Solution Sought For Street Barrier In/Around: Nevada-Lidgerwood

Residents of the Nevada Lidgerwood neighborhood are taking a closer look at the structure known as the Nevada-Cozza barrier.

The barrier is actually a couple of traffic islands at the intersection of Nevada Street and Cozza Drive. And while some neighbors love it, others say it’s a major annoyance.

So neighborhood leaders are collecting public comment in hopes of finding a solution everyone can live with.

City Traffic Engineer Don Ramsey attended the monthly Nevada Lidgerwood Neighborhood Council meeting last week to share the results of traffic studies done at the intersection. He also introduced several options to the barrier.

Currently, traffic that was previously allowed to turn right or left from east-bound Cozza can now only turn right. Traffic exiting Cedar Springs Estates apartment complex, at the east end of Cozza, is free to turn right or left.

Members of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, which sits at the northwest corner of the intersection, have particularly strong feelings about the barrier. Many motorists try to bypass the barrier completely by cutting through the church parking lot - often at high speeds.

“It’s dangerous,” said Holy Cross member Gordon Sinclair. “It’s inexcusable of the city not to see this would funnel traffic through the church parking lot.”

But supporters of the barrier say traffic has been greatly reduced on Cozza - exactly what the barrier was built to do.

A traffic study done before the change counted more than 4,000 cars in one day on Cozza west of Nevada. With the barrier in place, less than 2,000 cars were counted in the same area, Ramsey said.

But to address the many complaints about the barrier, Ramsey presented four options.

The first is to do nothing and leave the barrier as is.

“The mitigation measure is performing as intended,” Ramsey said.

A second option would be to remove the barrier, leaving the intersection how it used to be. But since the original traffic study said some mitigation measure was needed, Ramsey did not favor that choice.

Another option would be to change the turning patterns - creating left turns where there currently are none and getting rid of existing right turns, for example.

A final option would be to keep the barrier in place and add “traffic calming” measures. Things like speed bumps or traffic circles could be added to the church and apartment properties, or to neighboring streets now seeing an increase of speeding cars.

Terry Cox, chair of the Nevada Lidgerwood traffic committee, stressed that the city has final jurisdiction over the outcome of the barrier. The neighborhood council can only make recommendations.

However, Cox also said the city is very supportive of the neighborhood’s role.

A public meeting was scheduled for Wednesday night to further discuss the traffic studies and barrier alternatives. Results of that meeting were not available by press time.

The Nevada Lidgerwood traffic committee will now draft a recommendation for the neighborhood council and will present it at the council’s next meeting Feb. 10.

Comments wanted Send comments about the Nevada-Cozza barrier to Terry Cox at 227 E. Lacrosse Ave., Spokane, 99207, or by e-mail to tcox@avistacorp.com. Cox said he will make sure they are included in the upcoming presentation to the Nevada Lidgerwood Neighborhood Council.