Spokane7
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October 28, 2010 in City
Division project puts safety, aesthetics at fore
A cyclist crosses Division Street at Main Avenue in Spokane Wednesday. Some say that pedestrian and bicycle traffic going to and from the University District is not safe because they have to cross the busy Division traffic.
(Full-size photo)
The crush of vehicles moving north on Division and south on Browne streets through downtown Spokane is intimidating enough for any pedestrian trying to cross.
Growth of the University District a few blocks to the east combined with increasing services and activities in the area have revealed a need to rethink the layout along the two arterial streets, officials said this week.
The city of Spokane and the University District are about to launch a Division Gateways Corridor project to redesign those streets to make them not only more pedestrian-friendly, but also a more welcoming gateway to the city.
The corridor extends from Interstate 90 north to Sharp Avenue and includes northbound Ruby Street where it bumps into the west side of Gonzaga University.
It carries more than 50,000 vehicles a day at the Spokane River, based on 2007 traffic counts.
Because of the sheer volume, the corridor has become “a huge barrier to east-west movement,” said Brandon Betty, program manager for the University District.
At the same time, he said, “Division is the entrance to our city.” In its current state, “it doesn’t really show what the true character of Spokane is.”
The Division project is expected to get started next year and will include public input on possible changes, such as street trees, pavement markings, curb extensions at crosswalks, artwork and bike racks.
It is one in a series of plans and projects under way to revitalize the area and to streamline transportation.
At an open house Tuesday, Mayor Mary Verner said the Division Gateways Corridor project over time will give visitors a sense that “they have entered a grand place.”
The area has several examples of using engineering techniques and street-side amenities to improve pedestrian safety, to moderate vehicle speeds and to beautify a community.
Airway Heights in past years improved the safety of its strip of U.S. Highway 2 with turning channels, shorter pedestrian crossings, street trees, banners and speed enforcement.
Smaller projects along Perry Street in southeast Spokane, Hillyard in northeast Spokane and West Broadway Avenue are other examples.
In Coeur d’Alene, the Midtown neighborhood has seen improvements along Fourth Street. The city of Hayden has slowed traffic on Government Way.
A 2009 transportation study for the city of Spokane calls for the kinds of improvements envisioned by the Division Gateways project.
DKS Associates, the consultant in that wide-ranging study, recommended curb extensions, also known as “bulb-outs,” at key intersections to shorten crossing distances for pedestrians. They also help to slow traffic.
The consultant identified Main and Sprague avenues and Spokane Falls Boulevard as the highest priorities.
The goal, the consultant said, was to reduce vehicle speeds to 25 or 30 mph, in part through signal timing.
The city is currently negotiating a contract to hire engineers and designers for the intersection and “streetscape” improvements.
Nearly $2 million could be spent on the designs along the entire corridor, said Katherine Miller, senior engineer for the city.
“What we are trying to come out with is a project that is ready for construction,” she said.
That construction will likely have to rely on grants or funding sources that might take years to obtain.
Money for the planning and design is coming in part from a newly organized University District Revitalization Area that allows increasing property taxes from the area to be spent on revitalization.
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karl2002 on October 28 at 5:03 a.m.
Put the money towards finishing North Spokane Freeway before you start slowing traffic down on Division. Let’s not forget that this is also a state highway.
lewis8457 on October 28 at 7:28 a.m.
More construction more waiting in endless lines of traffic. So they can make Spokane a welcoming place? That is really funny, welcoming….sure.How about taking care of the rouge police problem first that will do just as much to bring in tourism.
after driving down division from the Y and sitting at all the untimed lights will the visitor care about the beauty of division or ruby. I think not.
If they need to screw up Ruby let the school pay for it.
lewis8457 on October 28 at 7:30 a.m.
It is near impossible to walk across any busy street in Spokane. The cop cars don’t even stop hard to expect the average guy to.
madscientist on October 28 at 7:41 a.m.
slowing down traffic in this area like they did on perry district will create even more of a bottle neck traffic jam then there all ready is during the 5pm half-hour rush hour.
zerla on October 28 at 7:51 a.m.
It does need to be beautified, right now it’s ugly, but it also needs to be sped up…maybe a pedestrian bridge…even an east/west bridge for traffic so there isn’t a light so quick at the turnoff. Or, maybe they should shut down the east/west traffic or divert it so that there’s a free flow off the freeway. Right now it doesn’t make much sense—it’s dark, it’s slow, there are multiple lanes converging—there are usually bums at the first light—it scares the heck out of people from out-of-town.
zerla on October 28 at 7:54 a.m.
And, I agree that the violence needs to stop as well. You have gangsters shooting each other up at Hoopfest and injuring innocent bystanders (where are the police then?) and police officers shooting up the elderly and pregnant women in the city…what the??
opiemuyo on October 28 at 7:56 a.m.
That’s a great idea, bike racks on a street where bikes are prohibited by posted signs.
west on October 28 at 7:57 a.m.
Spokane is trying to spruce up their ‘image’ to out of town visitors..a little late.Spokane has a very tarnished image already across the state, poverty,30 percent HS drop out rate, crime, gangs, blighted Sprague corridor from Brown to Sullivan, and lousy traffic signaling on major arterials. Funny, Spokane has to ‘beg’ for grants to start this project…they have no money for it..all their buget is going to thesir employees salaries, pensions, retirements etc.
CommonSenseJoe on October 28 at 8:05 a.m.
Simplest plan would be to move pedestrian traffic off of Spokane Falls Boulevard in the area of Brown/Division and move it towards the two streets south. The turn where Division becomes Brown is point where two busy streets are merging into one (Spokane Falls Blvd/Division turn into Brown), and placing a new emphasis on pedestrian traffic in that are would only back traffic up more on Division and Spokane Falls.
DeCaYeD on October 28 at 9:27 a.m.
Once again the current status of our city streets is the fault of the police, people crossing corsswalks, bums begging for money, no street lights, light signals that do not help traffic flow. Funny no matter what the article is about…The LEO of Spokane are at fault. Get real.
Edwame on October 28 at 10:10 a.m.
They can sell this project however they want. The result is they will spend money, slow down an already tough commute through town and have many more longer than necessary construction delays. Look at Second ave. Look at NW BLVD. Why did it take so long? Are they ever going to finish? Are these types of projects and dragging out of said projects serving the citizens? Are our elected officials doing all they can to make these projects run smoothly and quickly for the citizens they serve? I think we need to take a look at how our elected officials are handling these situations and if we indeed want said elected officials to stay in office. I don’t feel this project will serve the best interests of the majority of the citizens. “They” will make it happen no matter what in the name of “community” and the SR is buying into it as evidenced in the writing style of this story.
MrNatural on October 28 at 10:40 a.m.
I read this article and was taken a bit by suspicion. Sure I know Spokane would like to show a good face but this incessant bend over backwards accommodation for the “Ewe” district has me puzzled. First aren’t there at least two pedestrian-bike underpasses at Division St. for the little Zaggy’s and Couggies to get to town. And isn’t the east 100 block of Main this expanse of underused asphalt. Next won’t the NS freeway alleviate much of this congestion? And finally it’s just traffic people…this is what happens in the crux of a city and truthfully it ain’t that bad.
Me thinks there are a few utopian elite attempting to bend the wills and this is no time to be painting the porch when the roof is leaking.
misjustice on October 28 at 11:58 a.m.
How about a fancy schmancy sign where traffic exits onto Division from I-90?
“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”
madscientist on October 28 at 12:02 p.m.
Agreed Mr. Natural, if people here think traffic is bad, go to seattle, try and drive on I-5 at 5pm.
LEAVE THE AREA ALONE. FINISH THE N/S FREEWAY.
MrNatural on October 28 at 12:36 p.m.
LOL!!! mj….
Can we use that to replace near nature near Nordstoms
Teseract on October 28 at 4:11 p.m.
Any politician that says that traffic on Division needs to be “slowed down” has spent too much time sleeping in the back of their limo up and down Division rather than actually trying to get anywhere on time.
If they want to improve Division they need a comprehensive re-design of the traffic signal timings. Right now it’s a complete mess, and has been for decades. You get big clumps of cars with huge open gaps with few cars because you get stuck at every !@## light going either direction, which forces all the traffic to clump up.
Toss in a few elderly individuals doing 15mph and you have Division.
I swear the city government in this town has been taken over by a bunch of California hippies who think we should all be riding bikes 10 miles to work and living in mud huts as they’re more “eco-friendly”. Just look at the new “conservation based” screwing, er, billing, that they’re forcing on us for city utilities on 1/1/11 for all the proof you need of this!
mdriftmeyer on October 28 at 4:15 p.m.
“Put the money towards finishing North Spokane Freeway before you start slowing traffic down on Division. Let’s not forget that this is also a state highway.”
This is a City project, not a State Project. Do some research.
mdriftmeyer on October 28 at 4:16 p.m.
To all the reactionaries who know squat about Funding: This is a City Project, not a State Freeway/Highway Project.
They don’t share funding.
lewis8457 on October 28 at 5:30 p.m.
MisJ That is great! gave me a real chuckle thank you