Need For Bypass Route Still Lacking

Planners pushing a new beltway that would allow residents of the northwest suburban area to bypass the city on their way to the West Plains might be in for a surprise: The North Side of Spokane is largely where those people want to go.

For years, Spokane County planning officials have been urging a beltway or bypass route around busy city intersections.

Though there are some gains to be had, especially for commercial vehicles and airport travelers, it still would be years before widespread efficiencies would be seen from such a road.

“The bypass would carry moderate traffic and provide modest congestion relief to a few major arterials in northwest Spokane,” according to the Spokane Regional Transportation Council.

The transportation council completed the study for what would be the northwest leg of the proposed beltway route.

It is the first analysis of the concept, which has been a rough line on county maps for years.

The study is also the first to look at the effect of growth in southern Stevens County and assumes a 5 percent growth rate around Suncrest to about 2,000 homes by the year 2010.

But even with this Stevens County growth, substantial efficiencies will not result from a Spokane bypass unless many more jobs are created in the West Plains.

Even for residents of Suncrest and adjacent developments, Spokane’s North Side is a more frequent destination than Airway Heights, Spokane International Airport or Fairchild Air Force Base.

“What we’re trying to say is that Spokane is still the economic center and that’s where people want to go,” said Glen Miles, agency director.

The bypass route studied would connect State Road 291 with Highway 395 using the Bonneville Power Administration power line right of way north of Five Mile Prairie. Phase two of the bypass would extend from State Route 291 across the Spokane River and connect with Hayford Road to Highway 2.

The northwest bypass would provide some needed relief to Francis Avenue and Woodside Avenue, but the portion taking traffic down to Highway 2 and the West Plains “does not take enough people where they want to go,” the study says.

The busiest leg of the bypass, from Nine Mile Road to Highway 395 makes more sense. That road would carry 2,400 vehicles per hour and ease some congestion along Francis and Woodside, according to the study.

The route would also create more congestion at the two major arterials it would intersect: Indian Trail Road and State Route 291.

The county is also proposing that there be a northeast bypass connection with Highway 395 from Bruce-Argonne Road, though no formal study of that is pending.

There is no cost estimate for the bypass proposal.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Mape of area.