City May Build Traffic Circle At Francis, Assembly

Are Spokane drivers ready for those very English-style roundabouts at one of the city’s busiest intersections?

Traffic planners are convinced that a roundabout would be a better solution than a stoplight for the redesign of the intersection of Nine Mile Road, Francis Avenue and Assembly Street.

A roundabout is an intersection that sends vehicles around a circular path to the next roadway instead of straight. They’re common in London and Mexico City, and one was recently installed in Browne’s Addition.

City transportation planner Bud Vokoun said there are considerable advantages to a roundabout. Vehicles don’t have to stop, and traffic moves more efficiently.

The disadvantage, at least is Spokane, is that drivers have to slow down.

“There are no signals, so the only problem is slowing to get in and out,” said Vokoun.

Though the long-term costs for the roundabout may be less than traffic signals, especially when time and air-quality issues are factored in, the immediate cost is quite a bit more because intersections must be rebuilt.

That’s why Vokoun wants to see if there are state transportation dollars available before proceeding with a final design.

If not, planners will go back to the oldfashioned way of dealing with Spokane’s traffic problems: stoplights that are often ignored.

Indian Trail plan

A preliminary analysis of land supply in the Indian Trail neighborhood indicates there might be more buildable land than Harlan Douglass and his attorney think.

The city Plan Commission is looking at an appeal by Douglass to the proposed neighborhood plan. A key issue is how much vacant land is buildable.

Planning Director Charlie Dotson said that analysis is time-consuming and requires looking at every parcel in the county assessor’s record, calculating slopes and looking at building standards.

A major contention of Douglass is that the proposed land-use plan overestimates the amount of buildable land. If there is less, he says, then densities can be increased without jeopardizing air-pollution laws.

But so far, Dotson said, “there doesn’t appear to be any less land” than what the proposed neighborhood plan now indicates.

The next step is to get a final figure on the land and submit it to the Spokane Regional Transportation Council, which then can do an air-quality analysis.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Light up my park

Cheers for Dotson for coming up with a solution for neighborhoods like Hillyard and West Central that want more electrical capacity at various parks.

More outlets and circuits are needed just a few times each summer for carnivals and neighborhood events. Rather than spend thousands of dollars for capacity that would be used infrequently, Dotson told one steering committee, why not purchase portable generators that can be moved to parks when needed?

“It seems to me that’s a more economical way to deal with the issues,” he said.

NE Community Center child care

Efforts by the Northeast Community Center to provide affordable child care have been put on hold because of uncertain financial prospects.

Though child care for working families is sorely needed in northeast Spokane, especially during evening hours, it can’t be done without either pricing it above what working families can afford or cutting back on staff salaries and benefits, according to a study completed by the community center.

“One of the greatest concerns for the board is that the employees they hire would become part of the working poor,” said Erin Hays, an Americorps worker who completed the analysis. “We want to provide service for the working poor and they would add to it. It’s a Catch 22.”

Indoor Halloween fun

The citywide Halloween party for kids at the Spokane Convention Center is not exactly a neighborhood affair, so Kids Play, 233 E. Lyons, decided to sponsor a party for the North Side, said Manager Josh Stickney.

Parents still have to pay $6 admission to the play areas, but there will be candy giveaways, pinatas, free hot dogs, drinks and a contest for the best costume.

Kids Play, across from the Lyons Cinema, is aimed at kids from age 2 to 12. The event will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Bumpers Fun Castle will also offer a safe trick-or-treat from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Bumpers is at NorthTown Mall, and the event is free.

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