SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – The Wellesley Avenue Preservation Project will see a postponed deadline due to the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302 strike, which is now in its second week, according to the City of Spokane Valley.
The project, which focuses on Wellesley Avenue next to East Valley High School, was scheduled to pave the road on August 12 and would have been on track to finish before the school year started.
However, the strike began on the day paving was supposed to take place, which meant that paving, striping and concrete island sidewalks have been postponed for nine days.
Spokane Valley Public Works Director Robert Blegen said that the city is working with their contractor to find a paving contractor that will pave Wellesley as soon as possible so that students and staff will not see disruptions when they go back to school.
“Completing the project to ensure safe accessibility of our schools is our top priority,” said Blegen, “We are hopeful to move forward very soon.”
“With the start of school next week, East Valley School District is deeply concerned that the current delay of the Wellesley project will add chaos to our transportation services and greatly limit the ability of our parents, staff and students to access our campus safely. We are hopeful for a swift resolution to the labor dispute so as to minimize the impact on the start of our 2025-26 school year.” East Valley High School Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Alex Vermaire said.
The Wellesley Avenue Preservation Project aims to use available funding from the city’s Street Fund to repair Wellesley Avenue near East Valley High School. This section was evaluated to meet only a range from 39 to 52 out of 100 on the Pavement Condition Index.
