Financing for roads divides legislators

State lawmakers toured the locations of ongoing and proposed Spokane-area transportation projects last week, but they disagreed over why there isn’t money to complete them all.

The group, in town for legislative committee meetings, climbed aboard a chartered bus and visited North Spokane Corridor construction sites, U.S. Highway 195 just south of Interstate 90, the site of a future railroad overpass at Havana, and I-90 near the state line.

The recurring theme? Progress is being made to build and improve these roadways, but a lot more money is needed to complete them.

Take, for instance, a planned $12.5 million U.S. 195 interchange at Cheney-Spokane Road, where there were 62 crashes last year.

“We have a footprint of what we want to do. What we don’t have is the money,” said Jerry Lenzi, Washington state Department of Transportation eastern region director.

The same is true of the North Spokane Corridor, where lawmakers and their staff stopped to look down on the immense grading project just south of Wandermere. When the segments now being built are complete, construction will stop. There’s no money to continue building the project south toward I-90.

Where that money will come from is anyone’s guess, and local state lawmakers aren’t on the same page about how to get it. In fact, they were still arguing during the tour about a year-and-a-half-old vote on the state’s phased-in 9.5-cent gas tax increase.

Local Democrats said yea. Republicans, nay.

On Tuesday’s tour, some blamed others for Spokane’s meager take of the gas tax increase – about $200 million of a projected $5.5 billion in revenue.

Republican state Sen. Brad Benson, Democratic Rep. Alex Wood and Neil Beaver, a legislative assistant to Democratic state Sen. Lisa Brown, hotly debated the topic.

“The reason we didn’t get money out of this last gas tax was because the goal was to build two projects in Seattle – the Alaskan Way viaduct and the (Highway) 520 bridge,” said Benson.

When Spokane Democrats voted for the tax, it compromised the area’s negotiating position, he added.

But Wood and Beaver argued that Spokane could have gotten more if local Republicans had voted yes on the tax increase.

“You don’t vote, you don’t get,” agreed Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, chairwoman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Meanwhile, Haugen said local officials need to take responsibility for finding funding.

“There really isn’t a lot of state money that’s going to be available in the future,” she said.

Change is inevitable

In this case, change means you can actually arrive at your destination looking halfway presentable.

After saying the airplane liquid/gel ban was immovable, the Transportation Security Administration reversed its stance last week, allowing passengers to carry limited quantities on board.

Travel-size toiletries of 3 ounces or less can be brought aboard if they are all stowed together in a 1 quart, clear plastic bag. And that bottle of water or cup of coffee you buy after passing the security checkpoint can be carried onto the plane.

It’s all very good news for people wanting to brush their teeth prior to that welcome home kiss.

Other states are jealous

Washington is just a chronic overachiever when it comes to seat belt use. All the other states are giving it dirty looks from the back of the pack. And now the Washington Traffic Safety Commission is bragging Washington is the best in the world.

The state’s seat belt use rate is now 96.3 percent, according to a recent study.

Idaho’s rate is about 76 percent.

The difference is in enforcement. Get caught without your belt on in Washington and it’s a $101 ticket even if you’re doing nothing else wrong. In Idaho, drivers can only be ticketed for not wearing seat belts if they are pulled over for something else.

And Washington, don’t get too cocky. Traffic deaths rose in 2005 despite seat belt use.

Poor driving can kill with the seat belt on, too.

Construction 2007

Spokane Valley residents can get an idea of what next summer’s road construction season is going to be like at a meeting Thursday.

Engineers will offer details on plans to widen Pines Road between Indiana and Mansfield, realign some I-90 ramps at Pines and install signals between May and October next year.

The open house is from 4:30-7 p.m. at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place.

Slow going

North Spokane

The Maple Street Bridge will have periodic single lane closures through the end of October for painting and other maintenance work.

High Bridge will have lane restrictions for rail repairs today through Thursday.

The Greene Street Bridge will also have lane restrictions today through Thursday for repairs.

Monroe Street is under construction from Francis to where Monroe intersects with Wall near Holy Cross Cemetery. Expect delays.

Rutter Parkway is open with no restrictions, and paving work is complete on Highway 291 near Rutter Parkway. There may be delays for remaining construction items.

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

West Dennison-Chattaroy Road is closed to all but local traffic between Highway 395 and Perry Road.

West Plains

Hayford Road is under construction from Highway 2 to Sprague Avenue.

South Spokane

Second Avenue will have lanes closed and parking restrictions between Wall and Howard streets today through Wednesday.

U.S. 195 construction continues between Rosalia and Plaza. Expect delays and single lane traffic at times.

The Palouse Highway is under construction near Highway 27. Expect delays.

The intersection of Bernard and 14th Avenue is closed today through Friday. Bernard Street is closed from 14th Avenue to 29th Avenue. Traffic is detoured to Grand Boulevard and Lincoln Street.

Freya Street reconstruction will close traffic to all but local access from Hartson and 11th Avenue and from 22nd and 29th avenues.

Spokane sweeping

Crews will sweep in the northwest in the areas from Pacific Park Drive to Shawnee Road west of Indian Trail Road, and from Francis to Sutherlin from Indian Trail to Assembly; in the northeast from Francis to Wellesley between Nevada and Crestline; and on the south side from Grand to Perry between 29th and 54th, and from Regal to Custer between 29th and 50th.

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

Spokane Valley

Argonne Road is under construction from 8 p.m.-6 a.m. from Indiana Avenue to Montgomery Avenue. Watch for flaggers.

Indiana is closed from Arc to Barker all month.

Valleyway is closed from Sullivan to Conklin through Friday.

Idaho

West Poleline is closed at the Union Pacific Railroad tracks in Post Falls between McGuire Road and Chase Road from 6 a.m.-4 p.m. through Thursday.

There will be a rolling blockade from 10:30 a.m.-noon Saturday in Coeur d’Alene for a march from 23rd and Sherman to Independence Point.