Welcome to pothole city

We’re all in it together.

North, south, east, west – it doesn’t matter. If you drive around here, you’re in for a bumpy ride.

A day spent traveling Getting There readers’ most detested paved streets revealed that crumbling roads are everywhere and that ibuprofen doesn’t always do the trick when it comes to back pain.

But some streets nominated by readers did indeed fall below the rest – offering extraordinary levels of jaw-dropping potholes – and in at least one case, downright dangerous drop-offs.

Many are scheduled for repairs in coming years under Spokane’s street bond issue program, but drivers are on their own with others.

Ratings were determined using the highly unscientific method of driving on the streets in a 2000 VW Jetta, evaluating bumpiness and noting visual hazards.

Worst of the bunch? Hatch Road from 57th Avenue to High Drive, suggested by Paul Zimmerman. Traversing this doozy elicits longing looks at the asphalt golf cart trails in the neighboring Manito Golf and Country Club.

The city doesn’t plan to fix Hatch until 2010 or 2011. It needs work now.

Northbound traffic must avoid several large drop-offs on the eastern edge of the road – holes large enough to grab a tire and potentially cause a serious accident.

Eleanor Olson called to complain about a similar problem on Crestline between 49th and 53rd, where the developers of a fancy gated community decided not to fully pave the road in 1990, leading to a narrow street with a rough edge and large holes on the western side. “A car could lose a wheel,” Olson said.

The area was recently annexed by Spokane, and the street will soon be improved when another development is constructed on the east side of the street.

The condition of 14th Avenue is abysmal between Cedar and Lincoln, a nausea-inducing stretch of bumps and jolts. It isn’t on the street bond schedule.

Other South Hill roads nominated by readers include: Freya (set for repaving this year from Hartson to 37th), Sherman (work scheduled between Third and Eighth in 2008 or 2009), Southeast Boulevard (2008 or 2009), and 37th (Perry to Regal in 2010 or 2011, Perry to Grand in 2012 or 2013). Finally there are Thurston Avenue and Perry Street south of 29th, which Spokane has not scheduled to fix.

Heading to Spokane’s North Side, the worst of the worst are Maple Street from the north side of the bridge to Northwest Boulevard, and Bridgeport between Division and Nevada.

Don’t even think about driving in the left lane on Maple unless you have a burning desire to see how cars get realigned at the auto shop. Large dips on the street’s edge are extremely jarring.

The bad news is the city doesn’t have any plans to repave this portion of Maple, although Maple and Ash are scheduled for repaving from Broadway north within the next three years.

Bridgeport is supposed to be repaired in 2010 or 2011 from Division to Crestline.

Cars parked on both sides of the street make dodging the large potholes almost impossible, and several sections are crumbling to an almost gravel-like state.

Nominated North Side streets scheduled for repairs include: Wall Street from Francis to Wellesley in 2010 or 2011, and Northwest Boulevard from Maple to Alberta in 2012 or 2013.

Those not on the 10-year repair list include Hamilton, Wellesley east of Nevada and Driscoll.

Thanks to all who called or e-mailed suggestions.

Only one Spokane Valley street was nominated by readers, and none in Idaho.

Make your own assumptions. Getting There isn’t going there.

Start saving now

Commercial spaceflight could be permitted by the U.S. government as soon as 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Test flights will begin next year.

For the price likely to be charged, every seat had better be a window seat.

Bernard lowdown

The city of Spokane is hosting an open house from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday on the Bernard Street reconstruction project. The meeting is in the first floor conference room of the downtown Spokane Library.

Slow going

Spokane motorists can expect possible road obstructions in the following areas next week for water line repairs:

•900 block of South Cedar Street.

•1100 block of East 29th Avenue.

•1100 block of West Maxwell Avenue.

•5100 block of South Sunward Drive.

•300 block of East 16th Avenue.

•600 block of South Arthur Street.

•1300 block of South Adams Street.

•400 block of West 33rd Avenue.

•900 block of North Freya Street.