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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review

Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883 Partly Cloudy Night 47° Partly Cloudy
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Getting There: State designing upgrades for I-90

Big freeway improvements take so long to plan and build that state engineers have already started design work on improvements to Interstate 90 from Barker to Harvard roads even though there is no money to pay for it. Last month, the Washington State Department of Transportation held an open house in Spokane Valley to talk about design concepts for improving the Barker-to-Harvard stretch. Nearly 100 people turned out.

Work starts today to widen I-90 in Spokane Valley

The 2011 road construction season moves into high gear today with the start of a $15 million project to widen Interstate 90 to six lanes from Sullivan to Barker roads. It is the third major project to get going this year, following the city’s launch last week of efforts to rebuild Second Avenue and to create a new Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

Layoff notices hit county’s embattled right-of-way office

Six Spokane County right-of-way workers received layoff notices Tuesday in the wake of severe criticism by state officials. The notices, effective April 29, apply to everyone in the right-of-way office except the secretary, who may be assigned other duties.

For roadways, major work; for drivers, major headache

Drivers in the Spokane area are going to have another construction season of slowdowns under a series of major projects planned for Interstate 90 and Division Street. Studded tires have caused so much damage to the concrete pavement on the Sunset Hill that the Washington State Department of Transportation is now going to spend $7.8 million fixing the freeway in a project expected to last until 2012.

City analysis notes bike route’s potential for snarled traffic

Removing a lane for cars in favor of one for bicycles along Second Avenue downtown would cause longer traffic backups during rush hour in at least two locations, Spokane officials said last week. The engineering analysis is part of the growing debate about the future of city street design.

Getting There: Bus line links Spokane to northern neighbors

Folks living along the U.S. Highway 395 corridor north of Spokane are going to get a new choice for transportation. The state of Washington has launched bus service between Kettle Falls and three locations in Spokane through a private operator.

State to add lanes to I-90 from Sullivan to Barker

The state Department of Transportation announced on Monday that it plans to add a third lane to Interstate 90 in each direction from Sullivan Road to Barker Road, with the work beginning next spring. The Spokane Valley project is one of 21 highway projects statewide worth an estimated $112 million that will receive funding as a result of savings on construction contracts in recent years.

Third lane planned for I-90 from Sullivan to Barker

The Washington state Department of Transportation announced today that it plans to add a third lane to Interstate 90 in each direction from Sullivan Road to Barker Road with the work beginning next spring.

Gas tax debate rekindled in Idaho

There’s good reason Washington license plates are such a common sight at Idaho gas stations near the state line – gas is just plain cheaper in Idaho. Among the reasons: Washington’s 37.5-cent-per-gallon gas tax is 12.5 cents higher than Idaho’s, which has stood at 25 cents a gallon since 1996.

Inspection and scales moving to fast lane

A $6.7 million Washington port of entry and weigh station complex under construction along Interstate 90 at the Idaho state line will provide nonstop service to many truckers, Department of Transportation spokesman Al Gilson said this week. He said scales embedded in the highway in front of the existing weigh station – about one-half mile east of its replacement – will weigh trucks on the fly. Meanwhile, windshield-mounted transponders will forward registration, safety documentation and other information using the Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks.

Rock blasting to close I-90 at Snoqualmie tonight

Interstate 90 on the east side of Snoqualmie Pass is going to be closed for one hour at 8 p.m. for rock blasting as part of freeway widening from Hyak to Keechelus Dam, state officials said.

Freya work on track

Nine months after Freya Street was closed for construction of a new bridge over BNSF rail lines, workers have been pouring concrete for the new deck surface. Only two months are left until the project’s scheduled completion.

Creek at risk, complaint alleges

On multiple occasions last year, untreated storm water from a north Spokane freeway construction site illegally spilled into Deadman Creek, a stream that flows into the Little Spokane River. The state Department of Transportation on Thursday acknowledged that there were violations, but it said the issue was addressed properly and that no illegal discharges have occurred since Nov. 30.

Stimulus to spur work on corridor

Spokane’s long-sought North Side freeway got a boost on Wednesday with the announcement of a $35 million federal economic stimulus grant to pay for a 3.7-mile extension of the southbound lanes between Francis Avenue and Farwell Road. It was the only one of three grant applications from the Washington Department of Transportation to win funding in a $1.5 billion round of competition nationally.

When storms hit, they hit DOT Web site, too

Clicking on the Washington State Department of Transportation Web site may sometimes feel like traveling in the slow lane. The site has become so popular that downloading page views can take a long time, especially during snowstorms or busy travel days.

Snow crews raring to plow

The man with the big shovel says Spokane Valley is ready for winter. “We’ve got all the plows and equipment and all the chemicals we need,” city Public Works Director Neil Kersten said. “We think we’re ready to go.”

Used plows clear a path for Valley

Spokane Valley now has its own fleet of snowplows to take over where Spokane County left off last winter. A half-dozen used trucks, purchased from the Washington Department of Transportation for $109,600, are being inspected and serviced by the city’s street-maintenance contractor, Poe Asphalt Paving in Post Falls.

City buys trucks for snow

Spokane Valley now has its own fleet of snowplows to take over where Spokane County left off last winter. A half-dozen used trucks, purchased from the Washington Department of Transportation for $109,600, are being inspected and serviced by the city’s street-maintenance contractor, Poe Asphalt Paving in Post Falls.