Date:  Friday, August 28, 2009

Contact: Al Gilson, Communications Manager
WSDOT Eastern Region
2714 N. Mayfair
Spokane, WA  99207
(509)324-6015
gilsona@wsdot.wa.gov

Under clear blue skies with just a slight breeze, well over 500 citizens and dignitaries joined representatives of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) at the North Spokane Corridor “Celebration of Progress/First Ribbon Cutting on Saturday, August 22, 2009.

Secretary of Transportation, Paula Hammond, WSDOT Chief Engineer Jerry Lenzi, and the Department’s Eastern Region Administrator Keith Metcalf were joined on the platform by 5th District U.S. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, State Senators Lisa Brown and Chris Marr, State Representatives Alex Wood and Kevin Parker, plus Spokane Mayor Mary Verner and Spokane County Commissioner Todd Mielke and others to address the crowd.

Other activities during the day included a Volkswalk, fun run, and a display of highway construction equipment. The Associated General Contractors, Spokane Area Good roads Association, and the Spokane Labor Council provided hot dogs and souvenir water bottles during the event. All the attendees, including the VIP’s were shuttled a few miles from parking areas to the event site by the Spokane Transit Authority.

Also entertaining the crowd during the ceremony was the Air National Guard band of the Northwest. The band had just returned from a two-month deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq where they entertained troops in forward combat areas.

The event commemorated the opening of the first drivable segment (3.7 miles) of , what will be when fully completed, a 10.5 mile freeway facility with an adjacent bike/pedestrian path connecting Interstate 90 near downtown Spokane to the existing US 395 north of the City.

After a few words from the honored speakers, the red ribbon was cut and a parade of over 50 classic “cars and trucks of the decades” cruised down the new concrete surface. The cars were followed by a series of freight trucks and construction vehicles.

The 3.7 mile segment, with one lane in each direction was opened to traffic a few hours after the ceremony after the event equipment was removed and the contractor took care of a few last minute details.

The next segment, a two-mile piece to the north connecting with the existing US 395 is currently under construction and will open in 2011.

You can see some pictures from the event on our website at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/US395/NorthSpokaneCorridor/Ribbon+Cutting+Ceremony.htm

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