In last two weeks Eastern Washington and North Idaho have seen over five ATV accidents including one death in the LC Valley last week. While ATV riding is fun, it's important to learn proper technique to remain safe.

“We think it takes special skills to ride an ATV,” says Dale Stevens, a licensed ATV safety instructor with the ATV Safety Institute. ASI is a non-profit sponsored by the all the major ATV manufacturers. Instructors like Stevens teach regular safety classes to educate riders on proper technique, safety skills and the responsibilities that come with owning and riding ATVs.

After taking his course many riders tell Stevens that they didn't know what a work out riding is and that they expected it to be easier. Stevens says that a lot of people expect ATVs to be like riding a couch on wheels but it that it takes a lot of physical effort and knowledge of how ATVs operate to remain safe while riding.

See a pothole and want to get it fixed? There's an app for that.

Today Spokane Mayor David Condon accounced the launch of a new online service to report pothles.

The website based service can be accessed on laptop and desktop computers, smart phones and tablets by clicking here.

“We want to make it easy for citizens to interact with us on issues both big and small,” Mayor Condon said. “This is part of a much larger effort to improve customer service and enhance communication with citizens.”

According to the City, all you have to do is enter information about the size and location of the pothole. You can also “pin” the location on a map and send a photo.

The reported information will go directly to the City’s Street Department to be scheduled for repair.  

You can still always call in to report a pothole through the Streets Department at (509) 625-7733.

The city says crews prioritize pothole repairs based on size and location, with the largest potholes on the busiest streets being repaired first. Crews fill potholes all year long.


 

City of Spokane engineers are considering several different options in rehabilitating the Latah Bridge in west Spokane.

The bridge has been around for almost 100 years, connecting downtown Spokane to the West Plains. The bridge is starting to age and safety is a concern. The outer lanes of the bridge had to be removed, reducing the bridge from a four lane road to a two lane road for structural safety.

A traffic study was completed on the bridge, and engineers have come up with five different ways they could rehabilitate the bridge, costing anywhere from $15 to $27 million dollars total.

That study recommended that The City of Spokane should consider a long-term solution (40+ years), rather than a short term solution for the bridge.

The study also recommended long-term options should provide for bridge deck widening sufficient to accommodate more vehicle traffic, pedestrians, bicyclists, transit and freight demands.

Due to uncertainty in obtaining Federal funding to complete the project, a timetable for starting the project is uncertain.