CHENEY – Following a June 25 public hearing, the City Council approved spending more than $12 million on street improvements over the next five years.
Public Works Director Todd Ableman said the residential street plan is estimated at $2.26 million for funded preservation work and $2.51 million for planned grant matching funds. He added that the arterial street program qualifies for federal and state preservation funds, noting staff will apply for these funds when available.
The plan is estimated to cost $7.78 million, he said.
“(There are) 5.56 miles of transportation improvements... proposed with 1.83 miles of funded local access street and 3.72 miles of arterial streets," he said. “The current residential street fund is sun-setting in 2026. “This 4% dedicated electrical and natural gas tax has been a critical source of funding for the city of Cheney since 1998 for preserving local access streets and ... city’s arterial street network.”
According to his June 6 letter to Mayor Chris Grover, “2023 annual tax revenue was approximately $560,000 and will provide an annual estimated 0.4 miles of street preservation. Since 1998, lineal-foot cost of street preservation has increased 456% and revenues increased 215%.”
The transportation project list states the biggest expenses will be the North Sixth Street and Betz Road intersection and the Elm Street project from North Sixth Street and Washington Street.
The council forwarded the plan to the Spokane Regional Transportation Council for filing with the state Department of Transportation.
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