SPOKANE, Wash. — 1,000 new homes are set to be built in Latah Valley, but the City of Spokane and Washington Department of Transportation can’t agree on a plan to deal with the increased traffic.
As of now, the only way to get to the development from Highway 195 is to go through two tunnels that only allow one car to pass through at a time.
“We’re talking about overwhelming the system to the point that we’re seeing traffic backups in both directions of Thorpe Road onto US-195. The J-turns at either end become overwhelmed,” said WDOT’s Ryan Overton.
WSDOT said it agreed with the City of Spokane and the developer on a plan to relieve traffic along Thorpe Road, but that the plans were not included with the application for the development.
“There were certain mitigation efforts needed for congestion and safety in order to progress, but the city, when filing the application, removed those mitigation efforts,” Overton said.
The City of Spokane said it needs more time to do additional traffic studies and figure out the best solution for the area.
“We see this as an opportunity to work with the developer to develop that necessary infrastructure in a way that respects the private property rights at stake and also ensures we have a safe and well-functioning transportation system,” said Spencer Gardner, Planning Director for City of Spokane.
Gardner said the city plans to meet with WSDOT to find a viable solution, which could include an interchange over or under Highway 195.
WSDOT said it will restrict or limit access to Thorpe Road if the city doesn’t do the proper traffic mitigation work.
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