Crews Place Girders for North Spokane Corridor

Construction workers installed structural supports over Sprague Avenue as part of the ongoing freeway expansion.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Construction

Crews Place Girders for North Spokane Corridor

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Construction crews successfully placed structural girders across Sprague Avenue this week. This work marks a significant milestone in the development of the North Spokane Corridor project.

Why it matters

The placement of these girders represents ongoing progress toward connecting the new freeway to Interstate 90. Completing this infrastructure aims to reorganize regional traffic flow by shifting access from Wellesley Avenue to Trent Avenue.

The North Spokane Corridor has a total project budget of $1.9 billion funded by the state of Washington. The upcoming Trent Avenue interchange expansion will add two miles to the total freeway length.

The players

Washington Department of Transportation

This state agency oversees the planning, construction, and maintenance of Washington state highway infrastructure.

The details

Workers performed the girder installation over Sprague Avenue on Wednesday and Thursday to advance the freeway bridge site. This location is situated three blocks from the future Interstate 90 connection point.

Original concepts for the freeway through Spokane emerged in 1946.
Crews placed girders over Sprague Avenue on October 14-15, 2026.
The state plans to open the Trent Avenue interchange in summer 2029.
Full completion of the North Spokane Corridor is expected in the early 2030s.

Market Landscape

The North Spokane Corridor project represents a major shift in regional transit infrastructure by moving traffic flow to new entry points. This transition aligns with broader statewide efforts to modernize freeway connections and reduce reliance on legacy surface routes.

Commuters in Spokane should expect ongoing changes to traffic patterns as construction shifts the corridor's southern entry. While the new interchange will eventually improve flow, residents near the construction zone will continue to see altered visual sightlines and site activity.

The takeaway

Large-scale transportation projects often span decades of planning and execution, reflecting the complexity of modern urban infrastructure. Residents can track project milestones to better understand long-term impacts on local traffic accessibility.