SPOKANE, Wash. — Washington Department of Transportation officials say that the next phase of the North-South Freeway construction is set to begin this week. The agency says completing the Spokane River crossing is one of the most immediate tasks that is in front of them.
KREM 2 was at the site last week as WSDOT assessed their plans to move forward. This week, we will see the new chapter begin.
The North-South Freeway has been a puzzle decades in the making. In fact, KREM 2 found a video from August of 2009 when a ribbon cutting was held. In that fifteen-year-old video, a spokesperson talked about the possibilities with the freeway saying, “Imagine what it could mean for the livability of the community within Spokane and for the state’s economic vitality!”
Generations of Spokane residents have been waiting for the completion of the North Spokane Corridor. In 2024, seven miles have been completed and there are another three and a half miles to go.
That brings us to the river crossing project.
Joe McHale from WSDOT explained what the project entails. He said, “We’re going to be drilling 100 feet into the ground underneath the river.” Most of the work on this portion will be performed by giant modified cranes. The cranes will plant casts and create a foundation where beams will stand.
McHale explained, “And then put the rebar in. Pour the concrete, wait for it to cure and then they can remove the cast so that the structure is there in the river.”
That process is expected to be completed by 2025. By the time the project is finished, it will be the first newly built bridge going over the Spokane River in nearly forty years.
McHale talked about what will happen once the Spokane River crossing section is complete, “Once this is done, it’s going to connect those two sections. The one to the north of us, north of the river that continues on to Wellesley and Freya and ultimately 395. They’re just about done with that. They’ll be wrapping that up some time this year as well.”
While construction continues on the river crossing, the next two stages of construction include Sprague to Spokane River stages 2 and 3. Those will be followed by the connecting project of Interstate 90.
McHale added, “It will be elevated all the way to where we’re standing at the river to I-90. The entire North Spokane Corridor will be elevated.”
WSDOT officials say they won’t be building the freeway over any commercial buildings. However, for that to happen, the agency is still finalizing the last purchases for right away. WSDOT says they are hopeful that the process will be wrapped up this year.
When asked about when the entire project is expected to be complete, McHale said, “There is light at the end of the tunnel. We’re moving toward completing this project by 2030.”
WATCH RELATED: Newest section of the North South freeway is now open (Nov. 2023)