WSDOT Projects

Background

• Idea conceived in 1946.
• 1973 freeway through Hamilton/Nevada corridor stopped by citizen groups and legislators.
• Current efforts began in 1991.
• Ranked 19th of 80 on the Congressional High Priority Corridor list of the National Highway System.
• Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) approved in April 1997.
• Supplemental FEIS approved in September 2000 for the area from the Spokane River north to US 395 at Wandermere. I-90 to Spokane River – EIS re-evaluation completed in May 2005.
• The North Spokane Corridor (NSC) is a 60 mile per hour, 10.5 mile long limited access facility linking I-90 and existing US 2 and US 395.

Benefits/Need

• The US 395 corridor carries over 7.2 million tons of freight ($13.5 billion) annually through Spokane. Between 1993 and 2003 freight shipments on US 395 have increased 58%. NAFTA created expanded freight transport among Canada, the United States and Mexico.
• Gas savings - estimated 1.7 million gallons of gas annually.
• Improves air quality by reducing regional emissions by 2.4 million pounds of CO each year.
• Improves safety by an estimated $22 million dollars per year in societal costs from accident reduction.
• Currently there are only two north-south trade routes through Spokane – both are on surface street that run through neighborhoods, past schools and parks.
• Creates an estimated 750 jobs here in Washington and 1250 jobs per year nationwide.
• Encourages alternate transportation options by providing park and ride lots, and reserving space for high capacity transit.
• Reduces travel time by an estimated 2 million hours each year, computing to a dollar savings of approximately $28 million.
• Provides new economic growth opportunities for adjacent commercial and industrial development on the north side.

Financial

• Estimated project cost: $2.1 billion in 2006 dollars. Over a 20-year build out plan with risk and inflation the cost is $3.3 billion. These values are subject to price escalation due to market trends in commodities (oil, steel, concrete), construction costs, real estate prices, etc. For this reason, WSDOT will continue to use independent risk assessment teams to verify the estimate.
• Received a total of $18 million of Federal funds since 2001
• Received $321 million between 2003 and 2005 for design, right-of-way purchase, and construction in the Northern portion of the project (Nickel Package).  In 2005 received $152 million over ten years (9.5 cent package) for design, right-of-way purchase, and noise wall construction construction along the I-90 corridor.

Support

• 1997 random survey throughout Spokane County showed 84% support of the North Spokane Corridor project, compared to a similar survey in 1973 with support of 57%.
• Written support from: Senator Patty Murray, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, Former Congressman George R. Nethercutt, Jr., Spokane area Legislators, Spokane City Council, City of Spokane Valley, Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Deer Park, Ministry of Transportation - Province of British Columbia, Inland Northwest Associated General Contractors of America, Community Colleges of Spokane, Pend Oreille County Public Utility District, Bemiss Neighborhood Council, Association of Notheast Washington Mayors.

Project Update

• August 2001 Corridor Groundbreaking and start of first construction project – Hawthorne to US 2/ Grading. Job completed in July 2002.
• First Nickel contract -- Farwell Road Lowering started in March 2004 and was completed in June 2005.  Second Nickel contract -- Gerlach to Wandermere started in April 2005 and was completed in September 2006.  Third Nickel contract -- Francis Avenue to US2 Structures started in September 2006 and is scheduled to complete in mid 2008.  Fourth Nickel contract -- Freya to Fairview Grading and Structures was awarded and work began in Spring 2007 and work is currently underway.  Fifth Nickel contract -- Freya to Farwell PCCP Paving has been awarded and work began in Fall 2007 and work is currently underway.  Sixth Nickel contract -- BNSF RR Tunnel was awarded in Fall 2007 and began in Spring 2008 and work in currently underway.
• First segment between Freya and Farwell is planned to open for traffic in early 2009 with the Farwell to Wandermere segment in the north portion of the corridor planned to open for traffic by 2011.