Also Friday, lawmakers released a transportation budget that includes $28 million more for the North Spokane Corridor project and $250,000 for a turn lane at the dangerous intersection of Highway 195 and Cheney Spokane Road.

Lawmakers had hoped for more for both projects. But in a tight budget year, they did the best they could, said Sen. Chris Marr, D-Spokane.

The $28 million, he said, was by far the largest amount set aside in the budget for new work. It will pay for engineering work, updating environmental documents and buying land for the freeway's next phase from Francis to Upriver, he said.

"We are now teed up to proceed," he said.

---

---