Motorists using State Route 902 from Medical Lake to the Interstate 90 interchange can expect delays this summer thanks to grinding and paving work that will include a roundabout at the Craig Road intersection.
A new roundabout is in the near future for travelers on the West Plains and will be installed at an intersection that has seen its share of collisions.
As part of a larger repaving project on State Route 902 between Interstate 90 and the city of Medical Lake, one of the traffic-calming devices will be built at its intersection with Craig Road.
Five-year data collected between Jan. 1, 2012, through Dec. 31, 2016 - the most recent available from the Washington Department of Transportation - showed there were 24 collisions with 28 injuries at the intersection. That includes one fatality, one serious and three minor injuries and 10 possible injuries.
Of the crashes, 19 came with vehicles colliding at angles. The popularity of roundabouts is that they tend to reduce the severity of crashes and damage.
While an exact date has not been established at this point, the project is expected to commence in mid-June, after school is out.
Some minor closure of the intersection is planned. According to WSDOT officials, Craig and SR-902 will be closed during a 72-hour period to facilitate the roundabout construction. When the exact date is finalized, that work would start on a Thursday at 7 p.m., reopening on Sunday at 7 p.m.
The entire project, including paving and the roundabout, pegged at slightly over $2 million, was awarded to Shamrock Paving, of Spokane with a construction bid of $1,872,436.
WSDOT information states the project consists of grinding out an existing layer of asphalt on SR-902, then resurfacing with hot mix asphalt. The job includes some ADA sidewalk ramp improvements and other work, including the roundabout.
Installation of the roundabout stems from the Spokane Tribe's traffic study which is part of their NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) approval process for the casino.
The study, conducted by the engineering firm of David Evans and Associates of Spokane, was required because of the possible increase of traffic on Craig coming to and from the casino.
A roundabout was built in 2017 on U.S. Highway 2 where the Spokane Tribe of Indians casino opened in January. Another could be built to the east on Highway 2 at Craig Road. That future project has no specific timetable and would depend on traffic demand.
The Spokane Tribe's contribution to the project is approximately $110,000 according to WSDOT.
Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].
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