Business owner raises safety concerns about proposed STA bus stop location

SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane Transit Authority has plans to build over 40 bus stops along Division over the next few years, but one business owner says STA could be putting people in danger by building a stop outside his store.

The owner of the Army Surplus Store at Division and Buckeye says he sees at least one crash per month at the intersection. He says building a bus stop there could put all of the riders waiting there in danger.

Thousands of cars pass by the Army Surplus Store at Division and Buckeye every day. The intersection has seen a number of crashes over the years, some of which even damaged the store.

When store owner David Arnold heard about STA’s plans to put a bus stop right outside, he worried about bus riders having a safe place to stand.

“With the plans of putting this bus stop up, I just thought it was important to let people know that there is a danger there, in that situation,” Arnold said.

The proposed bus stop is one of 43 stops STA is planning to build along Division and Ruby as part of its Bus Rapid Transit project. These stops are expected to be built in 2028, but STA said today it’s considering moving the one at Division and Buckeye.

“This stop at Buckeye and Division is based on a lot of the public outreach that we’ve done. Still up for consideration, so nothing is final at 60% design. We’re still looking at the possibility of what we can do at that stop,” said Carly Cortright of Spokane Transit Authority.

STA will make a final decision on potentially moving the bus stop in the next year.

Arnold says he’s reached out to the city and Washington DOT about doing something to reduce the number of crashes at the intersection. He believes changing the sequence of the traffic lights could make a difference.

If the bus stop’s location doesn’t change, STA plans to turn the far right lane into a bus-only lane. Arnold worries that could cause drivers to get stuck in the intersection if they’re caught behind a bus.