WHAT IS SMARTROUTES?
SmartRoutes is the Spokane area’s plan to significantly increase transportation choices for walking and bicycling by making safer and more convenient trails, sidewalks, and bike facilities. SRTC hopes to accomplish this through partnering with the Rails to Trails Conservancy in their goal to have Congress double the non-motorized transportation budget from $4.5 billion to $9 billion in the next federal transportation budget.
In early 2008, SRTC, Spokane Regional Health District, local political and business leaders, community activists, walking and bicycling advocates, and local planners and engineers combined resources to encourage commuters to find an alternative to driving alone. They discovered that the Spokane area needs extensive improvements to our bike and pedestrian facilities, to get people to do that. Those improvements will cost a substantial amount of money, however.
In response, the ‘SmartRoutes 2010’ initiative was developed; an application and case statement for up to $50 million in grant money for transportation projects. The ‘2010 Campaign for Active Transportation,' initiated by the Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC), has a goal of doubling the non-motorized transportation budget from $4.5 billion to $9 billion in the next federal transportation budget. While we wait for a reauthorization of the transportation bill, work continues on developing non-motorized transportation infrastructure for our area.
Spokane isn’t alone in this endeavor. 40+ other U.S. communities submitted case statements to RTC to help build the national case for the needs of non-motorized transportation. Click on the link to read Spokane's SmartRoutes Funding case statement.
SMARTROUTES PARTNERS
Partners in the SmartRoutes initiative:
As part of the initial SmartRoutes application in 2008, SRTC and partners compiled a list of priority non-motorized projects for the area. While waiting for a new transportation bill to be authorized, several of the projects on that list have been funded through other sources. As a result, the project list was updated in late 2010. Click the link to view the draft 2010-2011 SmartRoutes project list.
Submitting projects for inclusion in the transportation bill doesn’t guarantee funding for those projects, but puts the Spokane area in a position to move forward in the event that the reauthorization includes additional provisions for non-motorized transportation.
SMARTROUTES PROJECTS
The projects selected to be part of the SmartRoutes initiative were submitted by area transportation agencies as ones that they would like to see implemented. The 'Active Transportation Technical Committee' (Active TTC), made up of representatives from area transportation agencies, held a workshop to prioritize the projects.
Click the links below for more information on each project:
Project List
Project Locations
PowerPoint Presentation of Project Descriptions
CONTACT SMARTROUTES
You can contact the people behind SmartRoutes with comments, questions or suggestions by emailing contact.srtc@srtc.org or calling Eve Nelson at 509-343-5251.