Ford Recalls Almost 600,000 Vehicles

According to Boise Weekly, the Ford Motor Co. is recalling more than 591,000 vehicles in North America for four separate problems, including possible broken bolts that could make steering difficult. Here are the vehicles being recalled:

• 2013- 2015 Ford Fusions
• 2013- 2015 Lincoln MKZ sedans 
• 2015 Ford Edge crossovers
• 2014-2015 Fiestas
• 2014 Transit Connect vehicles 

Contact your local Ford dealer if you have one of these vehicles.

The $58,000 Speeding Ticket

Ouch! That's a steep fine!

What if the fine associated with parking or speeding tickets you receive was based on your income?
That's how it works in Finland, where a millionaire businessman was recently fined over $58,000 for doing 64 miles per hour in a 50 mph zone. His response? Let's just say his social media campaign was NOT a happy one.

The "My Parking Sign" blog has the full story.

Political Ads Banned On NY Public Transit

It seems like during election years you can't get away from political ads no matter where you go. Am I right or am I right? Well, you could ride New York's subway or buses if you want a few minutes of peace- the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted yesterday to ban political advertising on public transit.

They're not just doing it to save your sanity though, the vote is a way to avoid future legal challenges like the ones the board faced after rejecting some ads with political messages in the past.

The New York Times has more on the stance by the MTA.

Judge Upholds Spokane City Street Levy Tax Exemption

A Spokane County Superior Court Judge today upheld a City of Spokane ordinance that authorized a property tax exemption for low-income seniors and disabled individuals.  The ordinance applies to the City’s new street levy, approved by voters in November.

The Spokane City Council adopted the exemption ordinance in February, mirroring one already allowed by state law. The City adopted its own exemption program to apply to the street levy because the City was told that the state’s program didn’t apply to the new levy as it did to the previous 2004 Street Bond. 

The Spokane County Assessor’s Office argued that the exemption was not authorized to implement it because of opposition by the Washington State Department of Revenue.  The issue ended up in court, following the City’s attempts to resolve the issue administratively.

City staff will now work with the Assessor’s Office to determine how to correct the approximately 4,700 incorrect property tax bills.

The tax exemption applies to seniors or disabled individuals with a household income of $35,000 or less. Citizens can apply for the property exemption through the Spokane County Assessor’s Office. Information is available at www.spokanecounty.org/Assessor/.

Transit Proposition Awaiting Further Vote Counting

When the numbers came in last night, Spokane Transit's Proposition 1 for a 0.3 percent sales tax increase to pay for improvements to public transit was too close to call, according to this article in the Spokesman-Review.

More results will be released tonight and it's rumored that about 500 ballots came in without signatures on them and election workers are trying to authenticate those ballots. So it could go either way at this point. We'll keep you updated.

WSDOT To Use Goats to Control Vegetation Growth Near the North Spokane Corridor

I doubt this is how it will look, for the record.

BREAKING NEWS- goats will be used to control vegetation along Spokane's North Spokane Corridor (NSC).

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is responsible for managing non-native vegetation along our highways, such as Knapweed or Dalmatian Toadflax. Typically, the Department uses mechanical mowing and herbicides to control these weeds.

They're trying something new- and more organic- to go with our new freeway however.
Goats will eat almost any kind of vegetation right down to the ground.  There has been extensive research on the use of goats and sheep for vegetation management and noxious weed control over the years.

In 2014 the WSDOT did a "pilot program," leaving a herd of seven to 15 goats in a fenced storm water retention pond on the other side of the state. In addition to the Japanese knotweed they ate, all the goats needed was water and they did a great job.

In the 2015 growing season, WSDOT will conduct a pilot project to study the use of goats as a mowing tool on state highway rights of way.  The pilot will include utilizing "grazing contractors" in Olympia and Spokane.  The trials are designed to study the use of grazing for vegetation management situations found within the highway right of way.

In Spokane, the goats will be used in a couple of areas along the North Spokane Corridor, totaling about 15 acres. This trial will be conducted using a contractor who will remain on site for 5 to 10 days and supervise 250 goats within an already fenced area along the NSC Children of the Sun trail.  The grazing will be done late spring/early summer to prevent normal flowering and seed production.  This allows for more effective weed control with herbicide later in the season when perennial weeds are most vulnerable.


Although goat usage will cost a little more than present weed control methods, unlike mowing, by the time a seed passes through the goat, it apparently has become sterilized and cannot produce another plant when re-deposited on the ground.  Data will be collected throughout the process and an analysis of feasibilities and benefit/cost will be prepared in the fall of 2015.

City Council Approves Purchasing Land for U-District Bridge

The potential bridge designs for the U-District bridge

Despite some controversy, the University District bicycle and pedestrian bridge inched closer to reality last night with the Spokane City Council approving spending nearly $1.7 million to purchase 20 parcels of land on which to build the bridge.

With engineering on the bridge complete and the land soon to be acquired, it's just a matter of actually building it now. But that could take a little longer as the state comes into play for that phase of the project. The Spokesman-Review has the details.

Why We BEG You To PLEASE Fill Out The American Community Survey

Those of you who are familiar with SRTC know we use tons of U.S. Census data and we LOVE census years because they mean we will be getting new, updated data soon. How MUCH do we love the Census. That's Kevin, one of our GIS Analysts. Even the headband has the Census logo on it. 

Most everyday people don’t even think about where State and Local governments get the information they need to make sure programs are on track, or that local services are keeping pace with their community’s changing demographics.

This infographic explains the important role the American Community Survey plays in the future of America's planning needs. The ACS asks questions about our lives - how old we are, how much we earn, whether we work or go to school, how much we pay in rent or on a mortgage, whether we need assistance with daily routines, and more. These 72 questions provide an annual portrait of the nation and our communities that America can use to assess the past and plan the future. 

So if you receive one of the ACS surveys, PLEASE fill it out. Click the graphic to view it full size.

 [Source: U.S. Census Bureau]

The 9 Worst-Designed Cities in the World

Twenty lane highways, urban sprawl and commuting by helicopter to avoid traffic jams? Just a few of the signs that your city is poorly designed. One of the worst designed in the world, in fact.

Thrillist asked urban planners to highlight the flaws of some of the largest cities in order to rank the "9 Worst-Designed Cities in the World."

And get this- Missoula, MT made the list! 

Do Bikes Actually Cause Congestion When Bike Lanes Aren't Available?

We've all heard horror stories from bicyclists who have been yelled at or had things thrown at them by drivers. Conversely, we've also heard from drivers who have had bicyclists dart in front of them, ride erratically or just don't follow the rules of the road.

Others complain about bikes just generally slowing the flow of traffic. And it's true, it does happen sometimes, although, on shared roadways, bicyclists have as much legal right to be in the lane as motor vehicles. Bike lanes can help in this situation but obviously there aren't bike lanes on every street.

A study recently released looks at the delay caused by bicycles on streets without bike lanes, and it's more significant than you'd expect in some instances. So while bicycling takes people out of cars and lessens traffic congestion in one respect, it can add congestion when bicyclists ride on busy roads. A catch 22?  That's what this Streetsblog article says could be the case.

Wrong-Way Driving Alert System Installed in Rhode Island

We occasionally hear of drivers on Interstate 90 going the wrong way, which often causes traffic collisions. Apparently this same problem is so bad in Rhode Island that the Department of Transportation is installing systems to detect wrong way drivers and alert them that they're headed the wrong direction.

Sensors will detect if someone enters a ramp going the wrong direction, which activates a series of signs that flash along the highway and displays a message to warn other drivers.

Spokefest Has Grant Money to Give Out

SpokeFest wants to give you money. Yes, really. The team behind the event has awarded the "Bicycle Education and Safety Grant" for the past four years, providing over $20,000 in funding.  If you are a non-profit and support bicycle safety and education in the Spokane Community go to the SpokeFest website for more information on how to apply. You can also click HERE to view the grant description and application. The deadline to apply is May 15th and grant funds will be available on June 1st. Grant amount is $1500.

Local Road Construction Update

For more information on all the projects below, and to see them in relation to each other on a map, check out SRTC's 2015 Spokane Regional Construction Map here. The map is updated as new projects start and existing ones wrap up.

WSDOT

US 2/Camelot Yard Sale- There is NO parking on US 2 for the Camelot neighborhood yard sale in north Spokane on Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26.  Signage will be in place and the Washington State Patrol will ticket illegally parked vehicles and have them towed.

US 2/Spokane Airport Vicinity Signage Upgrade- Thursday, April 23, until as late as 3 p.m., lane restrictions on the westbound I-90/US 2 airport off ramp.  All ramps remain open. Be alert for equipment and workers on the shoulders with possible shoulder restrictions or lane restrictions.  All ramps will be open. Crews are replacing deteriorated freeway signs. 

North Spokane Corridor/Francis Avenue Bridge and Intersection Improvements- On Friday, April 24, from about 5:30 a.m. until around 6:30 a.m., expect some lane and turning restrictions at the intersection of Francis and Market in northeast Spokane for lane striping work.

NSC/BNSF Railway Structures/Realignment; Ped/Bike Trail Extension- Possible intermittent short delays with flaggers directing traffic at the Freya St. roundabouts.  Flaggers will be stopping traffic intermittently to allow trucks in and out of the work site or during times of overhead work on the Pedestrian bridge.

I-90/Spokane Area Guardrail Upgrades- Minor items remain. Work at the Eastbound I-90 off ramp to southbound US 195 will require shoulder restrictions.  All ramps remain open. Crews are replacing or adjusting guardrail sections or terminals in some segments of Interstate 90 in the Spokane metro area.

SPOKANE VALLEY
Adams Road From Trent to Wellesley- Starting Monday, April 27, closed for asphalt work through Wednesday, April 29.

Wellesley from Sullivan to Moore- Lane closures from Monday, April 27 through Wednesday, April 29 for asphalt work.

Residential Street Sweeping- Street sweeping vehicles in residential areas throughout the city Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. through May.

Sullivan Road Bridge Replacement Project Area:

• Sullivan Road is reduced to a single lane each direction between Indiana Avenue and the Sullivan Park traffic signal
• Southbound Sullivan Road will be reduced to a single lane between the Sullivan Park traffic signal and the north end of the bridge over the Spokane River
  

SPOKANE CITY
Monroe Grind and Overlay Project- Monday, April 27, a grind and overlay will begin on Monroe from Garland to Wellesley. Anticipate lane closures and delays.

South Perry Grind and Overlay Project- Work continues on a grind and overlay project on South Perry Street from 53rd to 49th Avenue.There may be delays.

Bloomsday Route Sweeping- Crews are cleaning the Bloomsday route, with No Parking signs placed along it on Riverside on the North side of the street from Jefferson to Hemlock. Cars will be towed after 9 a.m. Monday, April 27. Tuesday, April 28, the south side of Riverside from Jefferson to Hemlock will be swept. No parking signs will be in place and towing will occur. Citizens are asked to remove their cars for sweeping to occur.

T.J. Meenach Bridge Inspection- Tuesday, April 28, starting at 10 a.m. the City Bridge crew will be inspecting the T.J. Meenach bridge southbound curb lane. The inspection will take approximately 5 hours for completion.  Traffic control will be in place.

6th Avenue Closure- 6th Avenue will be closed between Oak and Elm for a sewer repair until April 29.

South Grand Boulevard Partial Closure- The 2200-2500 blocks of Grand Blvd will have partial closures through May 15 while crews replace stormwater catch basins.

Fort George Wright Lane Closure- The right hand turn lane from Government Way onto Fort George Wright and the southern east bound lane on Fort George Wright is closed until April 30 to replace the curb and sidewalk.

Rebecca Street Utilities Relocation- Utility crews are working to lower and/or relocate utilities.  work continues for retaining wall installations and for installation of drywells and connection piping.  Access along Rebecca from Pratt to 8^th is very limited during work hours.  Local access across Rebecca at intersections within the project site is open.

Garden Park Booster Station Rehabilitation- This project is to rehabilitate the existing booster station with a new building, pumps, and motors. 37^th Avenue between Cook Street and Crestline is now open.  

Traffic Calming Projects- This project will construct crosswalks, sidewalks, curb ramps, and place signage around the city. Sidewalk and ADA work on:

o   Walnut and 7^th Avenue – curb bump outs are being installed.  There will be lane restrictions from 8^th Avenue to 7^th Avenue for approximately 1 week

o   Jackson Street from Perry to Columbus, asphalt patching is finishing

o   Bernard Street From 29^th to 31^st – sidewalk installation is occurring

o   Rockwood and upper Terrace at Arthur a walk through Island is being installed

o   Two Hawk Signals are being installed:

§  18^th and Grand Boulevard will be installed – lane restrictions will occur.

§  Ruby and Boone

SPOKANE COUNTY

No projects that impact traffic at this time.

Amendment to Transportation Improvement Program Includes Another Road Diet

The 2015-2018 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a document that identifies projects programmed 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 gets "amended" almost every month as things change. Local jurisdictions (City of Spokane, Spokane Valley, WSDOT, etc.) get new funding, move funds around or get projects ready to move forward and the TIP has to be updated for SRTC to stay in compliance with federal regulations.

This month's proposed amendment would add eight new Spokane Valley and WSDOT projects to the program. Here are samples of a couple of those projects:

• Giving McDonald Road in Spokane Valley a "road diet" by restriping ti from four lanes to three lanes with a center turn lane and bike lanes.
• Mounting reflectors to the backs of traffic signals at ten Spokane Valley intersections.
• Paving Trent Avenue from Mission Avenue to Sullivan Road.
• Replacing the Trent Avenue Bridge over the Spokane River located just east of the Hamilton and Trent intersection.

More details, and the rest of the projects, are in the list below. Click to see it full size. The Spokane Regional Transportation Council (SRTC) is looking for input on the amendment. 

After checking them out, please let us know if these projects are a good use of transportation funds for our areas or any other thoughts about them you'd like to voice. A public comment period on the proposed amendment starts today (April 24) and goes through 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 3. You can submit comments by emailing contact.srtc@srtc.org or calling 509-343-6370.

Governor Requires Study Before Raising Speed Limit

Legislation that could raise highway speed limits to 75 mph in some parts of Washington was signed into law yesterday by Gov. Jay Inslee, according to the Spokesman-Review.

The bill will take effect in July and authorizes the Washington State Department of Transportation to raise speed limits above 70 mph in areas where studies show doing so would be “reasonable and safe.”

Using his first veto of 2015, Inslee struck out a section of the bill that presumed that the increases would be reasonable in at least some locations, stressing that without a recommendation from traffic safety officials, the speed limit won’t be increased.

The Department of Transportation will work with the Traffic Safety Commission and the Washington State Patrol to study whether the speed limit could be raised without compromising safety.

Walk Score Ranks The Most Walkable Cities of 2015

What are the most walkable U.S. cities for 2015? Walk Score ranked them and New York came out on top, increasing its lead over No. 2 San Francisco since last year. Here's the top ten:

Rank	City	Walk Score
1	New York	87.6
2	San Francisco	83.9
3	Boston	79.5
4	Philadelphia	76.5
5	Miami	75.6
6	Chicago	74.8
7	Washington D.C.	74.1
8	Seattle	70.8
9	Oakland	68.5
10	Baltimore	66.2

The Redfin Blog has more highlights from this ranking. And a lot of discussion in the comments section about why Portland isn't on the list and whether or not it should be.

Court Rules Police Can’t Extend Traffic Stop to Wait for Drug Dog

The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that police may not drag out a routine traffic stop in order to buy time to bring in a drug sniffing dog to search the vehicle for drugs.

The judges agreed that authority for stopping the vehicle “ends when tasks tied to the traffic infraction are — or reasonably should have been — completed.”

The Yakima Herald has more on this case, and its' history.

Funds to Fix Old Sidewalks

If you've been in Spokane for any amount of time, you know what people are talking about when they refer to the vaulted sidewalks downtown. Many sidewalks in the city core were originally built with space under them to be used as storage or to make deliveries through, One hundred years later, and many of these sidewalk "vaults" are crumbling, making walking a potential danger.

The $40 million needed to fix the sidewalks wasn't easy to come by. Sidewalk maintenance and repair is generally the responsibility of the owner of the adjacent property, but in this case it's not cheap and could pose an extreme financial burden for property owners.

Utilizing parking meter revenues as matching funds, the City recently secured money to start the process of making repairs. Check out the City of Spokane's blog to see where these funds are coming from.

1/3 of WA State's Urban Highways In Poor Condition

These photos I took of SR290 (Trent) yesterday show
just a little of the damage this report talks about.

Ouch! A new report says maintenance has been shortchanged so long that Washington State's urban highways are becoming worse in condition than in other states.

A researcher for the group TRIP in Washington, D.C., says Some 34 percent are in poor condition, as are 22 percent of the state’s rural highways. An estimated 21 percent of state bridges are functionally obsolete, and 5 percent are structurally deficient, the report goes on to say.

While the study is careful not to cast blame, it

does say that the state government is only currently spending 1/7th of state DOT funds on maintenance and preservation — while running up big debts to deliver big-ticket projects including the Highway 99 tunnel and Highway 520 bridge.

Here's more on this analysis from the Seattle Times.

Trek Recalls Almost A Million Bikes

A recall of a different kind- nearly one-million Trek bikes in the United States and Canada are being
recalled after a person was paralyzed while riding one.

According to CBS Pittsburgh, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports the recall involves Trek bicycles from model years 2000 through 2015 equipped with front disc brakes and a black or silver quick release lever on the front wheel hub that opens far enough to contact the disc brake.
You can find a diagram of the disc brakes here.

Bikes with front quick release levers that do not open a full 180 degrees are not included in the recall.

An open quick release lever on the bicycle’s front wheel hub can come into contact with the front disc brake assembly, causing the wheel to come to a sudden stop or separate from the bicycle.

Trek reports three incidents, all including injuries. One resulted in quadriplegia, one in facial injuries and one in a fractured wrist.

If you have one of these bikes, it's recommended that you stop riding it immediately and contact an authorized Trek retailer for free installation of a new quick release on the front wheel.