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Spokane Valley approves $1.13 million preliminary design contract for Argonne Bridge over I-90
Summary
Council authorized a $1,132,739 contract with KPFF for preliminary design work to widen or replace the Argonne Bridge, add a third lane and bike/pedestrian facilities; staff said the bridge is near the end of its design life and the project will require further funding and public outreach.
The Spokane Valley City Council on May 6 authorized the city manager to finalize and execute a $1,132,739 design services agreement with KPFF for preliminary engineering on the Argonne Road bridge over Interstate 90. The contract covers survey and geotechnical work, coordination with WSDOT and STA, public outreach and roughly 30% design work.
The contract was presented by Robert Blagan, Public Works Director, and Erica Amston, engineering manager. Amston told the council, “The existing Argonne Bridge over I‑90 has just two lanes. It creates a bottleneck in a three‑lane corridor that has a very high ADT, over 17,000 vehicles per day, and it lacks pedestrian facilities.” Council members voted unanimously to approve the agreement.
Why it matters: the bridge corridor currently narrows from three lanes to two at Argonne, creating daily congestion and restricting multimodal access. City engineers say the structure dates to 1954 and is approaching its typical 75‑year design horizon; staff characterized the issue as a strength and capacity problem rather than an immediate structural failure. The design contract will produce alternatives the city can use to pursue construction funding.
What the contract covers: city staff said the preliminary design contract includes survey and geotechnical analysis, WSDOT and Spokane Transit Authority coordination for the adjacent park‑and‑ride, up to about 30% design development and public involvement. Amston said the city had secured $1.5 million in project funds and that total design work for the corridor would likely approach $3 million. Councilmember Yeager stated on the record that the package reflected roughly $1.3 million in grant funds plus $202,000 from city REET funds.
Public outreach and equity: Amston and staff said the consultant scope includes stakeholder and public meetings (the contract allowed up to eight meetings, a mix of virtual and in‑person) and that outreach would include mailers, signage at pedestrian/bike approaches and a project webpage. The contract was advertised with a DBE (disadvantaged business enterprise) goal vetted by WSDOT; Amston confirmed the DBE percentage was included and approved before the contract came to council.
Timeline and funding: city staff estimated survey and geotechnical work would begin in summer, with at least a year of effort to reach 30% design depending on alternative selection and whether an access revision is required. Councilmembers repeatedly noted that large transportation projects typically take years to advance to construction — one estimate cited in the discussion put major projects on a 10‑year timeframe from design through construction — and stressed that early design work improves competitiveness for larger construction grants.
Vote and next steps: the motion to authorize the agreement passed unanimously. Staff said they expect to supplement the contract later as additional funding is secured and will return with more detailed designs and outreach plans.
Speakers quoted in this article are those recorded at the May 6 meeting and cited by role: Robert Blagan (Public Works Director), Erica Amston (Engineering Manager), Councilmember Wicks, Councilmember Patton, Deputy Mayor Tim Hatenberg and Councilmember Yeager.
Ending: With preliminary design underway, the city will use the 30% deliverable to refine alternatives, funding strategies and outreach; council members said they expect further briefings as design advances and as grant opportunities materialize.
