Business Owners Back Wider Walks

Sat., June 17, 2000

By Lorie Hutson lorieh@spokesman.com (509) 459-5446

Business owners along Sprague Avenue are overwhelmingly in support of an effort to move a planned sidewalk further away from their store fronts between Park and Dishman-Mica roads.

The Spokane Valley Business Association said they have gathered the signatures of more than 95 percent of the business owners in that area.

They want the county to extend the existing curb into the street far enough to build the new six-foot sidewalks there. The county originally planned to build the new sidewalks in the right of way it owns in front of businesses on both sides of Sprague Avenue.

“There are only about five people I didn’t catch up to,” said Jack Riley, who collected the signatures supporting the effort. Riley owns land near Sprague and Vista, which he leases to La Leyenda’s Plantation restaurant.

Like many business owners, Riley does not have sidewalks and has a parking lot right up to the curb on Sprague Avenue. He would have lost nine parking spaces if the county went ahead with its original plan to build sidewalks inside the curb.

County engineers agreed last month to change the plans for the new curbs and sidewalks, if business owners would pay the additional costs.

Assistant county engineer Ross Kelley said the design is difficult, but it can be done. Engineers were already planning to narrow Sprague from seven lanes down to five when it becomes the one-way westbound leg of the Valley couplet this fall.

Kelley said there is enough room that none of the lanes will be pinched if the sidewalks are moved.

“I think you’re going to find it makes the place look a lot more … modern,” he said. “It will make it look like a new street and a place that is pedestrian friendly as well as vehicle friendly.”

Kelley said the design plans for the sidewalk and a cost estimate were expected to be done this week. The business owners would form a road improvement district to pay for the additional expenses brought about by the change. For example, the drainage system and dry wells would have to be moved. Kelley estimated the change would cost about $500,000.

Sidewalk construction is scheduled to begin late this summer or next year.

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