The federal government has awarded the city of Spokane $9.6 million to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety in areas where bicyclists and pedestrians are especially vulnerable to collisions with motor vehicles.
The Washington Department of Transportation says nearly 700 bicyclists and walkers were killed or seriously injured in the state in 2022, the highest number in a decade.
In Spokane, Public Works Department spokeswoman Kirstin Davis says city officials have developed a list of safety projects. They include more and safer bike lanes, especially in the downtown area. There are also plans for pedestrian-centric projects. One would replace a long stairway on the west side of the north approach to the Maple Street Bridge.
“On the west side of Ash it goes up to the above street and it’s very steep, transforming that into more of a pathway that would maybe traverse up the hill rather than, that makes it more accessible for different types of people to access," she said.
Davis says the city will also look to improve sidewalks and intersections around the city to make it easier for people with disabilities to get around.
She says most of the projects will be built in the denser parts of the city, including the downtown, Logan, East Central and West Central neighborhoods.
She says the grant, along with $2.4 million in local money, will allow the city to complete the work during the next four years.
"It takes a ton of coordination between knowing what the need is, seeing where the need is and then coordinating projects and the funding source to all come together, so this is really a great opportunity for our community," she said. "And to be able to take funds that we have locally and then supplement that grant to a total of $12 million for this effort is really fantastic.”
U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell says the federal government awarded 25 grants, totaling $38 million. The cities of Richland and Vancouver also collected multi-million dollar grants from the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant program. Twenty-two other local governments also collected smaller transportation safety planning grants.
