Parking infractions hit a nerve

Spokane is a driving kind of town. Still, ceding the sidewalk to cars seems a bit extreme.

But that’s just what’s happening in many parts of Spokane where parked cars block the sidewalks.

It’s especially prevalent in places with no on-street parking or where high traffic volumes cause people to fear their cars may be sideswiped.

Making pedestrians walk in the street or over people’s bushes isn’t the logical solution to such parking problems, wrote Les Norton in an e-mail message to “Getting There.”

Norton wrote he once counted 23 cars parked on the sidewalks along Ash Street between Francis and Wellesley avenues.

“Someday, someone is going to get hit and hurt seriously or killed,” he warned.

Parking on sidewalks is illegal according to state law, said Dave Shaw, traffic control supervisor for the city of Spokane.

Many people choose to do so, however, because they live in older homes with only a single-car garage or no garage at all, Shaw said. Families often have three or more vehicles nowadays.

Other people park on the parking strip. That’s also a no-no, even if the strip is paved.

So what to do?

“There are so many incidents of that citywide that we can respond only on a complaint basis,” Shaw said, explaining that officers will write tickets for parking violations along an entire block if a resident complains.

Other infractions include parking closer than 5 feet from a driveway, 20 feet from a marked or unmarked crosswalk, 30 feet from a corner, 15 feet from a fire hydrant and 30 feet from a traffic-control device such as a stop sign.

Then there are those who park facing the wrong direction – against traffic.

All carry $30 tickets.

“I don’t feel sorry for them when they call to complain about the ticket. When they get their driver’s license, it’s all on the driver’s test,” Shaw said.

People who want to report parking violations in their neighborhood can call the city of Spokane at 232-8800.

Rough rides

The Washington state Department of Transportation will begin resurfacing the Division/Ruby Street couplet just north of downtown Spokane this week.

The project involves tearing up and repaving both streets from the Spokane River to Euclid Avenue.

Most work is scheduled to take place from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. At those times, at least one lane will be open on Ruby and on Division.

Businesses along the construction route plan to remain open throughout the $1.2 million project.

Ash to Maple

What southbound drivers gain, northbound drivers lose.

Construction crews working on Ash Street between Francis and Wellesley avenues are scheduled to finish today and move to Maple Street on Tuesday. The Maple work, which also will be between Wellesley and Francis, will necessitate Maple’s closure there. Ash and Maple streets north of Francis Avenue also remain under construction, although at least one lane will be open on each.

Deaths down

Fewer people are dying on the nation’s highways.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reported last week a record low highway fatality rate in 2004 – 1.46 deaths per 100 million miles traveled.

In 2003, it was 1.48.

Washington state reported a 6.2 percent drop in highway fatalities, with Idaho reporting an 11.3 percent decrease.

But the lower national fatality rate still means that 42,636 people died in highway crashes last year. Please be careful.

Fair warning

Local law enforcement is conducting its “Drive hammered, get nailed” drunken-driving patrols through Labor Day.

Slow going

The state Department of Transportation is resurfacing Division Street and the Newport Highway from just north of Francis to Center Road. Most work will occur between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.

Washington Street is restricted to two lanes from Eighth to Third.

Greene Street is reduced to one lane in each direction between Mission Avenue and the Spokane River bridge.

Regal Street is under construction from 38th Avenue south to the Palouse Highway.

A Street is closed between Wellesley and Hoffman.

Montgomery Avenue is being repaved between University and Pines Road.

The Palouse Highway is closed from Valley Chapel Road to Dunn Road. A detour is in place.

Government Way is under construction from Greenwood Road to Aubrey White Parkway, along with Lewis Road from Geiger Boulevard to Windsor Drive and Windsor Drive from Lewis Road to the Sunset Highway. Expect delays.