Paving detours Valley traffic

The intersection of Sprague Avenue and Sullivan Road in the heart of Spokane Valley is closing today for a three-week job to rebuild the pavement.

Traffic is likely to be backed up in the area today and for the next few days as drivers adjust to detours on Adams Road, Fourth Avenue, Conklin Road and Broadway Avenue.

It is the second large intersection job along Sullivan Road this year. The Broadway and Sullivan intersection was rebuilt in April and May.

During that project, the intersection remained open to traffic, but Sullivan south of Sprague is too narrow to handle lane restrictions, engineers said.

As a result, the contractor is going to run extended shifts from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to get the concrete paving work done in three weeks.

Acme Concrete Paving Inc. of Spokane is the contractor on the $1.26 million project. Funding is coming from the state, Spokane Transit Authority and the city.

Driveway access will be maintained throughout the work so that businesses can stay open.

“We want people to know they’ll still be able to get in and out of there,” said Carolbelle Branch, spokeswoman for Spokane Valley.

For businesses on the northwest corner, drivers should use Sprague from the west or Sullivan from the north.

Northeast corner businesses will have access off Sullivan from the north and Sprague from the east, and so on for the other two corners.

The city has mailed out 9,200 notices to residents and businesses near the intersection alerting them to the closure.

The city is asking motorists to be extra cautious when detouring through residential areas because the added traffic will be a risk to pedestrians, bicycle riders and others.

In August, work will start on Broadway Avenue from Moore Lane to Flora Road. The $2.76 million widening project should be finished in October.

Bridge dedication

The new Barker Road Bridge over the Spokane River will be dedicated in a ceremony on Thursday at 11 a.m. in the parking lot on the south end of the bridge. Community members are invited.

U.S. 95 work moves ahead

The federal government has cleared the way for the widening of U.S. Highway 95 from Garwood to Sagle in North Idaho.

The Federal Highway Administration earlier this month signed a record of decision approving an environmental impact statement for the selected corridor route.

The Idaho Department of Transportation will now move ahead with a series of projects, concentrating initially on the southern end of the corridor from Boekel Road to Granite Hill in Kootenai County, as funding becomes available.

Closure in CdA

In Coeur d’Alene, Harrison Avenue between 14th and 16th streets will be closed today and Tuesday to prepare for installation of a traffic light at Harrison and 15th Street.

Work will begin at 6 a.m. Some traffic may be permitted during the work, officials said.

Touring bike event coming

A “Bikestravaganza” is coming to Spokane on Aug. 16.

The touring event will be at 7 p.m. at the Community Building, 35 W. Main Ave.

It will include entertainment and public speaking and is intended to share ideas and inspiration for more and safer bicycle transportation.

The group is based in Portland.

Joe Biel will show videos and play selections from a documentary he’s made. Elly Blue has a slide show and talk about how Portland became one of the best places in the U.S. to bike. Dave Roche will tell stories.

Bike-friendly recognition

Spokane is beginning to achieve some recognition as a bicycle-friendly place.

The League of American Bicyclists has awarded Spokane the “bronze level” of achievement for bicycle friendliness. Signs are being installed around the city to acknowledge the rating.

One of the signs is at Howard Street and Cataldo Avenue along the route of the July 11 Summer Parkways event, which is being repeated on Aug. 22.

In that event, Howard is closed to traffic between Corbin and Riverfront parks for human-powered conveyance.

City street work

• In Spokane, traffic is being limited to one lane in each direction on Northwest Boulevard from Ash to Alberta streets during reconstruction of the street under a 2004 voter-approved bond issue. Access to T.J. Meenach Bridge from Northwest Boulevard has been closed.

• Installation of a new sewer plant and connecting lines will force closure this week of Broadway Avenue between Havana and Freya streets and Myrtle Street from Third to Fourth avenues.

• Spokane city crews today will be repairing Austin Road from Five Mile Road to Quamish Drive and Perry Street from 11th to 18th avenues.

Ferry back in service

The Keller Ferry returned to service last week after undergoing repairs and inspection as part of a five-year maintenance cycle. The ferry spent a month in dry dock under a $607,000 work contract.