing bridge repairs in these areas.

North Spokane Corridor/Francis Avenue Bridge and Intersection Improvements- On Tuesday, March 19, drivers should be alert for changes at the Francis/Market intersection. Left turn movements in all directions will not be allowed for up to two weeks at his location. Southbound drivers on the NSC may want to use the Parksmith off-ramp to access southbound Market Street. Francis is now one lane in each direction at the Market Street Intersection. Beginning on March 19th, Market Street will be one lane in each direction. As a result, drivers should expect congestion and long delays on Francis Avenue and Market Street near the bridge project, especially during the morning and afternoon commute hours. Delays are also possible at the Francis and Freya intersection. In addition, westbound motorists on Francis should be alert for flaggers directing traffic near the BNSF railway crossing. The flaggers may be in place during busy travel times to make sure westbound vehicles waiting for the traffic signal don’t block the nearby rail tracks. Motorists may wish to seek alternate routes for time-sensitive travels, especially during peak traffic hours. Drivers should be alert for trucks entering the roadway and occasional train traffic that may cause delays. The south shoulder is designated for pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

US 195/Cheney-Spokane Road Interchange- The southbound off ramp to Cheney-Spokane road is now closed for construction of an interchange so drivers will need to be alert for southbound highway traffic slowing to make right turns into Cheney-Spokane Road. Drivers should also be alert for lane restrictions on Cheney-Spokane Road at the US 195 intersection with flaggers directing traffic at times.

1930s Video On How To Use Traffic Signals

This 1937 video on traffic lights is pretty cool. It's interesting how it talks about all the different kinds of traffic signals that were used before they were standardized. Some cities had just red and green lights while others used yello and some evey had four colors! The video doesn't say though what the fourth color was. Anyone know?

This Pope Rides the Bus

They're calling the new Pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the "Pope of the People." Why? He's known for his humility. And the media reports that he uses public transportation.