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Representatives from the city of Spokane Valley had little trouble directing traffic at last week’s open house to discuss upcoming construction projects on Sprague Avenue.
Despite the low turnout – the guest list failed to break double digits for the May 6 event at City Hall – staff from the public works department spoke in enthusiastic tones about the renovation of three intersections along the city’s main corridor as well as an effort to add a new surface on Sprague from University to Evergreen.
“When you talk about capital projects, this is about the most work the city has had going,” said Craig Aldworth, a senior engineer who is coordinating the series of intersection overhauls beginning with one at Pines and Sprague which started this week.
The 2009 Spokane Regional Road Construction Map includes a total of nine projects in Spokane Valley that will begin or continue this spring and summer. In addition to the intersection upgrades and Sprague resurfacing, the list includes work on the Barker Road Bridge – with a completion date in spring of 2010; refurbishing of the intersection at Fancher and Broadway and the addition of a pedestrian pathway and bike lanes from Van Marter to Sands along 44th Avenue.
Broadway from Fancher to Thierman will also by resurfaced this spring. A collaborative effort with the Washington Department of Transportation will mean the installation of signal controllers, traffic cameras and a message sign along Appleway, Sprague and Dishman-Mica. Lastly, work continues on a project to reconfigure the westbound Interstate 90 ramps at Pines and rebuild Mansfield Avenue from Wilbur to Pines.
The three intersection ugrades along Sprague will be partially funded through grants from the Spokane Transit Administration and include replacement of asphalt with concrete and improvements to pedestrian walkways and stormwater systems. Aldworth said STA initiated the funding “because buses generally have the greatest impact on the road.”
Traffic was reduced to two lanes going east and west as construction began Monday on Pines and Sprague. Unlike the Sprague resurfacing project – which will take place from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on work days – overhaul of the intersections at Pines, McDonald and Evergreen will occur during the day.
Aldworth said the time span for the Pines job is expected to take about six weeks compared to five weeks each for McDonald and Evergreen. Turn lanes will remain open on Pines throughout the duration of the contract. Stormwater improvements will be a major aspect of the Pines project, Aldworth said. New drywells and catch basins are expected to more effectively counteract the impact of heavy rain and accumulating puddles.
“If we didn’t repair this, there would be a giant pothole,” he said.
Aldworth makes sure to contact each business affected by the construction, alerting them of the schedule and the potential impact on traffic. The city took the same approach to a project at the Bowdish/Sprague intersection last year.
“I think people appreciate being able to know what’s going to be happening on their street,” Aldworth said.
Bids will go out for the Evergreen/McDonald work this Friday. City engineer Hal West said the climate for construction has improved recently with decreasing costs for materials like asphalt and companies submitting lower bids to secure work.
“I think what you’re seeing is a product of the economy,” West said.
The renovation on Sprague will be financed through a $2.89 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, continuing a trend of that has seen 74 percent of Spokane Valley capital improvement projects covered through outside funding since 2004.
The latest improvements to the city’s main corridor align with standards outlined in Spokane Valley’s Pavement Management Program, a blueprint for maintaining city streets – some 431 miles in total – that emphasizes incremental upkeep over long-term replacement.
“This section of Sprague was on the schedule,” said Steve Worley, Spokane Valley’s senior engineer in charge of capital projects. “We knew if we didn’t get it resurfaced soon, it would cost significantly more later.”
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By
Craig Howard
