SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokanites who have lived with construction disruptions around the North Spokane Corridor for more than two decades are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, even with years of work remaining ahead.
During a press conference about the project on Monday, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said the state is committed to finishing the multi-use highway project, telling the community “the end is in sight.”
Ferguson celebrated that funding for the final three phases of the project is accounted for in the Washington State budget, though he cautioned that completion is still years away.
“Understand, there are still years ahead of us to complete the project. But, I so appreciate the hard work of everyone to make this happen,” Governor Ferguson said.
The announcement brings hope to neighborhoods surrounding the corridor, where neighbors have dealt with ongoing construction and route changes for nearly 20 years.
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Christine Brasmer has lived near the construction for 11 years. She has watched the transformation of her neighborhood, where homes were gradually sold and demolished to make way for the highway expansion.
“When we moved in, there were homes all the way through there with yards. They had all been sold, but they hadn’t been torn down. So, we got to see the entire process,” Brasmer said.
Over the years, the construction has forced Brasmer to find alternative routes to work. Despite the ongoing inconvenience, she remains supportive of the project.
“The dust and the dirt is what it is. I think it’s for the greater good; for the community. And yes, I’m very supportive of it. Let’s get it done,” Brasmer said.
Governor Ferguson acknowledged that external factors could still impact the project’s timeline and costs. He mentioned that potential tariffs could affect the price of construction materials as work moves forward, though he did not specify how significant those impacts might be.
The North Spokane Corridor is expected to be completed no earlier than 2030. When finished, it will provide a multi-use highway connection that officials say will improve traffic flow and economic development in the region. The project is one of the longest-running infrastructure initiatives in Washington state history.
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