SPOKANE, Wash. — Leaders from the City of Spokane and the Spokane Transit Authority say proposed plans to overhaul Division Street will rely primarily on existing funding sources and will make traffic smoother.
If passed by the city council, the city’s Transit-Oriented Development Plan represents a shift for the corridor. The initiative, which also involves Spokane County and STA, aims to make riding the bus and walking easier by reconfiguring roads, while allowing for more high-density housing through zoning changes. Meanwhile, a separate — but related — plan from STA will expand the Division bus line.
“How do we re-imagine Division Street once the North-South corridor opens?” said Carly Cortright, chief communications and customer service officer for STA. “So, how do we make this more of a destination than just a pass-through? How do we get people to come to it?”
STA’s project will be funded mostly through federal and state dollars, but will also cost $38 million in locals funds. That will come primarily from existing STA sales taxes.
The STA’s expansion would include specific road modifications designed to improve transit access. Changes could include repurposing one lane to provide better access to buses and accommodate right-hand turns.
STA said those changes will make traffic smoother.
“With these changes, they won’t be — I don’t think — significant to drivers,” Cortright said. “I think there’s a fear because it is a change. But again, it’s using the existing roadway. We’re making traffic more efficient.”
The STA’s bus expansion project remains in the design phase. Construction is slated for 2028.
The city’s broader development plan, however, remains in earlier stages. The city said it’s too early to provide a specific cost estimate. However, the city said it plans to rely on grants and existing taxes to fund the project.
The city’s plan is now heading to the city council for approval. The city estimates the final vote will occur at the end of October, with opportunities for public comment before the council makes its decision.
COPYRIGHT 2026 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
