Couplet finds support

For many Spokane Valley businesspeople, the Sprague-Appleway couplet is the enemy. Since Spokane County built the roadway in 2000, they’ve blamed its two one-way roads — and their lower traffic counts — for the demise of several stores.

But a group of businesspeople met Wednesday to kick off a campaign supporting the couplet and calling for its extension two miles eastward.

“It’s kind of hard to find issues where people turn out in droves to support it,” said John Konen, who called himself a resource person for the newly formed Finish the Job committee. “We need people to say (to the City Council), ‘Hey, you’re doing a great job. Continue the good work, and get the work done.’.”

Konen works for Storhaug Engineering and does contract work for Spokane Valley businessman Lloyd Torgerson. Torgerson, who co-sponsored the meeting, owns property in what would be the extended Appleway corridor and likely would benefit from building the road there, Konen said after the meeting.

The county’s original plan was to build the couplet to Evergreen Road. Currently, it stretches 2.7 miles, from the Interstate 90-Sprague Avenue interchange on the west end to University Road on the east end.

It would cost about $7 million to extend the couplet. About $5 million in federal funds for that project already have been approved and are in the Washington state Transportation Improvement Board’s coffers ready for allocation. The remaining $2 million would either need to come from the city or from the federal government again.

During the last several months, the council and the city’s staff have examined different scenarios for the roadway and have narrowed their focus to two options, both of which include extending Appleway to Evergreen. In one scenario, both sides of the couplet would be one-way roads. In the other, Appleway is a one-way eastbound road from the interchange to Evergreen and Sprague stays as it is now—a two-way road east of University and a one-way westbound road west of there.

At Wednesday’s meeting, a large red sign read “Finish the Job. Extend the Appleway Couplet.” Jerry Quinn, of the Quinn Group advertising agency, told the audience of about 40 not to focus on traffic direction.

“This is not an organization to even approach the one-way, two-way issues,” he said. “Finishing the couplet is our only concern this morning.”

Despite that, a few audience members made arguments for two-way travel.

“If you choose the (one-way) couplet option, you’re asking retail business owners to give up their hard-earned dollars,” said Carlos Landa, who owns the Opportunity Shopping Center near the Pines Road and Sprague intersection.

Jack Riley, owner of the old Plantation restaurant building on Sprague, said 90 property and business owners have signed a petition that opposes a one-way Sprague.

Torgerson attempted to get the group back on track.

“This is about the efficient movement of traffic,” he said.

Konen told the group to expect Spokane Valley’s population to grow as newcomers fill in existing neighborhoods with houses.

“The infrastructure will need to be accommodated to keep up with that,” he said.

Recent surveys, both scientific and informal, show strong community support for extending the couplet. Konen said Finish the Job will serve as a resource for other couplet proponents.

“There’s a lot of letters that have to be written,” he said.

The city also needs the county to transfer ownership of the Appleway right of way, which is a move the commissioners have discussed but haven’t made yet.Quinn said that as the city decides the couplet’s fate, it also must address its sign code. Under the law now, businesses can only erect monument-style signs on Appleway. Business owners on the couplet are hesitant to make that investment not knowing the couplet’s future, he said. In the meantime, they’ve plastered the north side of Appleway with balloons, banners and other less expensive—and often illegal—signs to remind drivers where to turn to reach their business.

“That’s caused the clutter on Appleway you see now,” Quinn said.

A final decision on the couplet is expected in December.

The city of Spokane Valley is forming an ad hoc committee to review its sign code. Are the current laws too strict or should the city do more to require complementary, tasteful signs? So far, several members of the sign industry have volunteered for the group, but few people from the general community have shown interest in participating. For more information or to apply to be on the committee, call (509) 688-0030.

For more information about the Finish the Job couplet extension committee, call Jerry Quinn at (509) 939-5845.