Daily commuters stalled

The Washington state Department of Transportation is studying ways to improve safety on a five-mile stretch of Highway 195 from I-90 to Hatch Road.

Less expensive ways of calming traffic such as lowering the speed limit from 55 mph to 45 mph or putting in a traffic signal are off the table due to WSDOT’s desire to keep this a “free flowing facility” for semi-trucks connecting to I-90.

As a result, WSDOT has come up with a plan to make this stretch of highway have limited access for local residents. The thousands of residents that normally use 195 and I-90 to commute each day to work are expected to use city arterials and back roads. In many cases, commute times and distances will be doubled. Our city streets will see more wear and congestion.

All this adds up to is an increase in fuel usage, more pollution and greater frustration getting to and from work each day for many people.

When it comes to making decisions like this, what happened to the concept of impacting the fewest amount of people the least? Why aren’t our city planners standing up for us and our city?

Randal Hutchens

Spokane