Roundabouts proposed for U.S. 395 in Deer Park
The state transportation department is proposing two roundabouts and other changes to improve safety on U.S. Highway 395 through Deer Park.
The public is invited to an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Deer Park High School.
The drop-in open house with no formal presentation will allow people to arrive when it is convenient and leave at any time. Transportation officials will take comments from the public.
In a five-year period from 2010 through 2014, there were 65 accidents in a 3-mile stretch of the highway through Deer Park, according to the agency.
The proposal would install one roundabout on U.S. 395 at Short Road and Main Street on the south side of Deer Park and a second one on the highway at Monroe Road and Crawford Street on the north side.
In addition, engineers are proposing to close the Burroughs and Dalton roads intersection and reroute traffic onto Short Road on the west side of the highway. That part of the job would involve repaving on Short Road.
Members of the public can check out the details at a project website at wsdot.wa.gov/planning/Studies/US395DeerPark-IntersectionStudy.htm.
Monroe reconstruction shifts downtown
Work starts this week on reconstruction of Monroe and Lincoln streets from Main Avenue south to Second Avenue.
The first week of work will not involve major traffic restrictions. However, there will be restrictions on Sprague, First and Riverside avenues.
Starting June 6, Monroe will be reduced to a single lane southbound for about two weeks.
After that, the work on water pipes will shift to Lincoln Street, where only a single lane will be open.
The work is mainly at intersections.
The $3.12 million project is being financed with state and federal grants and local real estate transfer taxes.
Elsewhere in the city, curb ramps for accessibility are being installed this year at:
- Lyons Avenue from Perry to Pittsburg streets.
- Maxwell Avenue from Belt to Ash streets.
- Thurston Avenue from Lee to Regal streets.
- Indian Trail Road from Ridgecrest Drive to the city limits.
- Park Place from Euclid to Columbia avenues.
- Wellington Place from Alice to Glass avenues.
- Myrtle Street from Marietta to Frederick avenues.
Work on Havana Street from 37th Avenue to Glenrose Road was expected to be finished by last Friday and the street reopened to traffic.
Hayford Road is undergoing a repaving project that will limit daytime traffic from 49th Avenue to north of Thorpe Road.
Reconstruction along Main Avenue west of Division Street is slated to start June 6.
State sealing cracks on highways
On state highways, crack sealing and a new chip-sealed surface project on U.S. Highway 2 from Espanola Road to Davenport will begin on Tuesday. That will involve single-lane traffic guided by pilot cars. Delays could be 20 minutes.
A similar project with pilot cars also will start Tuesday on U.S. Highway 195 from Colton to the Idaho state line.
Elsewhere, state transportation workers on Friday closed one eastbound lane of Interstate 90 near Cle Elum because of a risk from broken pavement. Emergency repairs are needed.
STA proposing improvements faster
The Spokane Transit Authority board of directors earlier this month decided to step up some of the transit improvements sought on a ballot measure in November.
The board wants to accelerate bus improvements for medical services, apartments and offices on East Indiana Avenue in Spokane Valley; implement new Sunday service on North Nevada Street; increase bus service to Airway Heights on weekends; and implement later runs on Saturday nights.
Spokane Valley projects
In Spokane Valley, Indiana Parkway from Desmet Court to Steen Parkway will be closed through June 16 at 5 p.m.
The Spokane River at the new Sullivan Road Bridge project remains closed for safety. The river will be reopened after spring water flow recedes.
The Centennial Trail is open below the bridge.