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

Year’s projects will spruce up roads, but also plug up traffic

With the prospect of downtown Interstate 90 viaduct gridlock this coming summer, it’s easy to forget that other streets will be under construction, too. But 2006 promises a bevy of city, county and state road projects to frustrate drivers before offering up beautiful, new, smooth surfaces.

Spokane’s voter-approved street bond means plentiful road construction on arterials and residential streets, with the South Hill getting the lion’s share of work this year.

On tap for major repairs in Spokane’s city limits:

• Freya Street from 37th to Hartson

• 29th Avenue from Grand Boulevard to Southeast Boulevard

• 37th Avenue from Bernard to Grand

• Bernard Street from 29th to 14th

• Haven Street on the portion it serves as Market’s one-way southbound counterpart

• “G” Street between Northwest Boulevard and Wellesley

Residential streets near many of the projects also will be repaved, as well as portions of Browne’s Addition.

In Spokane Valley, Barker Road near the Spokane River and Broadway Avenue from near Bowdish to Sullivan will be under construction.

Spokane County will be improving Hayford Road from Highway 2 to the Spokane Raceway Park and Dennison-Chattaroy Road between Highway 2 and Highway 395.

And in Kootenai County, the Idaho Transportation Department is scheduled to rehabilitate major portions of I-90 from the Washington state line to Wolf Lodge Bay. Plans also include a major realignment project on Highway 95 near Worley.

Just remember: No pain, no gain.

Name that plate game

So, Washington’s specialized plates just don’t speak to you.

You’re not into square dancing, didn’t attend a state college and haven’t been a fan of the Seattle Mariners since Junior left for the Cincinnati Reds.

Well, the times are changing, and, come Tuesday, 19 new license plate designs will be available. There must be one for you.

Gonzaga University finally gets its own plate.

Like animals? How about the “We Love Our Pets” plate, with part of the cost going toward a statewide spay-and-neuter program.

Or if wildlife is more your thing, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has offerings for orca, bear, deer, eagle and elk fans. The killer whale plate will support endangered wildlife programs, the eagle plate wildlife viewing opportunities and the remainder game management.

A veteran or in the military? Each branch of service gets its own specialized plate with its official seal and an American flag background.

Some of the money for the Keep Kids Safe plate, decorated with little-bitty handprints, will be donated to the Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. And a plate featuring the Admiralty Head Lighthouse will benefit that lighthouse and other state lighthouses.

Add on a Washington National Parks Foundation plate, “Share the Road” plates for bike safety, “Ski and Ride” plates and existing specialty plates, and the choices are mind-boggling.

The specialized plates cost $40 more to purchase than standard plates and $30 more to renew.

And the organizations sponsoring them are no longer required to include the Mount Rainier background, so most of them don’t. Visit www.dol.wa.gov/cars.htm if you want to check them all out.

Idaho has also approved two new plates, but the groups sponsoring them haven’t finished the design process.

Coming soon will be Basque heritage plates and license plates celebrating science and technology.

Fair warning

“If you can read this bumper sticker, then you’re too close” could very well be the motto of the Spokane Police Department’s traffic unit this week.

Patrols will fan out across the city looking for drivers following too closely.

Police say many crashes during December’s snowy weather were caused in part by drivers who didn’t leave themselves enough room to stop.

Slow going

North Spokane Corridor crews will be back to work Tuesday hauling dirt at Farwell Road. Traffic controls will be in place.