SPOKANE, Wash. — Warmer weather is on its way to the Inland Northwest, and while the warm temperatures signify summer to Spokane residents, they also signify the start of an annual headache: construction season.
The city of Spokane has a list of projects in mind for the 2023 season, many of which involve a large investment in some old and new projects. Some of the construction projects slated for this year include the completion of the Post Street bridge, maintenance on the 2nd and 3rd Avenue intersections and the Thor-Freya corridor.
“Everything together is in the $100 million range for the season," said Marlene Feist, the Spokane Public Works Director. "That includes some of the stuff that was already started."
The start of the new construction season also means two busy streets that were impacted last year will be impacted again this year.
“You’ll see things like the Post Street bridge get finished, probably late in the year," Feist said. "You’ll see a continuation of work on the Thor-Freya corridor. We’re going to do those intersections with Thor and Freya at 2nd and 3rd."
The 2nd and 3rd Avenue intersections are set for a full reconstruction, including curb, water and sewer replacements and upgrades to make ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This project is expected to cost approximately $1.5 million.
According to Feist, the city has already started warning businesses in the area about what's coming. In 2022, road work on Thor-Freya meant shifting traffic from one road to the other as construction shut down the streets.
One coffee shop on Freya said last year's construction really slowed them down.
“It’s going to be a much smaller impact than previous," Feist said. "We’ll be able to maintain at least one lane of traffic on each of the roads.”
Many of the city's anticipated projects revolve around pedestrian safety, including adding hybrid crossing beacons to more spots citywide, such as three locations along Division, Greene and Carlisle, and the Nevada-Joseph intersection.
“We look throughout the city to determine where we need to make improvements to allow pedestrians to move more freely through our community, particularly near places like schools or hospitals," Feist said. "Places where pedestrians might collect, if you will, like a grocery store."
More sidewalks are also coming. Walkways will be installed near Bemiss Elementary, around Driscoll/Alberta/Cochran and on the west side of Haven Street.
You can view the full list of 2023 projects here.
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