Project will widen route to casino

Thu., Feb. 3, 2005

The Spokesman-Review

Hayford Road will more than double in width, making it more convenient to get from U.S. Highway 2 to the Northern Quest Casino in Airway Heights.

The road will be widened from Highway 2 north to the Spokane Raceway Park entrance, a 1½ -mile stretch.

The two-lane road will be converted into two northbound lanes, two southbound lanes and a middle turning lane. Bicycle paths will be built on both sides.

A sidewalk will run from the highway intersection to Ninth Avenue on the east side and along the entire expansion on the west side.

Spokane County engineer Chad Coles said the county will take bids on the $3.5 million project this spring. Work will begin in June and is scheduled to be complete by mid-September or October. Up to $2 million of the cost will be paid for by a grant from the state Transportation Improvement Board, which approved the project last November, Coles said. Area developers also will help pay for the project.

The average daily traffic count on that stretch of Hayford Road is 11,000 vehicles, and growing.

Granite Investments LLC is developing a shopping center on the northeast corner of the intersection.

Cedar Summit Estates LLC is developing an apartment complex north of the intersection. Condron Homes is also planning on building north of the intersection.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.