Couplet Construction Winds Down

Thu., Oct. 28, 1999

By Robin Rivers robinr@spokesman.com

With chilly weather upon us, construction on the first portion of the Valley Couplet is winding down for the year.

All work planned this year from Dishman Road to University Road is complete. The new roadway awaits only a top coat of asphalt, which will be laid down in the spring.

“We can’t do much more this time of year,” said Assistant County Engineer Ross Kelley. “It gets too cold.”

Construction began in May on the eastbound portion of the couplet, which will turn parts of First and Second avenues into a four-lane eastbound route. Sprague Avenue will become a five-lane westbound companion route.

County officials plan to let the bids for construction of the next portion, from Thierman to Dishman, no later than February. Construction on that part is expected to be complete next October. The price tag for both portions totals $18.7 million.

There is one glitch.

Once the eastbound leg of the couplet is completed to University, county engineers plan to move eastbound traffic onto the road. Once that happens, crews will begin installing sewers on Sprague east of Pierce and then reworking Sprague.

But the state Department of Transportation is responsible for completing the road from Interstate 90’s Sprague Avenue interchange to Thierman and, as of yet, has no funding to do so.

“We have no idea when or how that’s going to be funded,” Kelley said. “But, we do have plans to have a temporary connection from the freeway to the couplet if needed.”

While that kink gets worked out, engineers have begun the working on the environmental impact statement and major investment study for the portion of the couplet east of University. The study will examine all possible modes of transportation. The hope is to extend the couplet out to Liberty Lake.

Once the study is complete, engineers expect to start the design work in 2001 and begin construction on the leg from University to Liberty Lake in 2002.

The eastbound portion of the couplet from University would run along old railroad right of way, alongside which a proposed light rail system could run. Because the county will not have to acquire any other right of way from landowners, construction should move along quickly, Kelley said. The hope is to finish the entire couplet by 2008.

But, again, there’s always one thing holding up plans.

“It’s all just about funding,” Kelley said.

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