Spokane Valley, WA – The commute for Spokane Valley drivers is about to get easier as the Barker Road bridge over the BNSF Railway tracks south of Trent Avenue is scheduled to open next week. A ribbon cutting to celebrate the culmination of the $26 million two-year construction project will take place on Tuesday, April 18 at 2 p.m., and the road will officially open to drivers on Wednesday, April 19.
The Barker Road/BNSF grade separation improves safety by replacing the at-grade BNSF Railway crossing on Barker Road with an overpass and adds a roundabout at the Barker Road/Trent Avenue intersection. The traffic improvements on Barker Road allow for the closure of Flora Road between Garland Avenue and Trent Avenue, eliminating another at-grade crossing with the BNSF Railway. The Flora closure will take place after Barker Road opens to traffic.
The new overpass and roundabout:
- Improve access for emergency vehicles.
- Eliminate vehicle wait times for the 65 trains passing through the city each day.
- Reduce overall traffic congestion and improve traffic flow.
- Eliminate the need for trains to sound their horns, making adjacent neighborhoods quieter.
- Improve access to the industrial area.
- Enhance the ability to develop almost 600 acres of industrial property, attracting new businesses and jobs.
The majority of the $26 million project was funded with grants and federal and state appropriations, including:
- $9 million USDOT Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant
- $6 million National Highway Freight Program
- $5 million Wash. State Freight Mobility Investment Board
- $3.6 million City of Spokane Valley
- $1.5 million Wash. State Legislature
- $720,000 U.S. Legislature
- $300,000 (estimated) BNSF contribution
The projected economic and tax impacts of the project (over 25 years) include:
- Enhanced developability of almost 600 acres of commercial/ industrial property.
- $2 billion in total economic output in the Washington State ($980 million in direct impacts).
- 9,800 new jobs supported in the state (3,300 direct job impacts).
- $12.3 million in new general fund taxes generated to the City of Spokane Valley.
- $50.8 million in new general fund taxes generated to Washington State.
For more information:
Emily Estes-Cross, Public Information Officer
509.720.5411
