Saturday, November 21, 2009

ONGOING COVERAGE: KENDALL YARDS

Monroe lanes to be closed

Avista's work on transmission line to restrict traffic near bridge

By Mike Prager
Staff writer
July 19, 2007

Another Spokane street will have traffic restrictions this year.

Lane reductions will be imposed on Monroe Street just north of the Monroe Street Bridge in September and October while Avista Corp. utility crews relocate a major transmission line.

Avista spokesman Hugh Imhof said the utility is relocating a 115,000-volt transmission line that carries power from generating stations at Spokane Falls to a substation serving the West Central neighborhood at College Avenue and Walnut Street.

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The line crosses land that is being redeveloped as Kendall Yards into clusters of businesses and homes.

As part of the utility easement, Avista is supposed to relocate and bury the transmission line where it passes overhead across the development.

The line also is being moved from ducts in Veterans Court adjacent to the bridge and lower falls to Bridge Avenue, a short distance to the north, Imhof said.

The new route must be approved by the City Council, city officials said.

Work should start next month, with trenching across Monroe expected in September and October, Imhof said.

Monroe Street will be reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction.

Imhof said Avista had considered boring underneath Monroe but abandoned that idea because the location has too many other utility lines that might be damaged.

Spokane City Council members were told that three neighborhood representatives will be selected to help identify public works projects that might be financed through the tax increment financing district associated with Kendall Yards. Property taxes generated by increased property values will be diverted to finance public works projects in the vicinity of the development.

The Kendall Yards developer currently is doing environmental cleanup of two parcels within the development, said Cody George, the city's economic development adviser.

Plus, demolition and site work have started along Cedar Street, which will undergo daytime closures during the work, George said.