Rough time for drivers, then relief

Just remember, it’s for your own good.

Painful as this summer may be for local motorists, come next spring there will be some smooth roads to travel.

Until then, prepare for some serious traffic headaches, especially in north Spokane, where the city, county and state all have projects planned.

Voter passage of $117 million in street bonds for the city of Spokane means a bevy of projects over the coming years. This construction season holds more than $33 million worth of work throughout the city, not all of it funded by the bonds.

Spokane County has $25 million worth of road projects planned. And in Spokane Valley, several arterials will be getting a freshening up, including a large stretch of Broadway Avenue.

The Washington State Department of Transportation continues work on both Interstate 90 and the North Spokane Corridor, as well as some new projects like resurfacing parts of U.S. 2.

Here’s a rundown of what to expect and when to expect it. Dates and costs are estimates.

Downtown Spokane

1. Division Street and Ruby Street (U.S. Highway 2), from the Spokane River to Euclid Avenue; mid July to mid-September.

Ruby will be resurfaced and Division will be ground down and repaved. Wheelchair access ramps will be built in some places, as will lane markings. WSDOT is planning to conduct major paving work in the evening and night. No cost estimate yet.

2. Third Avenue, from Inland Empire Way and Ninth Avenue to Division Street; mid-April to late July.

This is a joint city of Spokane water/street bond project, as the water department replaces a 24-inch water main with a 36-inch pipe. Tom Arnold, Spokane’s director of engineering services, said that half the width of the road will be under construction at a time, with work progressing along its length. Cross streets may be closed at times where they cross Third.

3. Stevens Street and Washington Street, between Ninth and Third avenues; mid-May to early August.

This prime couplet between the South Hill and downtown Spokane is getting a major overhaul courtesy of Spokane street bonds. $2.3 million.

North

4. Division Street and the Newport Highway (U.S. 2), from just north of Francis Avenue to Center Street in Mead; June to September.

WSDOT is grinding out and replacing five miles of rutted pavement. Major paving is planned for the evening and night time, but steel yourself for some headaches. No cost estimate yet.

5. Maple and Ash streets, from Wellesley Avenue to Cedar Road; mid-June to early October.

This Spokane street bond project wasn’t supposed to be done until 2006, but the city moved it up a year. Crews resurfacing the streets will use a product new to Spokane, called Superpave, which Arnold said is supposed to resist rutting. $3.3 million.

6. Country Homes Boulevard, from Cedar Road to Wall Street; July to August.

Spokane County will resurface the road just north of the Spokane city limits. $570,000.

7. Monroe Street, from Francis Avenue to Wall Street; July to August.

Spokane County Engineer Ross Kelley said this county resurfacing project won’t happen at the same time as the Country Homes Boulevard project. $430,000.

8. Crestline Street, between Wellesley and Francis avenues; mid-May to mid-July.

A city street bond project to repair the rutted roadway. $2.3 million.

9. Market Street, from Freya Street to Magnesium Road; April to September.

In addition to work along Market Street, this county project includes realigning Magnesium Road and installing a traffic signal there. Market Street was improved from Lincoln Street to Freya last year. $1 million.

10. North Spokane Corridor, from Gerlach to Wandermere; all season.

This grading project is being done in anticipation of the north Spokane freeway. Impacts may be felt at cross streets along the path. There will be a detour at Highway 2, where a grade separation will be built. At Farwell Road there will be an at-grade crossing with flaggers. A grade separation is also being built at Market Street. This is paid for with the state’s nickel gas tax. $10 million.

11. Bigelow Gulch at Argonne Road; May to November.

This intersection reconstruction is the first phase in a multiyear Spokane County project to improve safety along Bigelow Gulch. $2.5 million.

South

12. Thor/Freya Couplet, between Hartson and Sprague avenues; early April to late July.

This is part of an ongoing effort to improve the entire Freya corridor from Mission Avenue to Hartson. Pedestrian safety features will be added as the roads are converted to one-way thoroughfares along this segment. Part of Fifth Avenue will also be under construction. $3.4 million.

13. Regal Street, between 38th and 57th avenues; early April to late July.

Both the city and county are working on Regal this year. Arnold said this roadway was never intended nor designed for the amount of traffic it is now carrying. It will be rebuilt to meet engineering standards, including a turn lane and sidewalks. $2.3 million city/$900,000 county.

Valley

14. Interstate 90, between Argonne and Sullivan roads; through early October.

This is the last year of this project to add a third lane in each direction of the freeway. Expect much of the same as last year. The westbound Evergreen on- and off-ramps will be closed. And remember the 50 mph speed limit. $37 million

15.

Barker Road, Boone Avenue to Barker Road Bridge; June to October.

Spokane Valley plans to add a turn lane to Barker Road here as well as curbs, sidewalks and a traffic signal at Mission Avenue. A sewer will be installed, too. $2.5 million.

16. Dishman-Mica Road, between First and Sprague avenues; May to June.

Spokane Valley will remove and replace the asphalt on this short but highly traveled portion of Dishman-Mica. $60,000.

17. Broadway Avenue, between Bates and Sullivan roads; July to September.

The plan is to grind down the road surface and overlay it with new pavement. This is a major stretch, from just east of Bowdish Road all the way to Sullivan. $800,000.

18. Argonne Road, between Indiana and Montgomery avenues; September to October.

You’ve endured the Argonne Bridge project, now you get to experience this work, just north of I-90, as crews grind down the bad pavement and cover it with new asphalt. Because this is a major arterial, work is planned for evening hours. $300,000.

West

19. Hayford Road, from State Route 2 to Raceway Park entrance; April to October.

Spokane County will widen this two-lane road to four lanes plus a turn lane and will build sidewalks. $3.5 million.