Santa’s new technology gives reindeer a holiday

Enjoy those presents from Santa guilt-free.

His reindeer are no longer exhausted after a night of delivering gifts around the world.

It’s all thanks to new sleigh technology.

According to a news release, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters certified the first-ever hydrogen powered sleigh as safe to operate in U.S. airspace.

The sleigh, a hybrid, can run on reindeer power or hydrogen fuel cells, according to the release, which itself was fueled more by fancy than facts.

So if the kids didn’t hear Santa last night, the reindeer may have been taking one of their breaks and letting the fuel cells do the work.

Bigelow Gulch money

An environmental assessment of plans to widen Bigelow Gulch may be finished this spring, and if approved by the Federal Highway Administration, some funding will be available for the project in 2008.

The Spokane Regional Transportation Council Board recently earmarked $3 million for a project to improve Bigelow Gulch from the urban growth boundary to Wiley Road.

Another $303,000 was set aside for engineering work on the portion of roadway between Argonne and Forker roads, said Bill Hemmings, Spokane County’s program development engineer.

Bigelow Gulch has long been used as a shortcut between Spokane Valley and Spokane’s North Side. It now carries abut 18,000 vehicles a day, but once expanded to two lanes in each direction, traffic could jump to 26,000 daily trips.

Many neighbors oppose the project, saying it would disturb their rural lifestyle and encourage rampant development.

Slow going

Shoppers on the lookout for bargains could clog streets around NorthTown Mall on Tuesday. Flaggers will direct traffic in the mall’s parking lots and on Wellesley Avenue and Queen Avenue.

Lane closures continue on Post Street near Spokane City Hall and Riverfront Park.