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

Highway 195 work set

Highway 195 is getting an overhaul starting Friday in south Spokane County and north Whitman County.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is resurfacing eight miles between Rosalia and Plaza. Expect to see periods of single-lane traffic and delays be as long as 15 minutes.

The $1.7 million project is expected to be completed by the end of August.

Move over

An Idaho law took effect Saturday, requiring drivers to move over a lane or, if that’s not possible, at least slow down when approaching a police or emergency vehicle on the side of the road.

Called the Move Over Law, it stems from the high number of officers killed in traffic-related accidents – half of those killed on duty last year, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Last year, 16 law enforcement officers outside their cars were killed when hit by passing vehicles.

How about showing similar consideration for people forced to pull over because of breakdowns? It’s so scary to see some poor guy trying to change a tire on the shoulder of the freeway and the driver in the right lane can’t be bothered to switch lanes.

Come on.

Tickets for all or none

Readers responding to a question last week about the ticketing of Browne’s Addition residents who failed to move vehicles for sweeping, but not others, said tickets should have been issued to all or none.

Tickets were given out the first day, when city crews were unable to sweep because parked cars. They weren’t given out on day two or three, and cars weren’t towed as threatened.

Browne’s Addition resident Dean Lynch wrote to say it’s unfair to treat vehicle owners differently for the same offense, and the city should have followed through with tow threats.

But city streets director Scott Egger said the goal was to get people to move their cars, not be punitive. After the first day, fewer vehicles were left on the streets being swept, he said. So the tickets worked.

Browne’s Addition is the only neighborhood that has been warned of sweeping with signs and press releases, Egger added.

It’s also the only one where people have been ticketed.

Cell phones as bad as beer

A study by three University of Utah professors finds driving while talking on the phone is as dangerous as drunken driving.

The study, published Friday in Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, tested people in driving simulators. Each drove the simulator once without distractions, once with a hand-held cell phone, once with a hands-free cell phone and once with a blood alcohol level of .08.

It didn’t matter which kind of cell phone was used – participants showed the same kinds of poor driving (late braking, following too closely, etc.) as the drunk drivers.

And just think about how many more cell phone drivers there are out there than drunk drivers.

Slow going

I-90 is reduced to two lanes in each direction between Division and Maple. Most nights it will be further reduced to one lane in each direction. The Monroe/Lincoln ramps are closed, as are the westbound Browne Street on-ramp and the eastbound Maple on-ramp and eastbound Division exit. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph. No changing lanes.

North Spokane

Rutter Parkway is closed from Highway 291 to Hope Lane and will be until late this month. Flaggers are directing single-lane traffic on Highway 291 near Rutter Parkway and Charles Road. And the highway may be closed for 20 minutes at a time for blasting. The highway is gravel for about three-quarters of a mile in the area.

Crestline Street is closed from Lincoln Road to Francis Avenue. Lincoln Road is closed from Napa Street to Crestline. Detours are in place.

The intersection of GStreet and Garland is closed Wednesday through Saturday.

South Spokane

Bernard Street work is scheduled to begin this week, closing it from 14th-29th Avenue. Traffic is detoured to Grand and Lincoln streets.

Work on 37th Avenue closes it from Bernard to Grand.

Freya Street reconstruction will close traffic to all but local access from Hartson and 11th Avenue and from 18th and 37th avenues. Detours are in place.

Work to rehabilitate 29th Avenue between Southeast Boulevard and Grand Boulevard has reduced traffic to one lane in each direction, and drivers are unable to enter or exit Perry at 29th. Detours are in place.

Spokane sweeping

Crews will sweep in the northwest from Assembly to Driscoll Boulevard between Francis and Wellesley; in northeast Spokane in the area bounded by Havana, Scott, Third and Hartson; and on the South side in the area bounded by 29th Avenue, 53rd Avenue, Regal and Perry.

Please move cars off the streets. For more information, call (509) 456-2666.

Spokane Valley

Broadway Avenue overlay work is under way between Bates Road and Sullivan Road. Expect lane restrictions.

Barker Road is closed from Boone to Euclid for widening.

Installation of new beacon at University Road and Trent may stop traffic for up to 10 minutes Thursday at about 9:30 a.m.

Idaho

Prairie Avenue remains under construction between Ramsey and Huetter. Huetter, Atlas and Ramsey Road intersections at Prairie are closed to cross traffic.

Government Way bridge in Coeur d’Alene is closed.

Construction on Lancaster Road between Government Way and Strahorn may cause delays.