|
|
||||
| Region: Northeast | Legislative District: 6 | Length: 0.87 mi. | FY 2023 Urban Arterial Program (UAP) |
 |
Existing ConditionsThe proposed 0.87-mile-long grind and inlay project on 57th Avenue is planned to begin at Mt. Vernon Road and terminate at the Palouse Highway. The existing road is a 3-lane urban minor arterial (existing drive lanes are 12’ wide and the two-way left turn lane is 14’ wide) with an ADT of 11,180 and is designated as a non-truck route. Pedestrian facilities include 6’ sidewalks and 6’ bicycle lanes on both sides of the road. 57th Avenue is an important arterial link for long term vehicular and multimodal access for Spokane County, City of Spokane, and Spokane Transit Authority (STA). The existing roadway has been in service for 23 years and is very poor condition. The road has alligator cracking in the wheel paths along with longitudinal cracking and needs rehabilitation; the current PSC rating is considered failing with an average weighted score of 25. There are several business access points that solely utilize 57th Avenue daily. There are also several local access roadway connections along this segment of 57th Avenue that support the local residential community. The existing signal at the intersection of 57th and Regal Road is a focal point of many vehicular crashes. The proposal works in conjunction with a federally funded roundabout project at the intersection of 57th/Freya. The proposed project is intended to rehabilitate a deteriorated road, improve local access to residential and commercial facilities, and improve active transportation option within the area. Along the highly traveled 57th Avenue corridor there are many important community destinations that are accessed by pedestrians, transit users, bicyclists, and people driving. There are many restaurants, high density apartment buildings, single family residential homes, senior living centers, a child care facility, a YMCA community center, churches, an Albertson’s grocery store, and just to the east of the proposed project location is an elementary school with a student body population over 500. Currently the area has existing curb ramps that do not meet current ADA standards and poor pedestrian and bicycle access to the nearby residential neighborhoods, commercial district, and the Spokane Transit Authority (STA) Moran Prairie Park and Ride. There are 5 Spokane Transit Authority (STA) bus stops serving 2 major STA bus routes. Spokane County recognizes the importance of transit. In collaboration with STA, the bus stop in front of the local grocery store has been identified as not being up to ADA standards and proposes to include an 8’ x 8’ ADA boarding and alighting pad in this project proposal. Fulfilling this need not only makes travel accessible to the disabled and blind in this community but also may speed up boarding and alighting times to keep the busses on schedule. The bus routes along 57th serve as a major transit connection to the entire southern portion of the county and to the city center making pedestrian access and safety important. 57th Avenue is on the regional bike map so improving the road will also improve bicycle facilities. Replacement of failing pavement and reallocating lane widths to 11' will narrow the traveling lanes, calm traffic, and may improve safety by reducing the number of crashes and lowering the level of traffic stress pedestrians and cyclists feel. The addition of ADA compliant curb ramps, a 6.5' bike lane (including bike lane and gutter) along with the existing 6' sidewalks will also increase pedestrian safety and encourage pedestrian activity. These improvements can be especially important for accessing bus stops along 57th Avenue and the Moran Prairie Park and Ride. |
Project Funding
| TIB Funds | Local Funds | Total Costs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | 165,600 | 41,400 | 207,000 |
| Right of Way | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Construction | 1,400,800 | 350,200 | 1,751,000 |
| Project Totals | $1,566,400 | $391,600 | $1,958,000 |
Local Match
| TIB Participation | Local Match | Minimum Local Match |
|---|---|---|
| 80.0% | 20.0% | 20% |
Summary of Improvements
- 57th Avenue has historically been impacted with frequent collisions and reallocating vehicle travel lane widths to 11’ will add a traffic calming effect. The addition of a roundabout at the intersection of 57th Avenue and Freya Street will decrease collisions and reduce bottlenecked traffic congestion;
- this federally funded project will compliment and work concurrently with this proposed project. Construction on the roundabout is scheduled for 2023. Replacement of failing pavement and improvements to 57th Avenue will ensure that the traveling public will be able to increase their mobility and improve safety and road reliability. Additionally, safety measures include adding ADA compliant ramps where they are lacking and the 6' bike lane will increase vehicular separation for pedestrians that walk to restaurants, church, school, the gym, or the grocery store from the nearby residential area. Additional people walking, biking, and using transit on corridors is considered by many a way to increase the positive attributes of the community but is also thought to increase the economic prosperity of the area. The proposed 57th Avenue safety improvements will complement the pedestrian safety improvement efforts that were made by Spokane County in 2017. The Spokane County Signal Safety Project (2017) upgraded the pedestrian push buttons on 57th to APS signals compliant with ADA standards, upgraded curb ramps, and installed reflective backplates. STA's Moran Station Transit center is adjacent to the proposed 57th Avenue project. As part of the transit project a marked pedestrian crossing with a pedestrian island was constructed to increase safety for pedestrians and transit riders. To continue to benefit the community, an 8’ x 8’ ADA boarding and alighting pad is included to show the County ‘s commitment to facilitating access, providing transportation options, and collaboration with other transportation agencies. The combined planned improvements will enhance opportunity to walk, bike, and use transit more for those using this corridor. Less vehicle dependency may improve the general health of Spokane County residents as well as improve water and air quality while reducing vehicle congestion.;
- Spokane County is responsible for maintaining the pavement and bicycle facilities on 57th Avenue and has an established Pavement Management Department that visually inspects the arterial road system every two years as part of a planned asset management strategy. Proactively managing County assets ensures that any pavement improvements made to 57th Avenue will result in the full potential of the proposed pavement improvements.
Description of Improvements
Pavement in poor condition will be replaced with the proposed grind and inlay. Reallocating vehicle travel lanes from 12' to 11' is intended to create a traffic calming effect to slow down traffic and improve drivers line of sight. Slower moving traffic can create a more pedestrian inclusive environment as well as having the potential to reduce the amount of crashes along this corridor. Resurfaced 6' bicycle lanes will be allocated in concurrence with the grind and inlay to improve active transportation options. The 6' bike lane adds additional comfort to sidewalk users by moving traffic further away from the sidewalk. Curb ramps and a popular bus route will be updated to ADA standards where they are not compliant. Spokane County is prepared to contribute a 20% match to the 57th Avenue grind and inlay project in effort to show commitment to achieving the completion of this project.