Spokane Valley’s 2026 construction season is underway. Here’s where traffic impacts are starting now.
Valley WA – South Barker Road is already closed to through traffic between Sprague and Appleway, with detours now and more Spokane Valley work ahead.
South Barker Road is already changing how people move through south Spokane Valley this spring.
The City of Spokane Valley says construction began March 23 on Barker between Sprague Avenue and Appleway Avenue and is expected to continue through June. That stretch is closed to through traffic for the duration of the project, with detours routed along Appleway and Sprague. Local access is supposed to remain open for people who live or own property inside the work zone.
For drivers, nearby residents, and businesses that depend on routine local trips, that makes South Barker the clearest early traffic impact in Spokane Valley’s 2026 construction season.
What is closed now
The current closure affects Barker Road between Sprague and Appleway. The city says through traffic should use the Appleway and Sprague detour, while people headed to addresses inside the construction area can still get in.
There is another change residents should watch next. The city says the section from Appleway to Laberry Drive is expected to close around mid-April for that phase of the work. That timing is presented as approximate, so commuters and nearby neighborhoods should expect updates as construction shifts.
Local reporting from The Spokesman-Review described the active closure as roughly 1,000 feet of roadway with work expected to last about three months, underscoring that this is a short segment with an immediate effect rather than a shutdown of the entire Barker corridor.
What the project is building
This is more than a resurfacing job. The city says the project includes roadway reconstruction and widening, added bike lanes, sidewalks, and stormwater improvements. On the Sprague-to-Appleway segment, Barker is being rebuilt as a three-lane road, with additional lanes approaching Appleway.
In practical terms, the city is trying to improve a corridor that has been under pressure from south Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake growth. The near-term tradeoff is slower trips and detours now in exchange for a wider road with better walking, biking, and drainage infrastructure later.
This is only one part of a much larger Barker buildout
It is important not to confuse the current closure with the full South Barker program. The city’s corridor plan covers Barker from Mission Avenue south to the city boundary below 8th Avenue, and only specific pieces are active right now.
The city’s overview shows different segments in very different stages. The Appleway-to-Sprague section is the one now under construction. The Interstate 90-to-Appleway segment is in preliminary design. The Sprague-to-8th segment is in right-of-way work and is planned for construction in 2027. Farther north, the Mission-to-I-90 segment and the I-90 interchange segment are still seeking money for design.
That matters because the larger corridor program is not fully funded. The city’s project page shows a substantial remaining funding need across the overall Barker package, so residents should expect this corridor overhaul to stretch beyond 2026.
What else drivers should watch this season
South Barker is the most immediate spring impact, but it will not be the only one.
The city’s 2026 construction list shows the Pines Road and BNSF grade-separation project continuing through 2026 and into spring 2027 near Pines and Trent. That project is larger in scale and remains one of the city’s biggest transportation jobs.
Other road work on the city list includes Sprague Avenue preservation between Bowdish and McDonald in spring and summer, Sullivan Road reconstruction between 8th and 24th with a full closure planned from June to August during school break, 32nd Avenue preservation from Pines to SR-27, and arterial school-crossing upgrades on Broadway, 32nd, and Pines.
The practical takeaway is simple: South Barker is the disruption residents in south Spokane Valley need to plan around now, while several other Valley road projects are likely to add travel friction later this spring and summer.
What to watch next
For now, the two dates that matter most are the March 23 start that is already affecting traffic and the expected mid-April expansion of closures south of Appleway. Residents, business owners, and regular commuters in the area should watch city updates closely, because the current Barker work is active now and the larger corridor changes are far from finished.
Sources
- City of Spokane Valley South Barker Road Corridor Project – Sprague to Appleway
- South Barker Road Corridor Projects
- Spokane Valley 2026 Construction Projects
- Pines Road and BNSF grade separation project page
- The Spokesman-Review South Barker closure report
- City of Spokane Valley homepage
- City Council recap archive
