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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

AAA to help send baseball fans home

It’s too early to tell if local baseball fans will need rescuing from a bad season, but if they need car assistance, AAA and the Spokane Indians will be there to help them get out.

The AAA/Indians Fan Rescue Program will be offering assistance to those whose vehicles won’t start after home games.

AAA already offers the service at Mariners, Seahawks and University of Washington Huskies football games.

A mechanic will be on hand in the Avista Stadium parking lot until all vehicles have left to help with lockouts, dead batteries or flat tires.

You’re on your own, though, if the problem stems from filling up on chili dogs and Cracker Jack.

Idaho boosts law

Kids 6 and younger must be buckled into booster or car seats on Idaho roads starting July 1.

Until now the law mandated booster and child seats for only those under the age of 4.

Young children can be hurt by or slip out of seat belts if they are not sitting in proper child seats.

The fine for breaking the new law is $60.

Washington law already requires child passengers be seated in child seats or car booster seats until they are 6 or weigh at least 60 pounds.

One-track minds

Seattle got the word last week that building 14 miles of monorail will cost it more than $11 billion including real estate, construction and financing.

Seattle residents have voted multiple times in favor of the project, which many have criticized as one of the most expensive forms of mass transit. They’ll pay a vehicle licensing fee of $140 per $10,000 of vehicle value for almost 50 years to fund the monorail.

Meanwhile, the Legislature (in particular its Seattle area legislators) bestowed the largest share of the recently passed gas tax increase on the area to pay part of the bill to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct and fix other Puget Sound traffic issues – projects that the area direly needs. Gas buyers in the rest of the state get to foot a chunk of the bill while projects in their hometowns are tossed scraps.

That’s for 16 years of gas tax-funded projects.

It’s a little like convincing your neighbors to fork over their grocery money to contribute to buying your hamburger, then using your own money to buy filet mignon.

Fair warning

Spokane Police will be patrolling the area near Division and Cleveland in search of traffic law violators.

Jaywalkers, speeders, crosswalk law violators and those without seat belts should all worry. Change your ways and you’ll avoid a ticket.

Rest area closing

The Washington State Department of Transportation is closing down its rest area at the Washington/Idaho state line at the end of the month.

Take that bathroom break somewhere else.

Slow going

Grind and patch repairs are under way this week on Lincoln Street between 21st and 29th avenues.

Ash Street is closed between Francis and Wellesley.

Third Avenue is under construction in downtown Spokane.

The Eighth Avenue portion of the Washington arterial is closed from McClellan to Washington, and Washington is then reduced to two lanes to Third Avenue.

A Street is closed between Wellesley and Hoffman for construction of a roundabout.

High Drive is getting a grind and patch job from 29th to Manito Boulevard. Expect some lane closures.

Government Way is still slow-going in the area of Spokane Falls Community College while crews wrap up installation of a water main.

Regal Street is under construction from 38th Avenue south to the city limits.

Crestline Street is reduced to one lane in each direction from Wellesley to Francis.

Park Road work between Second and Eighth avenues may mean some lane restrictions. And farther north, Park Road is closed from Trent Avenue to Rutter Avenue for another sewer project.

Fourth Avenue is closed between University and Farr Road for Sherwood Forest sewer work.

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

A left-turn lane is being constructed on Highway 2 north of Spokane near Riverside. Expect some restrictions.

Highway 395 evening construction between Colville and the Columbia River will require single-lane traffic and pilot cars. Expect to wait up to 15 minutes to get through the 11-mile section. And just south of Chewelah, there may be restrictions this week for the installation of a left-turn lane.