Dedicated bike lane plow and sweeper coming to Spokane

Spokane will soon get the city’s first purpose-built sweeper and plow to remove snow and debris from protected bike lanes, which are too narrow for most of the city’s equipment to navigate.

The plow is not expected to arrive in time for this year’s snow season, however.

It could be the first step toward building additional protected bike lanes, said Councilman Zack Zappone, who cosponsored the funding agreement with Councilman Michael Cathcart.

On Monday, the Spokane City Council approved dedicating $550,000 to pay for the equipment from the city’s Traffic Calming Fund.

The funding agreement also includes setting aside up to an additional $400,000 annually for the labor costs associated with maintaining the bike lanes, but primarily for other infrastructure purchased with the Traffic Calming Fund.

City officials have said there was not sufficient funding or personnel set aside in the past to keep up with the projects paid for through that fund.