SPOKANE, Wash. — After more than a year of gathering community input, Spokane city planners unveiled a draft plan this month aimed at transforming and reviving East Central’s Fifth Avenue corridor.
The 5th Avenue Community Plan addresses the neighborhood’s painful history. When Interstate 90 was built through the area in the 1950s, construction destroyed homes and businesses while displacing more than 1,000 households. The new plan aims to restore a sense of connectivity throughout the neighborhood.
“The overall end vision and goal is to really realize the community desire to refresh revive fifth avenue. To bring livability and connectivity improvements,” said Maren Murphy, City Planner for Spokane.
The draft plan, centers on community-led goals and policies developed through extensive stakeholder engagement. Key priorities include adding green space, supporting mixed-use development with more housing opportunities, and making the area safer and more pedestrian-friendly.
The plan also proposes rethinking land use patterns to encourage residential and commercial growth while improving how residents move through the area on foot and by bicycle.
A separate initiative from the Washington State Department of Transportation complements the city’s efforts. WSDOT is planning a land bridge project designed to restore connections across I-90 that were separated when the highway was constructed. The proposed structure would support walking, rolling, and recreation, further reconnecting East Central to surrounding neighborhoods.
WSDOT is still in the planning phase and seeking community feedback. The agency will host an event on July 30th from 3 to 7 p.m. on Perry Street to discuss the land bridge project and gather input. You can also learn more on how to get involved with that project by clicking on this link.
The city is accepting feedback on the ReFIVE Community Plan through the end of July. The community can access the survey and learn more about both projects, including event dates and ways to get involved by clicking on this link.
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