SPOKANE, Wash. — Travel between Highway 195 and Spokane’s South Hill will be a lot more difficult starting on Tuesday, March 29. The city is closing the Hatch Road bridge for at least four months as part of a project to replace the bridge deck.
The closure means drivers will no longer be able to access Highway 195 via Hatch Drive, and drivers on the highway will not be able to use Hatch Drive to access the South Hill. The closure is expected to remain in place until at least July 31.
The city of Spokane said traffic restrictions include:
- Hatch Road Bridge closure at Hatch Road and U.S. 195.
- Northbound right travel lane may be closed intermittently for equipment access.
- Hatch Road will be open from Hangman Valley to the bridge to local traffic only.
The city said the current bridge can shift when heavy vehicles cross it, leading to closures for repairs. The new bridge deck will be better able to handle heavy loads.
The project also includes the addition of a right turn lane from Hatch Road onto Highway 195. The lane will help ease backups on Hatch Road.
The project is expected to cost $1.4 million.
Detour information
There is not a convenient detour for drivers. The city shared a detour map that recommends drivers use High Drive and I-90 to get around.
Access Hatch Road from the North
- Use High Drive or 57th Ave. to access Hatch Road
Access Hatch Road from the South
- Continue north on U.S. 195 to I-90 East and use Maple St. exit to travel south on Cedar St. to High Drive to access Hatch Road
The city said it is working with GPS services and mobile navigation like Google Maps and Waze to automatically detour drivers around the closure.
The closure comes at the same time the city begins work on the Thor-Freya corridor replacement meaning access to I-90 could also be difficult for South Hill drivers.
While some drivers may be frustrated by the timing of both projects, city officials say one of the factors it comes down to is weather.
"Six months is pretty much all the time we get,” said Kirstin Davis, City of Spokane communications manager. “We may get eight months out of the season, but, you know, we only have so many months out of the year, so they have to land at the same time to some degree."