Six-Month Project Serves Four Unincorporated Communities
Spokane County has closed Seven Mile Road to through traffic for six months to install sewer and water lines serving four unincorporated communities east of Spokane. The closure began July 14 and will remain in effect through August 31, 2026, as contractors lay main water and sewer lines from the city of Spokane into the county’s Seven Mile Urban Growth Area.
The project connects Spokane’s municipal infrastructure to the communities of Sundance Meadows, Seven Mile Addition, Volkman, and Nine Mile. Motorists traveling the corridor, which typically handles about 5,200 vehicles per day, must use Old Trails Road and Inland Road as alternate routes. The detour significantly extends travel time; drivers heading north or south across the Spokane River from Seven Mile Trailhead face approximately a 20-minute diversion.
LaRiviere Construction, based in Rathdrum, is handling the installation work. Once the utility lines are in place, Spokane County will reconstruct Seven Mile Road. The city of Spokane owns and maintains the water and sewer lines, while Spokane County controls the road itself, requiring coordination between both jurisdictions.
Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure Investment
The sewer expansion includes a wastewater pump station that will transport sewage to Spokane County’s Regional Water Reclamation Facility. Spokane approved an $8 million reimbursement to a private developer for constructing and initially operating the pump station, with the city paying the developer over an eight-year period following approval in October 2025.
The infrastructure project is part of Spokane’s Six-Year Comprehensive Sewer and Stormwater Utility Program, running from 2023 through 2028. Planning for regional wastewater capacity began nearly two decades ago; the city conducted its initial feasibility study in 2007.
Chris Martin, administrator of the Spokane County Engineering Office, acknowledged the challenge posed by limited alternate routes in the area. “There are not a lot of options for detour in that area from Seven Mile east to Spokane, so we’re stuck with a really poor detour but really limited in what our options are,” he said.
Emergency Access and Future Capacity Planning
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office developed an emergency fire evacuation route for Seven Mile residents during the closure, ensuring that firefighting equipment and emergency vehicles can access homes if needed. Residents and visitors can also access Riverside State Park via its south entrance.
City of Spokane Public Works Communications Manager Kirstin Davis explained the reasoning behind the infrastructure investment. The utility approach aims beyond immediate demand, she noted: “We could just do the bare minimum of what’s going to handle the current development, or we could put the infrastructure in that, if there is future development outside of that, it could accommodate that and keep those levels of service where they need to be.”
The Seven Mile Road closure follows similar utility work elsewhere in the region. In October 2024, Spokane-Cheney Road closed intermittently for one week to accommodate comparable water and sewer improvements. Additionally, Hatch Road construction that began in March 2022 is scheduled to wrap up by the end of July 2026.
What Comes Next
Residents and regular commuters should plan for continued use of alternate routes through the end of summer. Once underground utilities are installed, Spokane County will prioritize road reconstruction. The county and city expect the full project, from utility installation through road restoration, to be substantially complete by Labor Day.