Grand Boulevard repaving begins

The rough pavement on Grand Boulevard from Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center south to Manito Park is getting a fix this summer.

Crews started work last week on a multifaceted project to improve the pavement, sidewalks, curbs and underground utilities there.

Julie Happy, city of Spokane spokeswoman, said the project is going to take several more weeks to complete. In the meantime, drivers are going to run into reduced traffic lanes and closures of side streets.

The first part of the project involves Grand and other streets from Eighth to 14th avenues. The second part of the pavement work on Grand from 14th to 22nd avenues will occur after the lower portion is completed, Happy said.

Currently, McClellan Street from Eighth to Ninth avenues has a single lane southbound. Northbound traffic on McClellan is being detoured onto Ninth Avenue to Cowley Street.

Traffic is being affected both north and southbound mainly in the vicinity of the medical center. Closures and restrictions will change as the project makes progress.

The city is going to use a variety of pavement preservation methods, including crack sealing and grind and overlay.

Handicapped ramps are also being upgraded.

South of 14th, wastewater crews are at work in advance of the upcoming paving project.

The project will cost in excess of $500,000, paid for with federal funds.

Other Spokane street projects

Elsewhere in the city of Spokane, a sidewalk project begins today in the vicinity of Westview Elementary School on Bismark Avenue. New curbs, gutters and drainage will be installed along with 5-foot sidewalks and a planter strip.

Freya Street from 41st Avenue to Palouse Highway is undergoing a repaving project. Northbound traffic is being detoured to Regal Street.

Arthur Street from Second to Fifth avenues is being repaved, forcing a closure there.

Work is continuing on projects to repave Francis Avenue from Division to Crestline streets and Mission Avenue from Hamilton to Perry streets. Eastbound Mission is currently closed in that section. Francis has two-way traffic on a single lane through that project.

Paving continues on Highway 904

The paving project on state Highway 904 from Interstate 90 to Betz Road will continue this week during evening and early morning hours. Closures and delays are expected during the work.

This evening, crews will close the eastbound on-ramp to I-90 at Four Lakes from 7 p.m. until about 6 a.m. for paving. A detour is in place.

Elsewhere, single-lane alternating traffic can be expected during the off-peak work hours. Flaggers and pilot cars are being used. Also, grooved pavement is a hazard in places where the old pavement has been removed.

Survey work begins for Barker project

Preliminary survey work is planned for Wednesday and Thursday on another big repaving project this summer on I-90 from Barker Road to the Idaho state line. Right lane closures are expected.

Construction is expected in July.

The eastbound off-ramp from I-90 at Sullivan Road will also see lane restrictions due to work on a traffic signal there.

In Spokane and Spokane Valley, pavement patching is being done on Trent Avenue from Hamilton Street to Sullivan, which is causing lane restrictions where the work is being done.

Traffic delays near Airway Heights

U.S. Highway 2 east and west of Airway Heights has work underway, which is causing restrictions and delays.

A gas line repair job is being undertaken just west of the main gate at Fairchild Air Force Base.

A new traffic light is being installed at Flint Road.

A repaving project is expected from Espanola Road and I-90 in coming weeks.

Valley closures, lane reductions

In Spokane Valley, repaving work on Sprague Avenue and adjacent streets continues. Sprague from Havana to I-90 is reduced to one lane in each direction through mid-July.

From I-90 to Thierman Road, a portion of the westbound lanes of Sprague are closed for work. The westbound lanes from University to Herald roads and from Vista to Park roads are restricted, too.

Elsewhere, traffic is reduced to one southbound lane on Argonne from Broadway Avenue to Sprague.

Adams Road from Fourth Avenue to Sprague remains closed to all but local traffic.

Southbound Pines Road from Mission to Mansfield avenues will be reduced to a single lane today for utility work.

Law change favors motorcyclists

Motorcycle riders will be glad to learn about a new Washington state law that won’t leave them waiting at traffic lights that are governed by detection strips in the pavement.

Motorcycles typically don’t have the weight to trigger the light to change, leaving riders waiting and waiting or taking a chance of proceeding against the light. The problem can occur in turn lanes.

Under a law that went into effect earlier this month, a motorcycle rider may proceed if the light fails to change in their favor after one complete cycle of the light.

A news release last week from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and Spokane Valley police said “the operator may, after exercising due care, proceed directly through the intersection or proceed to turn left, as appropriate.”

Drivers, walkers discuss distractions

A new poll done for PEMCO insurance shows that eight out of 10 drivers in Washington and Oregon said they see pedestrians who are distracted while walking.

But in a contradiction, two-thirds of the respondents said they are rarely distracted when they are walking.

Distractions might be talking or text messaging on a cellphone or listening to music. 

PEMCO said there is evidence that being distracted when crossing the street raises risks of an accident.