City to ready plan for state

A member of the state Transportation Improvement Board will be in Grand Coulee Aug. 6, to meet with the city council.

The city has a $215,000 grant and has been asked by the TIB to come up with a comprehensive plan on how they would use it.

The grant was first given to the city to build sidewalks on Spokane Way, but that was before officials realized that sidewalks to Center School probably were not necessary because the school will be closing in the fall of 2014, when students move into their new school in Coulee Dam.

Then the city quickly drew up an alternate plan to improve sidewalks on Federal Way.

That’s when the TIB stepped in and recommended that the city take advantage of this opportunity to do a more comprehensive plan for Grand Coulee.

Dennis Francis, public works director, told the council last week that he is working on a plan that includes bike routes, transit and regular traffic. He has put together an aerial map of the city so council members can get an overall view of the city.

Mayor Chris Christopherson assigned the task of working with Francis to get the plan in shape to the council’s street committee, Tammara Byers and Paul Townsend.

The council committee and Francis will present the plan to the council at its next meeting.