Staff outlines Safe Streets for Spokane candidate crosswalk and beacon projects for federal grant cycles

City staff briefed commissioners on a draft list of Safe Streets for Spokane projects developed for federal grant funding and internal prioritization.

The prioritized list emphasizes midblock and intersection crosswalk upgrades—raised crossings, rapid‑flash beacons and pedestrian hybrid beacons—at locations with high pedestrian counts near schools, hospitals and transit stops. Staff said the first construction year will prioritize cost-efficient crosswalk treatments at roughly 20 locations and noted a separate sidewalk infill project on Perry Street and the Maple Street Toll Plaza ramp-to-ramp project to replace a steep stair with a ramp.

Projects scoring high included crossings near schools (Grant Elementary-related locations on Fifth and Lincoln), Mission and Regal (bus-stop area), and downtown locations such as Howard Street by the parkade and the Ben Burr/Spokane Falls Boulevard crossing. Staff also indicated some candidate projects may be deferred to later cycles if more complex right-of-way or design work is required, and one item—an Iron Bridge to Ben Burr connection—may be held until 2028 because of uncertainties about an adjacent trail segment under developer control.

The list aims to concentrate Safe Streets funding on high-value pedestrian-safety projects, with staff planning to refine the candidates and submit grant applications where eligible. Staff asked commissioners to weigh in on priorities and said the final candidate list will move forward with the federal grant application schedule.