Public hearing held in CDA on March 12 for US-95/Walnut Avenue/Lincoln Way intersection improvements

ITD will hold a public hearing on March 12 to gather public comment on plans to expand US-95 to four lanes through an improved US-95/Walnut Avenue/Lincoln Way intersection in Coeur d’Alene. Proposed improvements will enhance safety and mobility in the corridor.

The hearing will be held at Winton Elementary School at 920 W. Lacrosse Avenue. The hearing will follow open-house format, and the public is invited to arrive anytime between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to view displays and interact with project staff.

The section of the highway between Upriver Road and Linden Ave, which includes the US-95/Walnut Avenue/Lincoln Way intersection, is one of the only remaining two-lane sections between Worley and Athol.

The current layout of the intersection can be confusing for drivers, as it allows US-95 thru traffic to flow freely but subjects all other movements to a three-way stop condition. Due to high traffic volumes and the complicated layout, this intersection is a high risk for crashes and near misses.

To increase safety and mobility, proposed improvements include adding an additional lane in each direction of the highway and modifying access to cross streets in the area. The project is scheduled to be constructed in 2020 for $5.4 million.

For more information on this project, or to comment online, visit the D1 page, select the Projects tab and choose “US-95: IC #430 and Lacrosse Avenue.”

Comments may also be emailed to the project manager at Kyle.Schrader@itd.idaho.gov or addressed to Kyle Schrader at Idaho Transportation Dept., 600 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, 83815.

Comments will be accepted through March 26, 2018.

Replacement of Kingston Bridge east of CDA begins Feb. 26

Work will begin Monday, Feb. 26 to replace the bridge over Interstate 90 near Kingston, 30 miles east of Coeur d’Alene. This is one of several projects throughout the north Idaho region aimed at extending the service lives of aging local bridges, benefitting the safety and mobility of drivers.

Construction to replace the old Kingston bridge—built in 1967—will be completed by December.

To replace the bridge, the existing structure will be demolished and rebuilt in two phases — the first phase will begin in mid-March, and the second-phase will begin in mid-June. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction and detoured onto the on and off ramps during the scheduled nighttime demolitions. Closures for demolitions will be limited to a total of 10 nights.

ITD anticipates intermittent lane closures during the day throughout construction. Travelers are required to reduce speeds but should not expect delays.

Concrete Placing Company is the primary contractor on this $7.6 million project.

Other bridgework and replacement projects scheduled for construction this season include:

Replacing the Oldtown Bridge along ID-41.
Replacing the St. Maries Railroad Bridge and the St. Joe River Bridge along ID-3 in St. Maries.
Improving support structures for the Blue Creek Bay Bridge along I-90 near Wolf Lodge.
Improving support structures for the Coeur d’Alene River Bridge along ID-97 near Harrison.
Replacing the culvert over Round Prairie Creek along US-95 near Eastport.
Replacing the culvert over Cedar Creek along ID-3 near Clarkia.
Replacing the culvert over Texas Creek along ID-11 near Weippe.

Bridge projects in the district total approximately $45.3 million this year.

For construction updates on this project and other scheduled improvements, check 511.idaho.gov.

Public hearing for US-95 improvements held Jan. 31 in Coeur d’Alene

A public hearing will be held Wednesday (Jan. 31) to share information on proposed improvements to the section of US-95 between Interstate 90 and Idaho Highway 53 in Kootenai County. The hearing will be at the Idaho Transportation Department District 1 Office at 600 W. Prairie Avenue in Coeur d’Alene.

Proposed improvements include:

– Optimizing traffic signal spacing by removing two signals and adding two signals

– Modifying traffic signal timing

– Extending Wilbur between US-95 and Government Way

– Modifying vehicle-median crossings at non-signalized locations

– Adding new turn lanes

– Reconstructing the bike path along the highway

Proposed improvements are funded in part by a $5.1 million FASTLANE grant awarded to ITD and the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization in October 2016. FASTLANE grants recognize the nation’s top goods-movement projects.

The hearing will be in an open-house format, and those interested are invited to arrive any time between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Displays will illustrate proposed improvements, and project staff will be available to answer questions. Hearing officers will be available to record verbal testimony.

Additionally, comments may be mailed and will become part of the project record if postmarked by Feb. 15. Address them to: Carrie Ann Hewitt, 600 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815. Comments also can be emailed to: carrieann.hewitt@itd.idaho.gov.

For more information on the project or to comment online, visit https://itd.idaho.gov/d1//, choose “Projects” and then choose US-95: N Corridor Access Improvements or visit the project website. Comments will be accepted Jan. 31 – Feb. 15, 2018.

ITD seeks public comment Jan. 25 in CDA on ID-41 expansion

The Idaho Transportation Department invites the public to a hearing about the expansion of Idaho Highway 41 from Prairie Avenue to Boekel Road. The meeting will be held Jan. 25 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Coeur d’Alene office at 600 West Prairie Avenue.

The $25-million project from Prairie Avenue to Boekel Road is part of a larger project to safely accommodate the projected growth of the region by transforming ID-41 into a divided four-lane highway from Post Falls to Rathdrum.

“The improved highway will serve as a safer and more efficient north-south route to I-90,” project manager John Vaudreuil said. “Expanding ID-41 will enhance safety, improve mobility and promote economic development in the area.”

The public hearing will focus solely on the proposed changes, which are also featured on the project website at http://arcg.is/0P9aau. Improvements for this four-mile section of the highway will take two years to build, with construction beginning in 2020.

Besides expanding the highway to four lanes separated by a grassy median, the project will replace the signal at Hayden Avenue and add signals and turn lanes at Lancaster Road and Nagel Lane, Vaudreuil said.

Other features of the project include safety improvements near railroads and the possible addition of pedestrian facilities in the corridor.

To enhance safety at the railroad crossing between Hayden Avenue and Wyoming Avenue, ITD will construct a grade separation so that the highway will pass over, rather than intersect, the crossing to limit opportunities for collisions. ITD is also working with the Union Pacific Railroad to remove the crossing between Prairie Avenue and Hayden Avenue, Vaudreuil said.

ITD is evaluating the feasibility of installing a pedestrian underpass near Nagel Lane. The underpass would facilitate foot traffic across the highway, Vaudreuil said.

Should the county or nearby cities of Post Falls or Rathdrum agree to maintain it, ITD would construct a multi-use pathway along the east side of the highway to connect the two cities.

Those who cannot attend the public hearing may visit the project website to learn more and to comment. Comments will be collected from Jan. 25 to Feb. 8.

ITD engineers strive to incorporate feedback from meetings and from online comments into the design of the project, as they have done in the past.

Vaudreuil said previous comments from public meetings and contact with property owners adjacent to the project suggested a preference for an expanded, median-divided highway and wide signalized intersections, rather than roundabouts, to accommodate U-turns.

“Public comment is critical to the project’s design and helps us deliver the best possible project to our users,” Vaudreuil said.

Paving awards are big win for north Idaho projects and drivers

COEUR D’ALENE – Three north Idaho projects received recognition from the National Asphalt and Paving Association just before Christmas for high-quality paving, signifying a big win for the Idaho Transportation Department, the contractor (Poe Asphalt Paving Inc.), and most importantly, the region’s drivers.

Paving for the second stage of US-95 near Sheep Creek, US-95 near Cougar Creek, and (pictured above) Sherman Avenue to Blue Creek Bay Bridge on Interstate 90 earned Quality in Construction awards.

“Our project managers and materials engineers work with contractors to ensure that the public receives a high-quality product,” said Marvin Fenn, an ITD engineering manager in north Idaho.

Awards were based on asphalt samples submitted to the National Center for Asphalt Technology in Alabama and reviewed for deviations and for consistency.

“Collaborating with ITD engineers is always a positive experience,” said Brian Poe, a project manager for Poe Asphalt and Paving in Post Falls. “It is great to work with a team that wants to deliver the best projects for the traveling public.”

North Idaho officers to work across jurisdictions to combat impaired driving this holiday season

During this holiday season, Kootenai County law enforcement agencies are partnering on a new strategy to protect the traveling public and to get impaired drivers off the road.

“We’re going to take the approach this season that we haven’t taken in quite some time—or ever for that matter—to have a multiagency task force to conduct emphasis patrols focusing entirely on impaired drivers,” said Idaho State Police Captain John Kempf.

With funding from the Idaho Transportation Department to cover the costs of extra patrols, local law enforcement agencies are coordinating multijurisdictional emphasis patrols on the weekends through New Year’s Eve. Each participating agency assigns additional officers to canvas the entire county, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries.

“We’ve noticed a pattern in the last several months,” Kempf said. “We’ve seen increases in drunk or drugged driving involved in not only crashes but also fatalities, and we’re working with other agencies to put on extra patrols to focus on this problem.”

Many law enforcement agencies throughout the state plan these patrols during the holidays when there are more drivers on the roads, but in Kootenai County, the patrols will be more organized than previous efforts, and hopefully, more effective.

“We’re going to have all of the officers from the different agencies that are participating use the same radio frequency,” Kempf said. “It allows them to remain focused on DUI enforcement and allow other officers to handle non-DUI calls.”

By using one radio channel for communication, officers from multiple agencies will be able to work as one team to catch impaired drivers, Kempf said.

“With this team-focused approach, we’re not going to worry about jurisdictional boundaries,” Kempf said.

Kempf said there will be extra officers from the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and the Idaho State Police patrolling for impaired drivers every weekend until the end of the year.

“If you suspect somebody of drinking and driving, dial 9-1-1. Officers will be dispatched to locate those drivers,” Kempf said. “We want everyone on the roads to be safe this holiday season, and anyone can help with that.”

Open house in Bonners Ferry Dec. 14 will explain upcoming changes to US-95

US-95 will be improved from the Kootenai River Bridge to Alderson Lane.

COEUR d’ALENE–The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) invites the public to an open house on Thursday (Dec. 14) to learn about a project to improve safety on US-95 through Bonners Ferry.

The open house will be held at Boundary County Middle School from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The open house will begin with a brief presentation on the key aspects of the project. Following the presentation, ITD staff will be available to answer any questions, project manager Ben Ward said.

“This project will improve safety for the many users of US-95 by providing improved pedestrian facilities, reducing the number of approaches to the highway, and controlling snow and water drainage better,” Ward said.

The project will be built in two phases at an estimated construction cost of $9.4 million. ITD contractors will be required to keep one lane of US-95 open in each direction during the day with the option to reduce the highway to one lane at night. Access to businesses along the highway will remain open during construction, Ward said.

The first phase of the project includes improvements to the South Hill to be constructed in 2018, and the second phase includes improvements on US-95 from Alderson Lane to Madison Street to be constructed in 2019.

The project will reduce US-95 to two lanes on the South Hill, allowing for the designation of acceleration lanes in both directions near Ash Street to make turns onto the highway easier, especially for trucks turning left to go up the hill. These acceleration lanes can also be used to reroute traffic and avoid delays in the event of stalled rigs or crashes on the South Hill, said Dan Budd, an ITD designer for the project.

The new merging point for southbound traffic will be moved north from the Madison Street intersection to the Kootenai Street intersection. A protected crosswalk will be placed just south of the Madison Street intersection to provide safer crossing for children going to the city’s swimming pool. Getting traffic into one lane before the Madison intersection will make it safer for the many pedestrians who will cross there, Budd said.

“We want drivers approaching the Madison intersection to be looking forward at the crosswalk, not looking back over their shoulder while trying to merge into one lane,” Budd said. “Pedestrians, often children, use that intersection to cross to the local swimming pool.”

The new crosswalk will be equipped with pedestrian-activated, high-intensity lights to bring drivers’ attention to the crosswalk and allow pedestrians to cross safely, Budd said.

As part of the first phase of the project, ITD contractors also will upgrade the streetlights on the South Hill to be more efficient, and the existing sidewalk will be expanded from 5 feet to 8 feet, Budd said.

Highway improvements from Alderson Lane to Madison Street include the creation of a consistent three-lane highway with wider shoulders to accommodate bicyclists and 6-foot sidewalks separated from the highway by a grass buffer, all illuminated by new lights.

The project will also remove the signal at Alderson Lane. ITD initially considered upgrading the signal due to its age, but further analysis determined that the signal was not warranted by the volume of vehicles using it, even during peak summer traffic, Ward said.

Those unable to attend the open house may view details by visiting the project website at http://arcg.is/P584v. The website also features general responses to comments received from three meetings held by ITD during the design process. Any additional questions about the project should be addressed to Ben Ward at (208) 772-1218 or Ben.Ward@itd.idaho.gov.

Public invited to hearing in CDA on Tuesday (Nov. 28) to discuss upcoming ID-41 changes

COEUR d’ALENE—Project planners invite the public to attend a hearing on Tuesday (Nov. 28) to give their feedback about the conversion of Idaho Highway 41 into a divided four-lane highway from Mullan Avenue to Prairie Avenue in Post Falls.

Held at the Coeur d’Alene office of the Idaho Transportation Department from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., the hearing will give the public the opportunity to view exhibits and provide input on the project, ITD project manager Lee Bernardi said.

The project will improve the safety of the highway and meet future traffic demands for the area, Bernardi said.

The comment period for ID-41 improvements from Mullan Avenue to Prairie Avenue will begin with the public hearing on Nov. 28 and close on Dec. 12. Those unable to attend the hearing can still comment by visiting the project website.

“This region is one of the fastest-growing in the nation right now,” Bernardi said. “State highway 41 will experience a significant growth in users. This project will address the traffic and safety needs of the anticipated growth.”

The route connects the developing cities of Post Falls and Rathdrum and serves as an alternative north-south route for US-95. Statistics show that crash severity and fatality rates for ID-41 are greater than the statewide average for similar highways, confirming the need to address both capacity and safety issues for the highway, Bernardi said.

The project also includes traffic signal upgrades at the intersections of 16^th, Poleline and Prairie avenues with ID-41, as well as the installation of a new light at Hope Avenue. A path for bikers and pedestrians will be built on the east side of the highway to further connect Post Falls to Rathdrum, Bernardi said.

“We encourage comments from the public,” Bernardi said. “We want the public to be involved in the process because it’s ultimately for them. They’re our users, and we want the project to meet their needs.”

ITD contractors will begin construction in 2020 and finish in 2021. Contractors will minimize traffic impacts by building the new northbound lanes while the public continues to use the existing two-lane highway. Once the northbound lanes are finished, traffic will be redirected to those new lanes while contractors rebuild the old portion of ID-41. At the end of construction, the public will be able to travel on a divided four-lane highway from Mullan Avenue to Prairie Avenue, Bernardi said.

This $14.5 million project is part of a larger reconstruction project to improve ID-41 from Mullan Avenue in Post Falls to Boekel Road in Rathdrum. Improvements for the entire highway between Post Falls and Rathdrum are anticipated to be completed by 2021 at an estimated cost of $39 million, Bernardi said.

Interested parties may attend a separate public meeting in January 2018 for ID-41 improvements from Prairie Avenue to Boekel Road, said John Vaudreuil, ITD project manager for that section of the highway.

ITD to protect travelers during No Refusal Weekend

Local law enforcement agencies gather with partners to announce the No Refusal Weekend.

Photo above: Law enforcement agencies gather with partners to announce the No Refusal Weekend.

COEUR d’ALENE – With help from the Idaho Transportation Department, various law enforcement agencies in Kootenai County are expanding measures to protect the traveling public this holiday season, beginning with the No Refusal Weekend during Thanksgiving week.

“Drug- or alcohol-impaired driving is the leading cause of fatal crashes in Idaho,” said John Kempf, a captain with the Idaho State Police (ISP), during a press conference Thursday (Nov. 16).

Kempf said seven people died from six fatal crashes in Kootenai County in October — a significant number considering that during the last three years, there have been eight fatalities on average in the county for the entire year.

Of those six fatal crashes in October, ISP suspects five were alcohol or drug related, Kempf said.

In response, law enforcement agencies are launching a county-wide campaign to catch impaired drivers and prevent fatal crashes. Nick Knoll, an officer from the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, coordinated with other law enforcement agencies and the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety to produce the No Refusal Weekend.

The No Refusal Weekend includes educational opportunities for the public but also marks the beginning of emphasis patrols for the holiday season. There will be 15 extra officers throughout the county Nov. 24-25, patrolling specifically for impaired drivers, Knoll said.

Knoll said these emphasis patrols were made possible by federal funding administered by ITD.

“ITD approved grants for local law enforcement agencies to cover the additional costs that will result from these extra patrols to enforce traffic safety,” said Lisa Losness, a grants officer for the Office of Highway Safety.

Five law enforcement agencies within Kootenai County applied for funding to pay the overtime wages of officers, with requests ranging from $500 to $1,500, to take part in the No Refusal Weekend, Losness said.

Viewers will have a chance to learn what makes the weekend unique by visiting the Facebook page of the Post Falls Police Department for a virtual ride-along experience starting at 8 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 25), Knoll said.

If drivers are pulled over and refuse to take a breath test during emphasis patrols on No Refusal Weekend, officers will attempt to obtain a search warrant to have specially trained officers collect blood samples. Local law enforcement agencies note that those who refuse to cooperate with breath testing tend to have a significant history of DUIs and a high blood alcohol content when tested, Knoll said.

Test results from blood samples ultimately shorten court proceedings and save police departments time and money, Knoll said.

For those drivers stopped during the No Refusal Weekend for reasons unrelated to impaired driving, Knoll said Fire Artisan Pizza in Coeur d’Alene has provided officers with coupons to hand out as a thank-you to sober drivers.

ISP will offer alcohol beverage control training to any interested servers or bartenders at its Coeur d’Alene office at 1 p.m. on Tuesday (Nov. 21). The public is also invited to attend an informational booth in the Resort Plaza Shops before and after the Coeur d’Alene Lighting Ceremony Parade on Friday (Nov. 24). Visitors can wear “beer goggles” that simulate impaired driving, Knoll said.

Football fans who visit the booth can enter to win a football signed by Mark Rypien, the Washington Redskins’ MVP from Super Bowl XXVI, said Kootenai County Sheriff Wolfinger.

Parade viewers can also cheer on the No Refusal Weekend float and its theme of “Be a Hero. Prevent Impaired Driving” and know that the law enforcement agencies escorting the float have already partnered to protect travelers this holiday season.

ID-3: St. Maries Bridge Replacements Schedule Adjusted

In the original St. Maries Bridge Replacements project schedule, the railroad bridge was to be constructed prior to the river bridge. However, with unforeseen delays during the first several weeks, there is no longer time to construct the railroad bridge without impacting the construction of river bridge, and the river bridge construction is the critical path to overall project completion. The project team is currently reworking the construction schedule with the Idaho Department of Transportation. This will NOT change the overall completion date of the project.

The schedule below reflects the new proposed timeline. The only difference between this and the original schedule is the timing of the railroad bridge work:

Early winter 2017 through late winter 2018: Crews will construct the river bridge foundation.
- Riverside Ave between 4^th and 1^st Streets will be closed intermittently.
- Additional intermittent lane closures will take place as needed to mobilize equipment.
Late winter through summer 2018: Crews will construct the west half of the new river bridge and will complete improvements on Railroad Ave.
- The road will be reduced to one lane with a temporary signal to direct traffic.
- Delays during peak hours can be expected.
- A pedestrian pathway will be maintained.
Summer through fall 2018: Crews will remove and replace the railroad bridge.
- The detour through town will be in place.
Summer through winter 2018: Crews will construct the east half of the river bridge.
- Two-way traffic will be shifted onto the new west side of the bridge.
- A pedestrian pathway will be maintained.

Please note that this schedule is still subject to change as the design is further developed and as critical subcontractors are secured.

Crews will complete the detour paving today in preparation for the railroad bridge closure in summer 2018. However, for approximately one week in the near future, the railroad bridge will be closed, and the detour route will be put into effect. This will take place as crews repair a utility pipe that broke last week.

Once the pipe is repaired, roadway impacts will be minimal until the river bridge is reduced to one lane in late winter 2018.

For questions or concerns call Gemma Puddy at 208-292-8515.