Eller Corp., of Newman Lake, is the apparent low bidder on an about $1.1 million project to reconstruct Washington Street from Spokane Falls Boulevard north to Boone Avenue.


Assuming Eller is awarded a contract for the job, construction should start June 17, says Scott Egger, project engineer at the city of Spokane. The project should take about three months to complete, he says.


Schedule-wise, the thing thats driving this project is it needs to be completed before the Monroe Street Bridge is shut down in late September, Egger says.


Thats because part of Washington Streetthe stretch from North River Drive to Boonewill be closed for the duration of that street rebuilding project, he says.


If both that project and the Monroe Street Bridge renovation were under way at the same time, two major arterials leading north out of the downtown areaand two major Spokane River crossingswould be unavailable to motorists.


During the Washington Street project, traffic will be reduced to two lanes from four on the portion of Washington between Spokane Falls Boulevard and North River Drive, and for one week toward the end of the project, that stretch also will be closed entirely, he says.


The work involves rebuilding that stretch of Washington, which originally was constructed in 1911, Egger says.


Beneath the asphalt theres old concrete and trolley rails, and theyll have to be removed, he says.


Also as part of the project, the city will replace a nearly 100-year-old cast-iron water line beneath that portion of Washington with a larger, ductile iron water main, he says.


The only roadway reconfiguration involved in the project is the reshaping of a sloping section of Washington at about Dean Avenue, he says.


Where the sight distance is poor, at the crest of the vertical curve, it will be improved so that sight distance will be greater, he says.


The deck of the Washington Street Bridge across the Spokane River also will be resealed and resurfaced, he says.