Bloglander

Downtown Spokane's crumbling, accident-prone sidewalks have been selected for a $1.1 million grant from the Spokane Regional Transportation Council, through a program focused on encouraging alternatives to driving.

The city will match the grant with about $173,000 and the Downtown Spokane Partnership will chip in $49,600.

We told you about the state of the city's sidewalks and the toll its taking on city coffers earlier this year. 

Construction will be phased over 2014 and 2015 and will consist of replacing broken sidewalk on eight different blocks, installing curb ramps and sidewalk bump-outs on four corners.

Locations (see the map below) were prioritized based on their proximity to other planned improvements, the "entertainment district" and the STA plaza, according to the city's application for the grant. (Sidewalks on Howard will also get work because the road is considered a "major pedestrian corridor.") The project will include new bike racks, planters, garbage cans, street trees and street tree grates.

Here's the plan for which areas will get spruced up, from the city's grant application: