Dishman-Mica Road To Reopen

Following four and one-half months of construction, a wider, less hazardous Dishman-Mica Road is set to reopen Wednesday.

Traffic, which has been unable to travel between 16th Avenue and Schafer Road since May 14, will be allowed back on the new roadway Wednesday afternoon, according to the Spokane County Public Works Department.

The $1.7 million construction project widened the two-lane road to four lanes, and also added sidewalks, curbs and a four-foot bicycle path on the east side of the road. Drainage also was improved.

Crews moved the equivalent of 5,500 dump truck loads of dirt and rock to raise and straighten the road. Pieces of the new Dishman-Mica were built 24 feet above the former ground level to create a flatter surface and reduce visibility problems, public works officials said.

County officials deemed the stretch of roadway hazardous after 26 accidents were reported there during a three-year period.

Traffic has surged on Dishman-Mica in recent years, county engineers said. About 15,000 cars now travel on the road daily and that number is expected to exceed 20,000 by 2010.

Crews will finish paving, installing guardrails and landscaping this week. Over 110,000 cubic yards of earth were used to complete the project, county officials said.

Until the road reopens, cars will continue to be rerouted onto 16th Avenue and University Road.

, DataTimes