Thor/Freya work shuts key sections

Getting on or off the South Hill just got a little harder.

Street construction crews today shut down key portions of the Thor/Freya corridor as they work to create a new couplet along the route.

Don’t plan on taking Freya Street between Hartson and Second Avenues, Hartson between Thor and Freya or Fifth Avenue from Ray to Freya for some time.

The $3.4 million Thor/Freya couplet project, designed with improving safety in mind, is scheduled to be complete by early July.

Once crews finish work on Freya, they will move over to Thor, said Ted Todd, the city’s public works inspector for the project.

“People are not going to do what they’ve always done,” Todd said.

If you can go a different way, do. If you can’t, give yourself a little extra time to negotiate the traffic snarl.

Not a clearcut

Some Interstate 90 travelers have been contacting The Spokesman-Review, alarmed by the tree and rock removal going on along the freeway at the Lincoln County line.

Here’s the skinny: about 5 percent of the trees are being removed from the median and shoulders, and the tall rock formations will stay even though some of the other rocks have to go.

The reason for the work is a federally mandated “clear zone.”

When the speed limit went up to 70 mph a few years ago, that zone got bigger to protect people who lose control of their cars.

The twist? While the work is going on, the speed limit is reduced to 55 mph.

Speed confusion

Speaking of I-90 speed limits, the stretches from Spokane to the Idaho state line have gotten a bit confusing.

In addition to the reduction to 50 mph between Argonne and Sullivan, the speed limit is also reduced to 55 mph near Liberty Lake, where crews are working on a pedestrian bridge over the freeway.

Keep an eye on the signs and save yourself a ticket.

Fair warning

The Spokane Police Department’s traffic unit will be conducting emphasis patrols this week near the Monroe Street Bridge detour.

They’re going to be looking out for drivers who don’t stop at the stop signs, who speed and who don’t yield for pedestrians in the crosswalks.

How about the people headed south on Monroe in the left hand lane, who turn left at the detour, then swing right in front of you into the right hand lane so they can continue south? I say, go get those people.

Spring cleaning

Residential street sweeping gets under way this week in the city of Spokane.

Sweepers are out between 6 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and they sure can do a better job if there aren’t a bunch of cars parked on the street.

So please check the city’s schedule to see when they will be in your neighborhood.

Just go to www.spokanecity.org or call 456-2666.

This week’s target areas are bounded by: Johansen, Rowan, A and Driscoll Boulevard; Wellesley, Rowan, Driscoll and A; Strong, the north city limits, Indian Trail Road and Wieber Drive; Greene, North Crescent and Mission; 18th Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Crestline and Sherman; and Fourth, 29th, Monroe and Cannon.

Tire time

Get those studded tires off this week.

Come April 1, you can be ticketed if you are still driving with them on your vehicle.

Slow going

Things get a little messy starting today at the I-90 Argonne interchange.

While it shouldn’t impact freeway traffic, work on the traffic signals at the ramps could cause some headaches on the ramps and on Argonne.

Perry Street is scheduled to be shut down starting Tuesday between Garland and the alley north of Kiernan for a sewer project.