SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Transit Authority has closed the smoking area at its downtown plaza as part of a pilot program to improve safety.
The smoking area has been blocked off with chain-link fencing since January 4 and will stay closed until April 4.
“We want to have increased accessibility for our paratransit customers, we’re looking at increased security reasons, and then also just trying to improve the air quality for the majority of our transit customers,” said Carly Cortright with STA.
Right now, paratransit riders have to catch the bus around the corner on Post Street. STA wants them to be able to catch wheelchair accessible buses where the smoking area is located.
Smokers are split over the change.
“If we had something that had more smoking areas available, it wouldn’t be as much of an issue. With it being the only designated smoking area within blocks to reach, it’s kind of inconvenient,” said Brandon Hill, a bus rider.
Other smokers expect the closure will cut down drug use around the plaza, even though they’ll have to smoke across the street.
STA tried to close the smoking area years ago but found it drove people away from nearby businesses. The agency hopes to learn from those mistakes this time.
“At the end of the pilot, we’re going to evaluate. Did it work successfully? Does it warrant a permanent closure? Should we not close the smoking area? Or is there something in the middle where maybe there’s a modification in place? So that’s really the intent is to collect that data,” Cortright said.
STA will collect feedback through an online survey and emails. The agency will also put out weekly and monthly reports on that feedback.
The closure will last through April 4.
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