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April 26, 2010 in City
Money is major roadblock for final leg of freeway
This 1971 photo shows construction of I-90/Hamilton interchange, which at the time was labeled on plans as the “North-South” freeway.
(Full-size photo)
Exit 282 of Interstate 90 sits as a monument to the stops and starts of building a north Spokane freeway.
Engineers designed the massive Hamilton ramps to be the start of a new thoroughfare through Spokane. The exit opened in 1971 but never got connected to a freeway.
The proposed path along Hamilton Street fell victim to neighborhood opposition; the state finally dismissed it as a possible highway in 1991. By then, a new route through railroad property in Hillyard was gaining favor. It won federal approval in 1997.
Local leaders say they’re determined not to let the housing lots left vacant from state preparations over the past year in East Central become another symbol of an abandoned freeway route. But even with the first half of the freeway – north of Francis – scheduled to be fully open by the end of 2011, major obstacles remain: money and politics.
Construction to finish the freeway is estimated to cost $1.6 billion.
State Sen. Chris Marr, D-Spokane, said he’s optimistic about the completion of the North Spokane Corridor, largely because county, city and state leaders agree that diverting trucks from city streets is a priority. He said the opening of the freeway from U.S. Highway 395 at Wandermere almost to Francis next year, as well as the demolition of East Central homes, will give the project momentum.
Marr said opposition to the corridor is less significant than what’s faced by other major projects in the state. That could help attract state or federal support, he said.
“The city of Spokane cannot afford to maintain streets to be used as highways,” Marr said.
State Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, said money to pay for the construction of the next phase – from Francis almost to the Spokane River – could come from a gas tax on the statewide ballot in the next few years. A similar gas tax has paid for much of the work north of Francis.
The state has spent $38 million to buy land and for engineering through Hillyard to the river. That will make the project “shovel ready,” Marr said.
The most expensive portion – crossing the river and connecting the corridor to I-90 on a bridge and viaduct – may require local matching funds, Marr said.
City and county leaders are considering new taxes or fees to help pay for the corridor. One idea is a new vehicle license tab fee that would be used mostly for maintenance of local streets. But a certain percentage could be diverted for “projects of regional significance” – such as the north Spokane freeway.
City Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin said she’s skeptical of the need to raise local taxes or fees for the project, but she won’t rule it out.
“If there’s no other option than coming up with a match, we’re going to have to put our heads together and figure out how to do that, because we have to get this project done,” she said.
McLaughlin said a tab fee should only be considered if voters have a say. County commissioners could approve a tab fee of $20 or less without asking voters.
Republican County Commissioner Todd Mielke said he’s open to a statewide gas tax, but only if the corridor will be a top priority for the money raised.
“We’ve really come together as a community to say we really want to see this thing finished,” Mielke said.
Although some elected and neighborhood leaders say the East Central portion of the freeway should be scaled back, opposition to the freeway has been quiet in recent years.
Even City Councilman Richard Rush, who has raised several concerns about the project, said he has no problems with it if “the state wants to pay for it.”
City officials say that a north Spokane freeway would make Spokane more attractive for businesses.
“We have to be able to put Spokane on the map as a place you can get your goods in and out of here easily, not on city streets,” Mayor Mary Verner said. “That’s a double desire on my part. I don’t want my streets worn out, and I want freight to move quickly through the city rather than idling at every stop sign.”
For decades there’s been debate about the effects of a north Spokane freeway on air pollution. State transportation officials say a freeway would help clear the air by allowing vehicles to move quickly through the city. Opponents argue that the freeway would promote sprawl and that whatever is gained through efficient driving would be lost by a route that encourages people and businesses to travel away from the city center.
This month, Citizens for Sensible Transportation Planning filed a federal lawsuit against the state Department of Transportation.
It says the state should be required to study the freeway’s health effects on nearby residents.
John Covert, president of the group, said people who live along the route should know how it could affect their health.
“I would like to have a robust conversation about, ‘Do we really need it, and what should it look like?’ ”
Freeway supporters say there’s been robust conversation for more than half a century – and it’s time to move ahead.
Verner said she’s reluctantly supportive of the design of the “trumpet,” the massive ramp structure that would connect the new freeway with I-90.
“It’s just gigantic,” she said. “Once we started putting millions of dollars into (it), employing people and moving people out of businesses and out of their homes, it took on a life of its own.”
Rush believes that the highway could be scaled back. He also suggested it should become a toll road, focusing on what many leaders say is its top job: moving freight.
“We know a lot more about transportation and its impacts, its implications and its unintended consequences now,” Rush said. “With the price of oil, there’s a chance it will be obsolete before it’s completed.”
Marr and state transportation leaders said charging to use the freeway wouldn’t work because there are too many alternative northern routes.
State officials stress that the corridor would be used by more than cars and trucks. A bike and pedestrian trail is being constructed alongside it, and the freeway comes with extra land set aside for a possible light rail system.
Brown said with new federal transportation priorities, light rail along the freeway is more than a pipe dream. She added that a new freeway wouldn’t necessarily mean sprawl.
“Land-use decisions can be aligned with it to promote the vitality of urban neighborhoods,” she said.
While officials tout the route’s usefulness to move goods in and out of the city, some commuters also say they’re excited by the freeway’s time-saving possibilities.
Evelyn Dugger lives near Whitworth University and works near Sprague and Freya. If she leaves work at 5 p.m., it takes her about 45 minutes to get home.
“I would hope that it’s done before I die,” Dugger said, noting that the freeway has been talked about since she moved to Spokane in 1966.
“I would love to see it done. It’s time.”
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Censored on April 26 at 12:10 a.m.
“McLaughlin said a tab fee should only be considered if voters have a say” Really? Please read the following from:
CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
SENATE BILL 6379
Chapter 161, Laws of 2010
61st Legislature
2010 Regular Session
Section 901
Sec. 901. RCW 35.95A.090 and 2002 c 248 s 10 are each amended to
24 read as follows:
25 (1) Every authority has the power to fix and impose a fee, not to
26 exceed one hundred dollars per vehicle, for each vehicle that is
27 subject to relicensing tab fees under ((RCW 46.16.0621)) section 531(1)
28 (a), (c), (d), (e), (g), (h), (j), or (n) through (q) of this act and
29 for each vehicle that is subject to ((RCW 46.16.070)) section 530 of
30 this act with ((an unladen)) a scale weight of six thousand pounds or
31 less, and that is determined by the department of licensing to be
32 registered within the boundaries of the authority area.
Did you vote on this? Course not, they hid this very very well. Almost 400 pages of crap for this to be hidden in.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!
Censored on April 26 at 12:22 a.m.
Further more as the second largest city in this state I feel that our council is inept and a failure to stand up for us. They will always talk about raising taxes but have you once heard them talk about taxes owed? As the second largest in the state a person would think we would get some attention as to roads and infrastructure other than local monies.
Mielke needs to get his check book out and start footing the bill if he feels taxing locally is the answer. By him saying a State tax he means a Seattle tax that we may see a drop in the bucket from. In the real world I would like the SR to publish how much money really comes from the DOT funds to our side of the state. Also, where does Spokane really spend it? Ritzville has nicer streets and roads than we do!
When I see the same roads being repaired after they were just put in I feel strong that our council is going as cheap as possible up front and failing us! Buy cheap and pay hard.. I think alot of you readers can relate to that. There is Cheap and there is quality. Spokane council is showing they believe in the Welfare system for themselves. Spend Spend Spend and have no accoubting or accountability for their actions. they blame the economy, not their spendy ways. I would run for council.. but for them to have a frugal mind on the bench may offend them or better yet create hostility.
Another_Perspective on April 26 at 8:09 a.m.
Should have been an elevated highway. Just wait till the first nasty snow storm hits next year.
Your tax dollar spending politicians at work.
johnclarke on April 26 at 9:17 a.m.
“We know a lot more about transportation and its impacts, its implications and its unintended consequences now,” Rush said. “With the price of oil, there’s a chance it will be obsolete before it’s completed.”
Hilarious. Yes, let’s not build a North South freeway, because it’s going to be obsolete.
They built an entire freeway system around Denver in less than two years! Perhaps I missed something, but wasn’t there just a huge stimulus program for “shovel ready” projects?
“Congress directed more than $300 billion in stimulus money to states and cities for spending over the next two years on roads, bridges, health care and other programs”
Dazzeetrader11 on April 26 at 11:56 a.m.
John…the money went to the other side of the State. I wonder when Washingtonians will wake up, get organized and clean house i nOlympia. Even locally Verner’s spent millions when the City is in the worst dept in history. Gregoire, Verner, Murray simply reflect the Democrat “spend like crazy and then beat up the public on taxes” philosphy.
Now comes the selected income tax on people who’s only crime is being successful. Picking on a certain class of people should be illegal. I think it is… if you’re a woman (bowing), Black, Hispanic, Asian, etc…..not to the lawmakers though. Just split classes, create and isloate a group, and then create class warfare. These lawmakers are elected and they can be de-elected….if you vote. WIth the WA Legislators though, you voted…and in 960/961…you found out your voted means nothing. You were overruled by the loegislators who wanted higher property tax. Don’t forget that they overruled you.
And they’ll do it again and again. The only solution is to vote them out. They have no respect for the legal system and little for the voters’ will. Get Eastern WA moving.
Another_Perspective on April 26 at 5:38 p.m.
$300 billion…thats almost one years worth of war.
$300 billion… thats 5,000,000 teachers.
$300 billion… thats 10,700,000 spokane wage earners.
$300 billion…thats 20,000 Avista CEO’s.
$300 billion…thats 22,000 racetracks.
So just were did all this money come from? Was it lying around somewhere? Did some congressional accountant have it sitting in a slush fund?
It came from YOUR pocket and we borrowed that money from the Chinese who holds the note on it. and they tried to borrow it from your social security, but that pots getting empty.
So just how are we going to pay all these debts?.. Its called TAXES and TAXES and TAXES.. and your grandchildren are going to be paying them and living in a third world country.