SPOKANE, Wash. — The City of Spokane is temporarily closing pedestrian access to the Browne Street viaduct as construction begins on the Pacific Avenue Greenway. Code Enforcement will begin installing construction fencing Thursday to close off the four entrances to the viaduct.
During the viaduct closure, the city will conduct a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) analysis to determine what steps can be taken to improve the area. The analysis will evaluate environmental design enhancements and seek partnership with BNSF to improve safety conditions of the property it owns and operates. Potential improvements include installing additional lighting and cameras.
Mayor Lisa Brown emphasized the coordinated approach underlying these actions. “This is what a coordinated community safety system looks like. From homelessness to behavioral health to housing, these challenges are intertwined and demand an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach,” Brown said. “These actions bring the right tools together: enforcement when it’s necessary, outreach and services when they can help, and investments that address the conditions that allow challenges to persist.”
Local business owners in the area are welcoming the changes but say the city needs to do more to address the broader issue. One bar operator located within a block of the viaduct reported making multiple public safety calls per week for incidents involving homeless individuals threatening customers and using facilities to use drugs.
“From our shop we’ve seen people who are obviously in an altered state of mind, people experiencing overdoses, and people showing aggressive behavior. There has been vandalism, trash, and various bodily fluids waiting for whoever is opening shop that day,” the business owner said in a statement. “Closing the viaduct will, I believe, help our business, but will do nothing to address the actual problem and merely move the problem onto other businesses or communities. Our city needs a better way to address both the current reality of homelessness and its prevention.”
The city is expanding hours at its navigation center, a specialized facility that serves as a centralized location where people experiencing homelessness can connect with critical services. The navigation center will operate from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
To find out more about the navigation center go to this website.
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