Marlene Feist, 509.625.6505
Thursday, May 9, 2019 at 3:15 p.m.
Motorists will experience a big change when they drive down Spokane Falls Boulevard on Tuesday morning.
Traffic restrictions on Spokane Falls that have been in place for about two years to accommodate the construction of a huge underground storage tank will be lifted, as construction work moves to the east of the Downtown Library. The block of Lincoln between Spokane Falls and Main Avenue will be closed for that work.
Here’s how the traffic change will happen: On Monday, May 13, starting at 10 p.m., Spokane Falls Boulevard will be closed at Howard Street as crews move equipment, signage, and barricades to allow traffic to use the section of Spokane Falls from Lincoln to Monroe. By 6 a.m. on Tuesday, May 14, traffic will be able to use Spokane Falls all the way to Monroe, and Lincoln will be closed.
The tank on Spokane Falls Boulevard is part of the City’s work to improve the health of the Spokane River. In some parts of the City, wastewater and stormwater sewers are linked together, and during periods of heavy rain or rapid snowmelt, these pipes can become overwhelmed and overflow to the river. Tanks like this store the excess water until the storm surge subsides and the water can be sent to the Riverside Park Water Reclamation Facility for treatment.
The Spokane Falls Boulevard combined sewer overflow (CSO) tank can hold 2.2 million gallons of combined wastewater. The City of Spokane is investing more than $350 million in projects to deliver a cleaner, healthier Spokane River for generations to come. The project also includes a significant new public plaza that will provide new and enhanced views of the Spokane River and lower falls. Work on the project will continue into the fall.
