At 4:30 this morning, Boise Police were called to a scene where a driver had passed out at the wheel of a running car, his head on the horn and the horn blaring non-stop; citizens called the cops. The suspect, Levi R. Curtis, 33, “appeared to be very intoxicated,” police said. With prior DUI convictions, he was charged with felony DUI. And that was the second one of the night.

Two and a half hours earlier, police had stopped a moped rider after several illegal lane changes; that suspect, Anton D. Moore, 35, also “appeared to be very intoxicated” and registered a .17 blood-alcohol level. He, too, had prior DUI convictions and was charged with felony DUI.

As the holiday weekend kicks off, more than 70 law enforcement agencies around the state have additional officers on the road patrolling, as part of a statewide mobilization from May 20 to June 2 funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The mobilization, which funds additional overtime hours for traffic patrol officers, is aimed at seatbelt enforcement, but in Idaho, with no primary seatbelt law, officers have to pull drivers over for another offense in order to issue seatbelt tickets. “Basically they’re going to be out doing traffic enforcement,” said Steve Grant, Idaho Transportation Department spokesman.

Meanwhile, the AAA is projecting that more than 164,000 Idahoans – 10.3 percent of the population – will be out on the roads over the holiday weekend, driving to their holiday destinations. Be careful out there…

The southbound curb lane over the Sullivan Bridge will be closed for bridge repair work on Wednesday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. People driving through that area should plan for slower traffic or take another route across the Spokane River.

Two projects are scheduled to start today that will impact traffic. Spokane County is gearing up to finish the Green Haven sewer project and will start tearing up roads. The main road impacted is Barker Road from Broadway to Appleway, which will be closed to through traffic. Other road closures include Alki Avenue from Greenacres Road to Michigan Road, Michigan Road fro Alki to Appleway and Cowley Avenue from Greenacres Road to Barker.

The city of Spokane Valley plans to start a resurfacing project on Appleway Blvd. today from Dishman-Mica Road to University Road. There will be lane closures; signs and flaggers will direct traffic through the area. The project is expected to last through April 16.

I realized there is still a lot of road work going on even though it's nearly October when I stumbled across a closed lane on Sprague Ave. at McDonald Road this morning. A check of this week's traffic update from the city of Spokane Valley shows a lot going on.

Work on Broadway is happening this week between Pines Road and University Road. There will be traffic lane and sidewalk closures during the week, so be prepared for delays if you drive this route. The intersection of 11th and Herald road will be closed until 5:30 p.m. today for storm water work. Detours will be in place and the intersection should reopen tomorrow. Evergreen Road between 16h and 24th will be completely closed Thursday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Drivers are asked to use McDonald Road instead. And of course crews are still hard at work on the I-90 widening project east of Sullivan.

Remember to watch for work crews and keep your speed down when going through work zones.

I got a surprise this morning on the way in to work when I discovered that southbound Pines is down to one lane at Sprague for work in the road. All traffic is being routed through the left turn lane, whether you are turning or not. The curb lane of eastbound Sprague is also closed, as is the curb lane of westbound Sprague. I'm not sure if this will last the entire day, but just be aware that the work is going on.

There's some road work going on this week (other than the reconstruction of the Indiana and Sullivan intersection) that will have some impact on how people travel. At 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Bowdish Road will be shut down between 17th and 18th for utility work. The work will continue through 6 p.m. Friday. Traffic will be detoured on 16th and 24th to University.

Today crews began work on Sprague Avenue between University and Evergreen. The work is to install fiber optic cable to connect the traffic lights for better synchronization and is expected to last until October. During the project there will be closures of the westbound curb lane on Sprague and the southbound curb lane on University between Appleway and Sprague.

The utility work going in the Montgomery, University and Grace area has expanded to include Pines Road at Grace. The roads are down to one lane at various times and flaggers are in place to direct traffic. The affected streets are: Van Marter Road from Montgomery drive to Marietta, Montgomery from Van Marter to University, University from Montgomery to Grace, Grace from University to Bowdish and Bowdish between the offset Grace intersections.

The Indiana Avenue Extension project east of Sullivan is also still ongoing and the intersection of Mission and Flora is still shut down for the installation of a roundabout.

There was a long conversation at Tuesday's South Perry Business and Neighborhood Association meeting about traffic on South Perry - especially between 8th Avenue and 14th Avenue.
During farmers market days that area has a lot of parked cars and a lot of foot traffic.
Everyone agreed it's wonderful to see that much activity in the neighborhood, yet there were also many concerns: the crosswalk paint is worn almost completely off and there are no signs at the crosswalks (except the school crosswalk); the speed limit is 20 mph, but motorists often go faster, especially during rush hour (which coincides with farmers market hours); the intersection at 11th Avenue and South Perry is especially jammed during the busiest times.
Suggested solutions: temporarily getting one of those “your speed is this much” signs (there's one on Rockwood Boulevard right now) and putting traffic cones out in the middle of the crosswalks during farmers market hours. Slow down signs at each end of the business district were also suggested.

What are your thoughts?

Bowdish Road just south of Sprague will be down to only one lane tomorrow for utility work from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be flaggers there to direct traffic, but plan on delays if you can't detour around the area. Also, the utility work on Montgomery Drive, University, Grace and Bowdish is continuing. Traffic is also down to one lane in that area.  

It appears that Vista Road between Broadway and Cataldo is shut down for utility work. The road is expected to be closed today and possibly tomorrow as well. Traffic will be routed around the construction via Bessie. Just keep in mind that is it constuction season and these short term road closures will be popping up here and there all the time.

There will be a few new road and lane closures this week in Spokane Valley, mostly for utility work. There is a series of projects that will slow traffic between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. today through Friday. The affected roads are Van Marter from Montgomery Drive onto Marietta, Montgomery from Van Marter to University, University from Montgomery to Grace and Grace between University and Bowdish.

While I was out and about this morning I also noticed that the northbound curb lane on Evergreen in closed between Desmet and Mission. I'm not sure how long that will last, but there was a deep hole dug in the road.  

The City of Spokane Valley has announced other temporary traffic shutdowns for this week. Today the eastbound curb lane on Broadway at Dyer road will be closed until 5 p.m., as will the southbound lane of Dyer just south of Broadway. The closures should only last for today.

The eastbound curb lane of Sharp Ave. between Evergreen and Bannon will be closed from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day this week. The work should be completed on Friday.

This is the time of year when roads start getting dug up for small and large projects alike, so such short-term closures will become more frequent. Make sure to keep your speed down and stay well clear of the workers.

There are a few small projects happening on Spokane Valley streets this week that will create occasional traffic problems. The southbound curb lane on Argonne Road will be closed just north of Knox Avenue on Wednesday, so expect congestion as people try to merge into one lane. Sidewalk repair work will be happening on Broadway between Moore and Flora through Friday. Expect narrowed lanes and some delays.

Then, of course, there are the multiple street closures in Greenacres for sewer installation work. The project to extend Indiana Avenue to the intersection of Mission and Flora is also ongoing.

If you’d like to stay in touch with your local COPS Shops, join them here on Facebook. The social network makes it easy to keep up with a variety of community groups; if you explore a little you’ll also find that many of your favorite businesses have Facebook pages.

And yes that’s snow out there and it’s going to continue to fall for a while. Drivers were making their way down the South Hill (and Perry) this morning without too much drama, but please do take your time - and don’t follow too closely.
Homeowners are responsible for keeping their sidewalks clear of snow and ice - if you have a moment, check on elderly neighbors and make sure everyone is okay. Small favors, like picking up a few things at the store when you’re going anyways, or sweeping the frontsteps for someone who can’t do it alone, means the world at this time of the year.

The parking lot at Grant Park is getting paved this morning. For those of us with smaller or mid-sized cars that’s extremely good news: no more worries about getting stuck in the giant potholes back there. I’m sure it has to cure for a while, so look for parking somewhere else when you come up for the Perry Street Farmers’ Market this afternoon.

Hey neighbors: slow down. Yes, the pavement is nice and new and smooth coming down Perry on your daily commute, but please slow down and watch the speed limit - school is back in session. Please watch out for the kids crossing Perry at Ninth Avenue (and everywhere else). There is still construction on Ninth - heaps of dirt and large machinery sometimes obscure the view - so please, please slow down.

As the neighborhood is developing we are (thankfully) seeing more pedestrians, both young and old, and we are seeing many more cars parked along the street in the business district and on the side streets. Watch out for each other - and please slow down.

From Tony Kliment: I took a walk down Ninth Ave. this weekend and it looks like the project has a long way to go. There’s about half a mile of sewer and water main pipe laying on the road and there is still another half mile to go. And soon the intersection of 9th and Altamont will be closed completely as the project crosses that intersection. I’m not sure why it was closed-up so early on, other than the streets aren’t safe for the increased traffic that would be going through looking for a way out (which is not so easy).

Ann Deasy, public information coordinator for the city of Spokane and the person in charge of keeping us all updated on road construction, just e-mailed and said the entire project is expected to be completed by the end of December. Street closures will follow the project as it progresses east-ward.

Expect Altamont to remain closed for about the same time. Why? Probably because it feeds a lot of traffic onto Ninth Avenue which is closed, and there is no easy way “out” or “around” once you get up there. Be patient.

Via reader e-mail earlier today: “Say, at the moment, the police are pulling people over going up and down Altamont, and a quick Google yielded the fact that you have blogged about the repairs, so I thought I’d see what you know.  Obviously, they have the road partially blocked off because of 9th, but I’d think that “local access” would stil apply, since Altamont is in perfect shape (having already been torn up recently).

Any idea what gives, since you’ve apparently looked into it? Legal to go down Altamont if you live (as do I) on that side of the 9th closure/construction? Most days, there is an opening on one lane for cars to go through (which everyone living at the top of Altamont does) except for two random days where the signs were moved over to physically block the whole thing and cops parked at either end.
Any insider info?”

The road construction isn’t quite done on South Perry: The intersection at Ninth Avenue and Perry Street will be closed Sunday and remain closed through mid-week.

Ninth Avenue remains closed from Perry to Julia Streets. It’s the same water main project that’s progressing west-ward and closing streets and intersections along the way.

Merchants were seeing a noticable drop in business over the past couple of weeks - some down 25 to 30 percent - as South Perry and Ninth Avenue were under construction. They’ll be happy to hear that South Perry is now open for good, just in time for the weekend.

Ninth Avenue from Altamont to Perry Street, and again west from Perry Street to Arthur remains closed for now.

Let’s put it this way: it’s a wee bit difficult to get to South Perry these days - but all the businesses up here are open, though many of the main access routes are closed.

You can’t go north from the intersection of South Perry and South East Boulevard - Perry is one lane southbound only from around the windmill (12th Avenue) and up the hill.

At the other end of the business district, 9th Avenue is closed (torn up) in front of Grant School and the Park (west of Perry) and by the Hi-Co Station toward Altamont Boulevard (east of Perry).

Drivers can come up the usual ways from downtown, from Sherman and the freeway overpass, and hit the north-end of the business district. Southbound drivers are then detoured around the park and over to Southeast Boulevard. Coming down from 29th Avenue is a little more tricky as you can’t go north on Perry - you’ll be detoured over on Southeast Boulevard, be patient, follow the signs, don’t try to cut across until you hit 11th or 12th Avenues - 12th Avenue will deposit you right in the middle of the business district, north of the main construction zone.

Confused? Hopefully not - and please feel free to share your favorite short cuts. Construction is due to water main line repairs - and yes, some new pavement will be a pleasant side effect of all the digging.

This just in from the city of Spokane: “Hartson and 11th Avenue from Havana Street to Sherman street water transmission main repair began on Monday July 27. The project will install a 48- and 36- inch water transmission main in Hartson and 11th Avenues from Havana to Sherman streets. The project will also repair the following streets: 11th Avenue from Altamont Boulevard to
Julia Street and North Altamont Boulevard from 11th to Ninth avenues;and Ninth Avenue from Perry to Julia Street.
Ninth Avenue will be closed to motorists beginning at Hatch Road and moving east toward Perry Street as the project progresses.
This $3.2 million project is funded by the City of Spokane Water Department and the 10-Year Street Bond.”

Sorry, folks, It does not include complete repaving of South Perry Street from the business district and up to Southeast Boulevard, though some repair will take place.

Well, wouldn’t you know it? Crews are busy re-paving and repairing South Perry Street. Your alert neighborhood blogger - a trained observer by trade - was not aware of this wonderful news until she headed home last night and was detoured around Grant Park.

The street is down to one lane, northbound only, from Southeast Boulevard to the windmill - southbound drivers are being detoured. Give the city a high five for this - the street needed repair so, so badly.

There are a lot of ruts and holes on South Perry Street - no doubt about it - yet I’d like to point out that there was a city crew out last night working hard on filling some of them. Ideal? No, but better than nothing. This crew was busting its backs just north of the intersection with 17th Avenue. In the rain.

And just for the fun of it, here’s a pothole link that may help you navigate the craters in a lighter mood.

Remember: Parking meters don’t have to plugged on Monday, May 31, for Memorial Day and garbage pickup will be a day late all week following the Memorial Day holiday.

And now on to traffic:

The Freya Street Bridge project is completed and open to traffic. The $7 million project was funded by Bridge Replacement Money, the Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board, and the City of Spokane.

Decatur Avenue from Freya to Julia Streets is on track to be completed before Memorial Day.
Until completed, the streets remain closed to thru traffic with local access only. The project is to pave and install curbs and sidewalks of Decatur Avenue from Freya to Julia streets; and Julia Street from Dalke to Francis avenues. The $540,000 project is being funded by the 10-Year Street Bond and Local Improvement District (LID).

The Havana Street overpass project, which consists of constructing an overpass over the railroad viaduct on Havana Street north of Broadway Avenue, is progressing. the bridge will have four traffic lanes; the outside traffic lane will be a shared bike lane. Sidewalks will be added on each side. Traffic is detoured to Fancher Road. The $7.9 million project is funded by the Washington State Freight Mobility Board, State Transportation Improvement Board, federal sources, Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad, STA, and the City of Spokane.

The project to rehabilitate Lincoln Street from 29th to 17th avenues and install curb extensions with storm gardens that will drain the treated water into Cannon Hill Park pond, is progressing. The street is closed to motorists. Traffic is detoured at 14th Ave. to Cedar Street/High Drive or Bernard Street onto 29th Ave. The $1.7 million project is being funded by the 10-Year Street Bond and Wastewater Department.

Street sweeping will be done between 6 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Residents are asked to move their vehicles from the street during sweeping. The complete city-wide schedule is available at www.spokanecity.org and will be updated weekly until the sweeping is complete in July. The City’s street maintenance hotline at (509) 456-2666 also gives full updates. In the coming week, these areas will be swept:

Third Avenue to Hartson Avenue and Scott Street to Havana Street.

Fancher Way to Hatch Road and Second Avenue to Trent Avenue/Parkwater Ave.

Regal Street to Custer Street and 48th Avenue to 29th Avenue

Source: City of Spokane Engineering Services Department, (509) 625-6318

This just in from the City of Spokane:

Southeast Boulevard is closed from Perry Street to Rockwood; the wind has toppled over trees and they’ve pulled down power lines - please find a different route if you have to go somewhere.

Spokane Public Schools have the day off  so there are many kids out and about. Warn them(and everyone else) never to go near a downed power line.

To report a power outage call Avista Utilities at 1-800-227-9187.

If you have any windy pictures from South Perry, please send them in. Read a full report of this morning’s and early afternoon’s wind mayhem here.