Washington vote impacts

["JS M" <jbiggs50@hotmail.com>]

Vision 2020:
So, the Washington State voters have determined to negate last year’s 
highway bond issue by approving Initiative 695.  Here’s some possible 
impacts on our local issues:
First, expansion of Highway 270 (Idaho 8) was always a low priority with 
Washington Department of Transportation.  Now, it will likely be buried 
until either a court overturns the I-695 vote or new bonds are issued.  In 
either case, expansion of the highway is on the back-burner for at least a 
few years.
Second, if WDOT mothballs plans for highway expansion, that impacts 
potential development in the Moscow-Pullman Corridor.  Currently, WDOT 
setbacks (the buffer between the road and other property) are close to the 
roadway.  The potential setbacks proposed with expansion eat into the 
hillsides to the north and the flood area south.  When a potential developer 
comes to look at property to build on, which setback should he consider?  
Should he assume the proposed road expansion will take place in 5 years, or 
in 10, or never?
If a potential developer decides to build using the proposed footprint of 
the WDOT road expansion, he/she will be forced to locate well away from the 
road.  Is that a hindrance to development?  Will economic expansion in the 
corridor be held hostage by WDOT plans and an unknown highway construction 
date?  Will speculators rush to the corridor and buy land along the highway, 
hoping that future values of WDOT right-of-way purchases will increase?  If 
speculators come, what kind of development will be proposed?  I foresee 
latte stands and hotdog vendors, or ridge-to-ridge mini-storage facilities.  
Maybe I’m just being cynical, but it’s some stuff to think about.  And, just 
maybe, there's now a little breathing room to really consider what should be 
in the corridor.
jm

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