Funds sought for work at Sullivan Road and Euclid Avenue
The Spokane Regional Transportation Council is considering action to award a $2 million grant to the city of Spokane Valley for a major upgrade of the intersection, which serves the industrial area along Sullivan north of the Spokane River.
The project involves reconstructing the pavement and approaches to the intersection; realigning lanes on the west side; repairing or replacing stormwater systems; and upgrading curb ramps to meet current federal standards.
The $2 million grant sought by Spokane Valley would come from federal funds, but its disbursement would have to be approved by the local transportation council that oversees planning and a portion of federal grant funding.
The Spokane Valley project would be added to the Spokane region’s transportation improvement plan if it wins approval by the transportation council.
Carolbelle Branch, a spokeswoman for Spokane Valley, said the project will not be scheduled for construction until the funding is approved.
However, the city’s six-year street plan calls for building the new intersection in 2017.
Sullivan Road has been seeing major upgrades in recent years, including construction of a new southbound bridge over the river that’s underway.
Last year, the segment from Wellesley Avenue to state Highway 290 was repaved. In earlier years, improvements were made south of Interstate 90.
The public is invited to comment on the proposed addition to the regional transportation plan through 4 p.m. Friday.
Comments can be made by email at contact.srtc@srtc.org, by mail to SRTC at 221 W. First Ave., Suite 310, Spokane, WA, or by phone at (509) 343-6370.
Central City Line workshop Feb. 2
A community workshop on the proposed Central City Line for Spokane transit is planned for 4-6 p.m. on Feb. 2 at the Riverpoint campus in the Biomedical and Health Sciences Building on Spokane Falls Boulevard east of Pine Street.
The trolley line was part of a ballot measure that was narrowly rejected by voters in April. The measure called for a 0.3 percent sales tax increase.
The workshop will provide citizens with an update on the proposed trolley line and an opportunity to give input.
Elements under consideration are the exact route, stop locations, station design and amenities, land-use policies and economic development incentives.
The line would run from Browne’s Addition through downtown and the college campuses east of Division Street to Spokane Community College.
The workshop will follow a series of noontime brown-bag sessions on the trolley line this week.
Those sessions are Monday in the Kress Gallery behind the food court at River Park Square; Tuesday in the Liberty Building, 203 N. Washington St.; and Wednesday in the Community Building, 35 W. Main Ave.
DOT workers give
to food banks
Employees for the eastern region of the Washington state Department of Transportation raised $16,700 in recent weeks in their annual food drive and fundraiser for local food banks.
Since 2006, employees have raised $111,800 and donated 26,500 pounds of food.
Traffic camera needs new battery
The traffic camera and remote weather station at the top of 5,575-foot Sherman Pass needs a new battery pack.
State DOT workers have ordered a replacement from the Canadian manufacturer, but the pack won’t be delivered for about three months.
The old pack that failed was part of the original installation in 2004. It had been getting periodic recharges with a propane-powered generator.
The new pack costs $8,000.
“Since there is no electrical utility service available, the unit is powered by a series of special heavy-duty, rechargeable batteries designed for the temperature extremes at this high-altitude location,” said Keith Metcalf, regional administrator, in a written report to the public last week.