Official Discuss Lincoln Street Bridge Permit

Spokane officials sat down in Olympia with representatives from the Department of Ecology on Friday to discuss the shoreline permit for the Lincoln Street bridge project.

Ecology officials refused to issue the permit in January, saying the project clashed with the city’s shoreline management plan. The city has appealed the decision to the state Shoreline Hearings Board.

While they aren’t going to reverse their decision, state officials told the city they’d be willing to discuss options that might make building the bridge possible, said City Manager Bill Pupo.

Those options include amending the shorelines plan, changing the bridge design and including more public input in future project planning, Pupo said.

If Ecology and city officials could reach an agreement on bridge design, the state might testify before the hearings board in support of the project, Pupo said.

“I’m very optimistic that we can reach a satisfactory solution,” said Ecology Director Tom Fitzsimmons in a written statement.

, DataTimes