STA changes may mean moving, closing plaza

The Spokane Transit Authority Plaza has been a boon to riders seeking shelter while making their bus connections, but others consider it the bane of the public transportation authority.

Some criticized its $20 million price tag when it was built in 1995. And some nearby business owners have complained that in addition to commuters it attracts others who harass people and vandalize property.

Some have pressured STA to shut the Plaza down. And now STA just might do that.

As part of a long-term look at how to best serve the region STA is looking into the possibility of moving its hub to the Spokane Intermodal Center on the east end of downtown or abandoning a large downtown hub altogether.

Those two options and another to make improvements to expand capacity at the current Plaza are on the table, said Molly Myers, STA’s communications manager.

The Intermodal Center currently houses the Greyhound bus station, Amtrak and office space. Moving there would give STA more space but would offer riders a less central location. Rough estimates put the cost of moving there at $3 million to $3.5 million, Myers said.

The STA Plaza was appraised at $3.5 million in 2005. That’s much lower than the $20 million cost to build it in large part because the building isn’t suited for nontransit uses.

Renovating the STA Plaza would cost as much as $1.5 million.

The other option would reroute some buses and increase frequencies on major routes so that a downtown hub isn’t necessary, said STA Board Member Richard Munson. It’s unclear how much that would cost.

Making the list

Ever wonder the criteria by which cities make the grade to be listed on highway mileage signs?

Turns out there’s a very set method and it has nothing to do with lobbying efforts.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has a book that lists what it calls “destination cities” on interstate highways, said Washington Department of Transportation spokesman Al Gilson. Those are larger cities like Seattle, Spokane, San Francisco, etc.

The next destination city on the interstate is always the last city listed on mileage signs. The top two cities on the sign are whichever cities are coming up next on the interstate.

State highway signs use a similar structure, creating their own list of destination cities, for instance, Pullman on Washington’s Highway 195 and Moscow on Idaho’s Highway 95.

Don’t fear the chain saw

Some people living near Lincoln Street on Spokane’s South Hill are worried that a project to rebuild the street from 17th to 29th avenues will wipe out trees.

That’s not the case, said Spokane Street Department spokeswoman Ann Deasy-Nolan.

Engineers have identified four trees that may have trouble surviving the project, but a process called air spading could protect their roots (and those of other trees on the route) and preserve them.

Deasy-Nolan said an arborist will check each of the 99 trees along the stretch to determine their health and what needs to be done to protect them.

Any trees that cannot be saved will be replaced, she said.

Seat belts yes, helmets no

Drivers are getting better all the time about wearing seat belts, but helmet use is another story. Though motorcycle helmet use is increasing, it still lags behind seat belt use.

In the 13 Western states, just 77 percent of motorcycle riders wore helmets in the first part of this year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And that’s the region in the country where helmets are used most.

In the Midwest, that figure drops to 49 percent.

In states where helmet use is required, 74 percent of riders were observed wearing approved helmets. In states where use is voluntary, just 42 percent of riders wore approved helmets.

Washington requires helmet use; Idaho does not.

Highway 2 bridge closing

The Idaho Transportation Department is closing the Dover Bridge on U.S. Highway 2 for major repairs.

The closures will be from 8 p.m.-5 a.m. starting Wednesday and lasting about a month. The bridge will be open during the day.

Traffic will be diverted to other highways at night.

Slow going

Downtown

•Monroe Street is reduced to one lane in each direction on the north end of the bridge.

•In Browne’s Addition, First Avenue is closed from Maple Street to Poplar Street. Riverside Avenue is closed from Hemlock Street to the Marne Bridge.

North Spokane

•Crestline Street is reduced to one lane in each direction from North Foothills Drive/ Euclid Avenue to Wellesley Avenue.

•Expect traffic restrictions on eastbound Wellesley Avenue between Division and Lidgerwood streets.

Spokane Valley

•Broadway Avenue is closed during the day from Moore Street to Conklin Road until Oct. 5. And, Tuesday through Thursday, Broadway is closed from University Road to Glenn Road.