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September 4, 2011 in City
Corridor funding may hit dead end
Freeway faces competition for dwindling money
Major work is nearing completion on the northern portion of the north Spokane freeway, including these flyover bridges at Wandermere.
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As the northern half of the north Spokane freeway nears completion, state transportation officials say there is no clear route to financing the hugely expensive southern half.
Nearly $600 million has been allocated so far, and the opening of the 5 1/2 miles from the Little Spokane River to Hillyard is expected early next spring.
More than twice that amount – $1.3 billion – is needed to complete the southern five miles from Francis Avenue to Interstate 90.
Just one additional piece of construction is being funded with savings in the current run of work, a large new rail overpass bridge for Francis Avenue, starting next year.
Beyond that, the funding picture is dim, leaving determination as the main fuel behind the north-south freeway drive.
Wayne Brokaw, executive director of the Inland Northwest Associated General Contractors, has spent the past few years lobbying heavily for the freeway.
“This is a priority project. We need to get it funded and completed,” he said. “The feds need to step up and match the state.”
But federal money may be hard to come by. According to an analysis by the Washington State Department of Transportation, federal highway funding could drop by 20 percent in coming years, and reauthorization of the federal transportation act is stalled in the other Washington. The federal highway construction program and the gas and diesel taxes that pay for much of it expire Sept. 30.
The program has limped along for two years under short-term extensions and money infusions from the general treasury. President Barack Obama urged Congress last week to pass bills to fund highways and air travel.
At the same time, state gasoline tax receipts are expected to decline over time as drivers switch to electric and more fuel-efficient vehicles.
On top of that, there are dozens of transportation priorities competing for what appear to be shrinking funding sources.
How Spokane fares in coming years is anybody’s guess. Freeway funding is likely to arrive a piece at a time, pushing final completion out a decade or longer.
Even so, Brokaw and others try to remain optimistic.
“We are hopeful the Legislature will address long-term funding for this project,” said Al Gilson, spokesman for the WSDOT in Spokane.
Advocates are going to keep promoting the freeway in Washington, D.C., and Olympia.
To take advantage of smaller funding pots, state engineers have redesigned the next three miles through Hillyard to reduce costs, and they have sliced that work into more bite-sized pieces.
The North Spokane Corridor was the beneficiary of state gasoline tax increases in 2003 and 2005 that are financing projects around the state over 30 years through the sale of bonds.
While those two gas tax increases totaling 14.5 cents a gallon continue to be collected at the pump, the money now will go mostly to retire construction bonds. As a result, there are no big pots of incoming tax money available to use.
Gov. Chris Gregoire has convened a Connecting Washington Task Force to look at the problem statewide.
Nonetheless, drivers here are going to see half of their new freeway opened by next spring from the Little Spokane River at Wandermere to Freya near Francis Avenue.
Part of the route will run on the currently open two-lane segment between Farwell Road and the Freya interchange.
Southbound lanes from Farwell to Freya are under construction through a federal economic stimulus grant of $35 million and will open next year, too.
A sizeable number of drivers will likely find it useful. Engineers expect traffic counts to reach 14,000 to 15,000 vehicles a day along the 5 1/2-mile route, said Larry Larson, project engineer for the state Department of Transportation. “There’s a demand,” he said.
A favorable bid climate last year allowed the state to retain enough money to build an interchange at Parksmith Drive to be completed next year. Bids are being sought now.
In addition, the Francis overpass bridge is being funded with savings from work on the north end jobs. It will require a temporary grade crossing during two years of construction.
Originally, the state had hoped to open the northern half by this summer, but the contractor building flyover ramps just south of the Little Spokane River ran into problems with groundwater coming from excavation for ramp piers.
Next up in the long-range plan is building the segment from Freya to the Spokane River, a distance of about three miles.
The state has cut the cost there from $730 million to $328 million by dropping a plan to place the roadway in a sunken grade through Hillyard and by reducing railroad realignments.
Landscaping and noise walls through the neighborhood are planned to help mitigate sight and sound problems.
Piers for the new Francis bridge will be stamped with art-deco designs incorporating locomotive images, making it Spokane’s new northern entry point.
A trail just west of the BNSF Railway line will provide the neighborhood with an important amenity, and will be part of a longer trail system included in the freeway.
Dave Griswold, a Hillyard neighborhood leader, said residents have accepted the fact that a freeway is coming their way, and they see an upside in increased commercial activity from a higher number of vehicles passing through the area.
“It’s like anything else. This is a transition we have to make,” he said.
The work through Hillyard could be finished in seven years if money is available, Larson said.
Brokaw and others in Spokane keep promoting the advantages of full completion. Among the points they make:
• It will save at least 30 minutes of travel time, an important consideration for freight operators as well as drivers.
• The project creates jobs and provides access to 400 acres of industrial property that could be developed for more jobs.
• It will cut fuel consumption and emissions.
• Traffic on North Side arterials, particularly big trucks on Division Street, will be reduced.
• The freeway opens the possibility of increased trade with Canada.
The Goliath remains the final two miles from the Spokane River to the connection with I-90. It involves building an elevated section of highway and a trumpet-shaped interchange of ramps and collector arterials.
Real estate along Second and Third avenues continues to be purchased. In all, 439 homes are being taken to make room for the new freeway system through east Spokane.
The estimated cost of construction of the final segment of freeway is $1 billion.
Brokaw said he’s optimistic the full project can be finished in 10 years but acknowledges it could take much longer than that.
“If we get it done in 20 years, I’ll still be elated,” he said.
MLK Jr. Way opens Thursday 
polistra on September 04 at 2:52 a.m.
Good. This is a classic boondoggle. It was definitely needed when it was first proposed in the ‘50s, because Spokane’s industrial core was up in Mead. Now a highway in that direction is not important enough to spend billions on.
Stop the waste. Turn the vacant highway into a bike path or a dragstrip or a drivable theme park called Government Idiocy World.
drywitt99 on September 04 at 3:06 a.m.
Spending billion$ to create jobs is ALWAYS a great idea.
And if you get a road out of the deal…..so much the better!!
mdriftmeyer on September 04 at 3:18 a.m.
The growth in Spokane County is North bound right where they are building and south bound off I-90 along the 195 corridor.
The fact they ballooned bids on the sublevel roads to justify putting in Walls through Hillyard is where you have room to complain.
oneanddone on September 04 at 6:09 a.m.
“Wayne Brokaw, executive director of the Inland Northwest Associated General Contractors, has spent the past few years lobbying heavily for the freeway.”
- And why lobbyists, labor, and legislative bodies have ruined the country.
D Statler on September 04 at 8:08 a.m.
There are some beautiful bridges up north.Putting the freeway above ground is a bummer. I was hoping that R.R. trench running down the east side of Hillyard would get cleaned up. The spending of tax dollars on highway projects is a necessary evil here.Creating jobs is an extra benefit of the highway. Our interstate highway system is directly responsible for the growth we experienced the last 50 years. It is a cheap investment that will bring back tenfold in investment and quality of life.I want to personally thank Mr. Brokaw and those responsible for their time and effort to better our community. Your efforts will live long after we leave.
liberal_in_right_wing_land on September 04 at 9:24 a.m.
If this road was being built in the Seattle area it would have been finished years ago and funding would never be a problem.
However, this is in Spokane and our elected officials here have no balls and backbone to stand up and fight for the funding needed to complete this project so it will probably never be finished.
Spokane_Citizen on September 04 at 10:31 a.m.
Bluster all you want about ‘balls and backbone’ but the bulk of the state’s revenue, traffic, population, and political clout will remain on the west side. That’s what that huge population center controls, no matter how much a few east-side dingbat reactionary legislators scream about its supposed unfairness.
As for the feds….what you guys are asking for is a bigger share of the pork, and your representative, McMorris-Rodgers hates home district ‘pork’, so you’re SOL there. We’re getting what we deserve.
Want it finished? Then you’re going to have to tax yourselves…but that won’t happen because you want somebody else to pay for it for you.
DickAdams on September 04 at 11:04 a.m.
Just a reminder that the N S freeway was discouraged for many years, is telling, in that Ron Wells, a person who has had more real estate tax exemptions than anyone, was opposed to it along with his friends. BTW, he is a friend of the Cowleses who brag to their SR subscribers about him from time to time. For what it is worth.
force_vector on September 04 at 11:06 a.m.
This project should have been completed prior to the social and economic downward spiral that are the defining features of present-day Spokane. To invest that kind of money here, at this point, is an utter waste. In a long list of problems Spokane has, transportation isn’t one of them.
pjc on September 04 at 12:07 p.m.
Considering that my family’s fictional household newsletter headline reads “Sectional Sofa Funding Hits a Dead End” because we just don’t have the discretionary funds to buy new furniture at this time, this sort of thing makes perfect sense.
It follows last week’s headline of “Trip to Europe Next Summer Hits a Dead End”.
mikeln on September 04 at 1:00 p.m.
The job creators at thier very best, what a crock. The freeway should have been built 50 years ago along the ash-maple coridor. The developers of country homes put an end to that. Our country exists because of our road systems and our ability to conduct buisness along these routes. Now that the job creators only create slave jobs in third world countries we no longer need roads, why spend money that can go to the wealthy’s welfare progam. Stock up, it’s going to be a long winter.
hunternomore on September 04 at 1:11 p.m.
These comments always make my day. LOL. First, Spokane doesn’t have a transportation problem? Try getting to SFCC from South Hill in less than 30 minutes on a good day. Or the Y for that matter. In some cities, you would be in another city in that amount of time! As for the 550,000 “Spokane” residents, that obviously does not include the COUNTY nor anyone coming from CDA, but you go “westerly” with those numbers. As for “taxes” getting lower because of “electric” cars I’ve seen 2 or 3 in the past three years. So I guess it will take a very long time for those “taxes” to go down. Thanks commenters, like I said. You make my day. LOL
nitro71 on September 04 at 2:03 p.m.
It’s easy to see why they are out of money on this project. The road department is out of control. Everything on this project is extravagant. They could have built a basic interstate all the way for what they have just spent on the upper part. Was that cloverleaf thing really needed on the northern section? Build a basic four lane interstate with standard on/off ramps and call it good. Would have been a huge upgrade and cost much less.
beakaye on September 04 at 2:15 p.m.
With the bizarre history of this project, I would suggest the state start saving additional funds….for repairs to the northern half! Looks like by the time the south half is completed (if at all), the northern half will already be requiring major repairs!
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on September 04 at 2:27 p.m.
pjc - I love it! I mean, I don’t love the “vacation funding hits dead end” part, but love the idea of the household newsletter. I may have to start one of my own – goodness knows I’ve got plenty of material for one.
Ron_the_Cop on September 04 at 2:37 p.m.
From the Spokane Economic and Demographic Data Blog:
nslopeofw on September 04 at 3:09 p.m.
Glad they did the north end first. I love it. I can get to the valley quicker, and Hillyard in no time (although who really wants to go to Hillyard?) Its great for us northsiders. I do hope they finish it, tho.
force_vector on September 04 at 4:42 p.m.
“First, Spokane doesn’t have a transportation problem? Try getting to SFCC from South Hill in less than 30 minutes on a good day. Or the Y for that matter. In some cities, you would be in another city in that amount of time! ”
Yeah? And in other cities you’d have made it about 5 miles down the interstate in that time. I know, I used to live in one of those cities. The money would be better spent there, where a bulk of the traffic and commerce is at. Spokane doesn’t NEED it. Period.
liberal_in_right_wing_land on September 04 at 4:51 p.m.
For the people who say Spokane doesn’t need or shouldn’t improve its transportation infrastructure, just look at Seattle now. Spokane and the area is growing, we are not shrinking, never have and probably never will. This area will continue to add more and more people every year. If we fail to build the proper roads, rails and other infrastructure needed to keep up with a growing population, then you just become Seattle, who waited until they have over 4 million people in the area to start building light rail and better freeways and other public transportation.
Just because we don’t have the traffic now, do you think we wont in 10, 20 or 30 years? I remember when you could drive around Spokane and get to any point in the city in about 10-15 minutes no matter the time of day. That will never happen again. We need to keep looking forward, not living in the past.
force_vector on September 04 at 5:20 p.m.
liberal - while the population may be increasing, the overall health of the community is declining. Sort of a scary combination, wouldn’t you think? Please see link below for specific data over the previous decade.
http://washington.reaproject.org/reap-report.php
The point is, how is it productive to build a billion-plus dollar road through a distressed region when there is no projected, meaningful return on that investment? Saving a few minutes to get to SFCC doesn’t count. Having, maybe, a few more commerce related trips from Canada pass through the metro area on their way elsewhere, doesn’t count. Spokane needs a change in culture, not asphalt.
riverlaw on September 04 at 8:25 p.m.
How about we fix our current roads first? Why would we spend more than a billion for another road that we likely can’t maintain?
Fixing our current roads will create jobs and improve the quality of life for those of us who are here and is not dependent upon some theoretical trade route with Canada to make sense.
Again, who is going to benefit from this project?
D Statler on September 04 at 9:19 p.m.
We all will benefit when the project is completed. It will be great to jump off I-90 and be in Hillyard,Mead,DeerPark,Green Bluff and any closer off ramps in minutes.This corridor will open jobs up north and link them and the people living up north to the valley. Just having it end at Francis is a great link to Bigelow and the Valley. It is sad to see so many people posting not looking ahead for Spokane’s future. It kind of reminds me of people not voting yes on school levies just because their kids are no longer in school. It is an important issue to our society now and in the future.
It may be a good idea to place a toll on the highway to help pay for it sooner. May not add up to much now. It will pay big when completed. Let the major users pay the bill.
keithj on September 04 at 10:31 p.m.
I’ve lived in cities. I know what traffic is. I’m grateful we don’t have real traffic in Spokane. I’ve been here 21 years.
I have owned rental property in Mead for 6 years now, and have driven there regularly during that time. I don’t recall ever being delayed by traffic driving up to Mead.
AnalyzeThat on September 05 at 8:20 p.m.
@Liberal -
I agree Spokane needs to look ahead 20-30 years in their transportation planning. Then instead of making all the great 4 lane roads we had around town (been on Trent lately?) into one lane each way with a middle turn lane the city road planners should be making them limited access arterials. We citizens will be praying for them just so we can get around town within the next 20 years!
The N-S Freeway is just a waste and in the wrong location - does no good for people living on the west side of the city.
D Statler on September 06 at 3:21 p.m.
Only about a minute from the Hamilton corridor to the Freya corridor.Not gonna notice the difference when traveling to the N /S offramp on I-90 from the west side.Either corridor would have been fine by me from the valley
D Statler on September 06 at 3:25 p.m.
Widening the one ways at Maple and Ash like our valley couplet is the real answer for you west siders. I wish the couplet was extended all the way to Liberty Lake. It makes traveling thru the valley a breeze. WooHOO