Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Annual Hoopfest jam ahead

Basketball players and fans are taking over Spokane this weekend, so expect it to be a little more difficult to get through downtown beginning Friday evening when Hoopfest backboards start sprouting on the streets.

For those seeking to drive between the North Side and South Hill, the Monroe/Lincoln couplet will be open, as will Browne and Division streets. Other streets may be open in part for drivers to access major parking, but won’t be open all the way through downtown.

For those headed to Hoopfest, Spokane Transit is offering a $2 weekend pass. Pass holders can use it anywhere in the system, including to ride to and from downtown for the event and on two special “Hoop Loop” shuttles. The shuttles will transport players, fans and volunteers between parking areas east and southwest of Hoopfest and the courts. For more information, call 328-RIDE or visit www.spokanetransit.com.

Regular buses will be moved from the Plaza to alternate stops on Second Avenue, Howard Street and Third Avenue.

Information about downtown parking and driving during Hoopfest can also be found at www.spokanehoopfest.net under the “Plan your stay” tab.

South Hill woes

Today is a sad day for South Hill drivers.

The south half of the intersection of Southeast Boulevard and 29th Avenue is closed for five days, starting today. Crews are building a concrete intersection there. That means motorists driving north on Southeast Boulevard won’t be able to get onto 29th, already one lane in each direction to Grand Boulevard.

To make things worse, 37th Avenue construction gets under way today, too, closing it from Bernard Street to Grand.

And next week, Bernard Avenue construction will shut it down from 14th Avenue to 29th Avenue, with traffic detoured to Lincoln Street and Grand.

Give yourself some extra time to get to your destination.

My other car is an ark

Eeeks. Last week’s heavy rain was a nightmare for drivers. Flooding even covered the freeway for a short time.

And TJ Meenach repairs will continue this week after it was washed-out Tuesday.

But in anticipation of the next time we’re hit with biblical-caliber rains, here’s a request for the good of your fellow drivers. If you live on a side street where leaves, pine cones, garbage, whatever has clogged the street drain, and the water is rising, please take a few minutes to clean the drain out.

Remember, such acts of kindness will bring you good driving karma – maybe even that perfect parking spot.

Driver’s ed

A former colleague e-mailed Getting There last week to register frustration with drivers changing lanes within the I-90 viaduct construction area.

Signs say “Stay in Lane,” but many don’t, crossing between lanes even in on/off-ramp areas, she said.

The signs are actually a reminder of what we all were taught in driver’s ed – it’s illegal to cross a solid line, white or yellow. That portion of I-90 is painted solidly, so no lane changes.

Wide-load limits

Oversize loads can only use the I-90 downtown Spokane viaduct from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and 7 p.m.-6 a.m.

Worse news for drivers of such loads is that they can’t use city streets downtown during the hours in between. Oversized trucks are prohibited from the central business district unless making a local delivery.

Even deliveries require advance permits from the city, obtainable by calling (509) 625-7738.

Browne’s sweeping

Make sure your car isn’t parked in the wrong street in Browne’s Addition Tuesday and Wednesday.

Crews are sweeping the streets there and cars on streets being cleaned will be towed to make way for the trucks.

North-south streets will be swept Tuesday, east-west streets on Wednesday. Sweeping starts at 9 a.m.

Online open house

Want to find out more about the Washington State Department of Transportation’s plans to improve Snoqualmie Pass, but don’t want to drive to the pass to do it? You’re in luck.

The state is trying a new online open house for the project on Tuesday from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

To access the virtual open house, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/

I90/SnoqualmiePassEast and follow the links to the open house.

Slow going

Large numbers of projects make it unwieldy to list more than the largest construction projects and new projects in the paper. Ongoing project information is available at www.spokesmanreview.com/

blogs/gettingthere.

I-90

I-90 is reduced to two lanes in each direction between Division and Maple. Most nights it will be further reduced to one lane in each direction. The Monroe/Lincoln ramps are closed, as are the westbound Browne Street on-ramp and the eastbound Maple on-ramp and eastbound Division exit. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph. No changing lanes.

North Spokane

Rutter Parkway is closed from Highway 291 to Hope Lane. Flaggers will also be directing single-lane traffic most days on Highway 291 near Rutter Parkway and Charles Road.

The Maple Street Bridge will be reduced to one lane on the northbound side this week. One lane of High Bridge will also be restricted.

TJ Meenach Drive is restricted to one lane in each direction during the day and two westbound lanes and one eastbound lane after 4 p.m. as crews fix the washed-out roadway.

Haven Street is closed in Hillyard, but work is expected to be completed this week.

South Spokane

Work on 37th Avenue closes it from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard.

The right southbound lane of Highway 195 may be closed from 5 a.m.-3 p.m. between Lincoln Road and Qualchan Drive for paving.

Spokane sweeping

In addition to Browne’s Addition, crews will sweep in these Spokane neighborhoods: in the northwest from Indian Trail Road to Comanche between the north city limits and Shawnee Avenue; in northeast Spokane in the area bounded by Crestline, Division, Westview and Francis; and on the South side, in the area bounded by Water Avenue, Sixth, Monroe and Eagle Ridge Lane.

Please move cars off the streets. For more information, call (509) 456-2666.

Spokane Valley

Broadway Avenue overlay work begins this week between Bates Road and Sullivan Road.

Barker Road is closed from Boone to Euclid for road widening.

Idaho

Prairie Avenue remains under construction between Ramsey and Huetter.

Sand Creek Bridge pothole repair on Highway 95 means traffic is reduced to one southbound lane 8 p.m.-5 a.m. through Wednesday night. Traffic will be guided by flaggers.

In Post Falls, the intersection of Mullan and Idaho Street is closed during the day through Thursday.