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Spokane staff outline Safe Streets cycle 13: mix of permanent and adaptive pedestrian and traffic-calming projects
Summary
Staff described cycle 13 of Safe Streets projects and an expansion of adaptive pilots: a mix of pedestrian hybrid beacons, rectangular rapid-flashing beacons, leading pedestrian intervals, bumpouts and speed-hump pilots across city districts, with a not-to-exceed target near $2.2 million for the cycle.
City staff presented the Safe Streets cycle 13 package and associated adaptive pilot projects to the Spokane Transportation Commission, describing a mix of permanent construction planned for 2026 and adaptive treatments (pilot installations) for 2025.
Abby (staff) said cycle 13 includes permanent projects and an expansion of an adaptive pilot launched in the prior year. Staff described district-by-district proposals including rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs) on Hilliard (Crestline to Lee) and other neighborhood locations; pedestrian hybrid beacons at five arterial locations (including Bridal & Thurston, Market & Columbia and Mission & Magnolia near Stevens Elementary); leading pedestrian interval signal changes; and a mix of bumpouts, candlesticks and other treatments intended to calm speeds and improve crossings.
Budget and timing: Staff said the council-directed cap for the cycle is written as “not to exceed $2,200,000” (permanent plus adaptive work), with adaptive pilot funding for 2025 around $250,000 and the permanent 2026 infrastructure budget roughly $2,000,000. Several projects will be timed to larger grind-and-overlay or state DOT schedules; staff said many of the new pedestrian devices are planned for construction during the 2025 construction season if grants and bids align.
Neighborhood outreach and process: Council members and staff discussed delaying construction of one crossing on Frances (the location petitioned in public comment) until 2027 to allow more outreach at possible locations including Fotheringham, A Street or Belt. Staff and council members also discussed using striping and temporary treatments to pilot circulation changes (for example on Buckeye and Washington) before committing to permanent infrastructure, and the importance of signage and clear public messaging when pedestrian signal timing differs from drivers’ signals.
Design and constraints: Participants discussed hardware and cost trade-offs for locations such as Rowan (conduit and junction boxes already in place, which would lower cost) and West Hills alternatives (Sandridge speed humps vs. Rosamond sidewalk). Staff said they will run vehicle-turning analyses (auto-turn) during design to ensure emergency vehicles can navigate new curb geometry and to coordinate with the fire department on acceptable trade-offs.
Why it matters: The package is intended to improve pedestrian safety, support Safe Streets for All objectives and further a citywide bicycle connectivity network (the “27 by 27” route referenced by staff). Staff stressed combining individual site requests into a systemwide plan for greater safety gains.
Next steps: Staff will continue neighborhood outreach on contested locations, refine cost estimates (including opportunities to use impact fees where feasible), finalize grant timelines and return to council with schedules and bid-ready designs.
