Erik
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eriklowe.bsky.social
Erik
@eriklowe.bsky.social
290 followers 290 following 250 posts
Co-Executive Director at SpokaneReimagined.org.
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eriklowe.bsky.social
Not a bad day to build some benches.
July 27, 2025 at 1:09 AM
eriklowe.bsky.social
My comments for today's Spokane Transit Authority Board of Directors meeting:
Text reads: Good Afternoon, First, I want to express my thanks to interim Co-CEOs, Brandon Rapez-Betty and Karl Otterstrom, for their stewardship of Spokane Transit Authority over the last seven months. Your professionalism and commitment to STA during this transitional period was impressive and inspiring. So much so, that Spokane Reimagined has adopted a Co-Executive Director model for our own operations, with Sarah Rose and I sharing that role moving forward. As a token of our thanks, Spokane Reimagined has brought candy gift packs from Spokandy, for you to share with your respective teams. Don’t worry, the total value for each of you is under Washington State gift limits. Second, I want to commend Dr. Cortright and her team for the incredible work in marketing the new double decker fleet. From the Golden Ticket promotion to the blockbuster-styled commercials, your team has knocked it out of the park. I’m so excited to ride this fall. Finally, I want to discuss the Low-Income Fare Pilot Program under consideration today. Spokane Reimagined is in strong support of such a measure. In fact, we feel the program can go farther, either by raising income thresholds, reducing administrative burdens, or both. At a time when so many families struggle with the cost of living, making transportation as accessible as possible for those most at-risk is the right thing to do. STA already has discount and free fare programs. The Honored Rider, Stars & Stripes, and Rider’s License programs are well established, with free fares for youth and half price fares for seniors, people with disabilities, and active-duty military personnel and veterans. Some on this board might argue that a low-income fare will change the “character of ridership”, a term I’ve heard used at past board meetings. I would argue, how would you know what the character of ridership is if you don’t ride the bus? I’ve heard some members previously state their worry that with low-income fares, buses will become “mobi…
July 24, 2025 at 6:26 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
You know a blog is credible when they put a person's legal name in "scare quotes".
July 14, 2025 at 3:26 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
I'm not much for car culture, but I'm a big fan of bumper sticker culture.
Bumper sticker that says "Frog and Toad Fight Fascism!" Frog and Toad are riding a bicycle and they're waving a rainbow flag.
July 11, 2025 at 12:34 AM
eriklowe.bsky.social
Email I sent this morning to the Spokane Transit Authority Board of Directors:
Text Reads: Good Morning, At yesterday's Spokane Transit Authority Board of Directors meeting, concerns were raised about the future move of STA Board meetings to the Plaza. Specifically, Commissioner French voiced his concern about the lack of free parking. While staff addressed these concerns by stating free parking would be available to board members in the Plaza's parking garage, I want to bring the Board's attention to the quality of transit service at the Spokane County administrative campus. Spokane County Commissioners can take the 4, 22, or 23 from stop 3438 (Monroe @ Broadway, 200 feet to the east of the Spokane County Public Works Building) directly to the STA Plaza. On weekdays, there are six departures between 12:45 and 1:25, all of which reach the Plaza by 1:30. Alternatively, Commissioners can take the 21, from stop 1203 (Broadway @ Madison, directly across the street from the Public Works Building), which has three departures from 12:42 to 1:12 to reach the Plaza by 1:30. In total, there are 9 departures over the span of 48 minutes, or approximately one departure every 5 minutes. Of all members of the STA Board, the County Commissioners have the easiest commute to meetings, both now (10 minute walk or 2 minute bus ride) and in the future (5 minute bus ride). Interestingly, I did not hear complaints from the representatives from Millwood, Cheney, or Medical Lake, all of which require a transfer to reach the STA Plaza (and currently require a second transfer to reach STA's Boone Campus). Commissioner French's comments further illustrate why it is so critical that STA's Board of Directors include members of the transit riding public. Anyway, the Spokesman-Review had a good writeup of the meeting: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jun/26/public-to-soon-be-asked-to-weigh-in-on-their-favor/ Thanks so much and have a wonderful weekend!
June 27, 2025 at 4:17 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
A few years ago, I had a series of seizures that prevented me from driving for months.

Our existing car-centric infrastructure is way more ableist than opening streets to people.
An elderly man uses a mobility scooter on a highway.
June 25, 2025 at 7:05 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
I asked Governor Ferguson how the North Spokane Corridor will reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled when multiple speakers discussed the development opportunities it will open north of Spokane. This was the answer I got.
June 9, 2025 at 11:45 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
June 7, 2025 at 4:22 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
Why do I spend countless hours of my time advocating for better transit?

Because I know what is possible.

Spokane has the potential to be the most livable, vibrant, and innovative city in North America.

Now is the time.
May 18, 2025 at 3:58 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
A Spokane Reimagined member took a picture of me yesterday at Bloomsday.
May 5, 2025 at 1:38 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
This graphic from the Spokesman-Review is a great illustration of what congestion is going to look like when the North Spokane Corridor is finished. We're essentially just shifting downtown congestion to the east, further impacting Spokane's lowest income neighborhoods.
April 14, 2025 at 4:35 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
Here are my comments for tomorrow's Spokane Regional Transportation Council board meeting.
Good Afternoon, On May 4th, the 49th running of Spokane’s Bloomsday Race will take over the streets of Spokane. For many, it is the one day a year where these streets are seen as truly safe to run, walk, or roll. Rightfully so, as in four out of the last five years, the Bloomsday route has had a pedestrian fatality: Two fatalities at the staging area on Riverside Avenue, an unsolved hit and run at the top of Doomsday Hill on Pettet Drive, and most recently, 72-year-old Zhilan Chen was struck and killed by a pickup truck in February when trying to cross Whitstalks Way, next to Spokane Falls Community College. If this 7 ½ mile stretch of road was all one street, it would be labeled among Spokane’s most dangerous arterials. As we did last year, Spokane Reimagined will be holding signs and passing out information to the Bloomsday participants at the site of the most recent route fatality. At the bottom of these comments, there are three QR codes. Scanning the first code will take you to a mapping project I’ve been working on utilizing data from SRTC, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, and the Washington State Department of Transportation. The map shows pedestrian fatalities from 2014 through the first quarter of 2025, STA transit stops, and US Census tracts where at least 50% of households make less than 200% of the federal poverty rate. What you will see is that the highest densities of pedestrian fatalities are in our poorest areas. What you will also see is that the majority of pedestrian fatalities are directly adjacent to transit stops. This brings me to the second QR code, which will take you to a study that shows bus stop usage is associated with higher rates of pedestrian collisions. In other words, higher bus stop usage correlates with higher overall risk to pedestrians, regardless of traffic volumes. The third QR code links to a more recent study, which also finds pedestrian involved crashes are more likely to happen closer to bus stops.…
April 9, 2025 at 2:30 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
April 8, 2025 at 2:44 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
Here are the remaining graphs.

See next slide for link to the spreadsheet.

Please triple check my math! I want to be sure this information is accurate!
Net Debt-to-Total Revenues What it is: The total liabilities the city owes compared to how much revenue it collects in a year. What it tells you: This shows how many years of income it would take to pay off all debts if every dollar went to debt repayment. What the trend shows: If the ratio is rising, debt is growing faster than income—this is unsustainable. If it’s falling, the city is gaining control of its obligations. This graph is a bit wonky because the city only started reporting deferred inflows and outflows in 2015. Net Book Value-to-Cost of Tangible Capital Assets What it is: The current value of the city’s physical assets compared to their original cost. What it tells you: This indicates how well the city is maintaining its infrastructure. A low value means assets are aging and wearing out. What the trend shows: A declining trend means the city is falling behind on maintenance. A stable or rising trend suggests it is keeping up. Government Transfers-to-Total Revenue What it is: The share of the city’s income that comes from state or federal aid. What it tells you: High dependency on outside funding makes the city vulnerable to political or economic shifts beyond its control. What the trend shows: If the trend is rising, the city is becoming more dependent on outside help. If it’s falling, the city is strengthening its local revenue base.
April 5, 2025 at 3:20 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
I'm no finance guy, so it was incredibly helpful for @strongtowns.org to release their municipal finance decoder yesterday.

In the last decade, Spokane has seen its financial position weaken considerably.

See replies for a link to my spreadsheet and additional graphs.
#financedecoder #dothemath
Net Financial Position (In Thousands of Dollars) What it is: The difference between the city’s financial assets (like cash and receivables) and its liabilities (like debt and pensions). This is the cumulative surplus/deficit that the city has accumulated through successive budget cycles. What it tells you: A positive net financial position suggests the city has more financial assets than obligations and is in a better position to weather downturns, invest in infrastructure, or respond to emergencies without resorting to borrowing or service cuts. If this number is negative, the city has spent more than it has saved and is relying on future revenue to pay past bills. What the trend shows: A downward trend means the city is growing more reliant on borrowing or deferring payments. An upward trend means it’s becoming more financially secure. Financial Assets-to-Total Liabilities What it is: The city’s financial assets—such as cash, receivables, and other short-term holdings—divided by its total liabilities. This is a different way of presenting the Net Financial Position. What it tells you: This ratio shows whether the city has enough liquid financial resources to cover what it owes. A ratio below 1 means it would not be able to pay off its liabilities using only its financial assets, which is a sign of financial stress. What the trend shows: A rising trend means the city is improving its financial buffer. A falling trend suggests the city is becoming less able to handle its obligations without borrowing or cutting services. Total Assets-to-Total Liabilities What it is: The value of all the city’s assets (including infrastructure) divided by its total liabilities. What it tells you: A ratio above 1 means the city owns more than it owes (solvent). Below 1 means it owes more than it owns (insolvent). What the trend shows: A downward trend means the city is becoming less solvent. An upward trend shows improving financial resilience. Interest-to-Total Revenues What it is: The percentage of annual revenue spent on interest payments. What it tells you: This shows how much of the budget is consumed by past borrowing. The higher the percentage, the less room for services, maintenance, or investment. What the trend shows: An increasing trend limits future choices and can crowd out basic services. A decreasing trend improves flexibility and budget health.
April 5, 2025 at 3:15 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
These are just pedestrians, scooters and bicycles are not included in my data.

This data isn't exact, as my map includes pedestrian fatalities from 2024 and 2025, but it gives some insight into the questions you asked:
April 3, 2025 at 4:20 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
Working on a project to call greater attention to the dangers pedestrians face on Spokane streets.

The most deadly area, by far, is Downtown Spokane. High speed, one way streets are death traps.
April 3, 2025 at 3:10 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
Yes, pedestrian fatalities from being struck by an automobile.

Here's a closer view. Most of the streets have been converted to one ways to optimize throughput. The result is very wide streets with speeding vehicle traffic.
April 1, 2025 at 3:46 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
Spokane County Pedestrian fatalities from 2014-2023 overlaid with census tracts that had 50% or greater households considered "low-income" (200% of the poverty line).
April 1, 2025 at 2:41 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
The below map screenshots are STA transit stops and pedestrian fatalities from 2019-2023
Green = Transit Stops
Purple = Fatal Collisions (This data isn't exact, WSDOT has about 10 more fatalities than the SRTC, but SRTC had a readily available dataset from which I could pull shapefiles)
Map of Downtown Spokane showing transit stops (green) and pedestrian fatalities from 2019-2023. Map of Shadle area showing transit stops (green) and pedestrian fatalities from 2019-2023. Map of Hillyard showing transit stops (green) and pedestrian fatalities from 2019-2023. Map of Spokane Valley showing transit stops (green) and pedestrian fatalities from 2019-2023.
April 1, 2025 at 2:44 AM
eriklowe.bsky.social
Working on a little project.
March 26, 2025 at 10:37 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
March 26, 2025 at 1:45 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
Be on the lookout for these flyers around Spokane!
March 8, 2025 at 8:25 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
Anti-housing loons pretend to care about a tree.

The apartment building that’s being constructed will save dozens of trees by preventing more sprawl.
February 26, 2025 at 2:47 PM
eriklowe.bsky.social
Currently, the plan is to complete a total of seven adaptive projects in 2025. I've already sent my comments to the city council and mayor about how we're *still* moving too slowly.
February 23, 2025 at 7:45 PM