SPOKANE, Wash. — People living in the West Central neighborhood are hoping the city will do something about cars speeding through the area and posing a risk to those headed to the park.
According to neighbors, the main problem area is the section of Maxwell Avenue, between Walnut Street and Pettet Drive, right along the south side of AM Cannon Park.
There is a crosswalk on Maxwell that allows people entrance to the park, but many neighbors said it’s too risky to cross there.
“You’re getting a lot of people who aren’t paying attention to the road signs and the speed limits, and especially with the children running around here, it makes it a little sketchy for all of us,” said Ian Mackey, a father living in West Central.
Amanda Maule is part of the West Central Neighborhood Council and said they discuss this issue every yera.
“Every year, we have conversations about safety and traffic calming. Maxwell is always number one,” she said. “This is where children and families are, and this is where we recreate and have fun.”
In an attempt to address these issues, Spokane City Council will consider approving a $1.25 million contract to improve the safety conditions along Maxwell.
The contract, if approved, would include creating bike lanes, upgrading bus stops and making the cross walk more visible and prominent to slow down drivers.
“If we don’t tackle the problem right now, if we don’t see improvements now, we’re not sure where the funding might come from in the future,” Maule said.
About 80% of the project would be funded by a state grant, with the remainder coming from arterial street funding.
Spokane City Council is expected to vote on the proposed contract during Monday night’s meeting.
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