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

I-90 roadwork ahead of schedule


Road crews work at repairing the roadbed of the eastbound lanes of the I-90 overpass in downtown Spokane.
 (Colin Mulvany / The Spokesman-Review)

Delivery from downtown Interstate 90 traffic slowdowns may happen sooner than expected.

Construction on the freeway viaduct in downtown Spokane has been moving so smoothly that the project contractor and Washington State Department of Transportation predict it will be complete by late August or early September, about two weeks earlier than originally projected.

Crews have completed about 90 percent of the deck overlay, said Keith Peterson, the on-site project manager for lead contractors N.A. Degerstrom Inc. and Acme Concrete Paving.

Other jobs remain.

Eastbound traffic may be moved back over to the south side of the freeway as soon as mid-August, said Darrel McCallum, WSDOT’s project engineer for the viaduct. But not all lanes and exits will be opened at that time.

Both men caution that bad weather could derail the new schedule but said they were pleased with how the project has gone so far. There have been no major problems or significant cost overruns, said Peterson.

Street singers

Most Americans sing along with the music they play on the road, according to a recent national survey.

Women sing more than men, according to the survey commissioned by Auto Expressions, a car air freshener company. The survey also found that redheads sing the most, and SUV drivers are more likely to warble than drivers of other vehicle types.

But, please, if you’re tone-deaf, keep the windows rolled up.

Tire check

When you replaced those faulty Bridgestone/Firestone tires a few years back, did you remember to change the spare, too?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reminding people that the spare should be replaced and can be done free of charge as part of the 2000-2001 recall.

For more information, visit www.firestone.com.

Slow going

I-90

I-90 is reduced to two lanes in each direction between Division and Maple. Many 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 scheduled to reopen this week on a gravel road with a 25 mph speed limit. Flaggers will also be directing single-lane traffic most days on Highway 291 near Rutter Parkway and Charles Road from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. And the highway may be closed for up to 20 minutes at a time for blasting near Rutter Parkway.

The city is patching Monroe Street from Garland to Frederick.

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

A city new sewer project could cause delays in the Calkins Annexation area between Rosewood and Lyons and between Perry and Crestline.

West Plains

Hayford Road is under construction from Highway 2 to Sprague Avenue. Only one lane of traffic is open in each direction.

South Spokane

Highway 195 construction between Rosalia and Plaza may reduce traffic to one lane at times between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Bernard Street is closed from 14th to 29th avenues. Traffic is detoured to Grand Boulevard and Lincoln Street. Work on 37th Avenue closes it from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard. Several nearby streets are also closed.

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.

Spokane sweeping

Crews will sweep in the northwest from Northwest Boulevard to Riverview and from Columbia Circle to T.J. Meenach Drive; in northeast Spokane in the area bounded by Helena, Division, Mission and Trent; and on the south side in the area bounded by 29th Avenue, High Drive and Bernard. Please move cars off the streets. For more information, call (509) 456-2666.

Spokane Valley

Adams Road is closed from Fourth Avenue to Eighth Avenue.

Sprague Avenue is closed from Harmony Road to Hodges Road through Friday.

Montgomery is closed from Long to Riverway.

University Road is closed from Trent to Fairview today and Tuesday.

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 road widening.

Idaho

Lakeside Avenue and First Street traffic will be detoured near the new Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce building this week through mid-August as crews work on relocating underground utilities.

Prairie Avenue remains under construction between Ramsey and Huetter.

The Government Way bridge in Coeur d’Alene is closed to traffic.

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