ITD celebrating bypass groundbreaking

SANDPOINT - The Idaho Transportation Department is holding a groundbreaking ceremony for the Sand Creek Byway on Thursday, Oct. 30.

The ceremony starts at 2 p.m. at the former site of the Lakeside Inn, located off the east end of the Bridge Street Bridge.

Governor Butch Otter is lined up to give a keynote address celebrating the start of construction on the U.S. Highway 95 bypass.

Lieutenant Gov. Jim Risch, U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Larry Craig, Idaho Transportation Board Chairman Darrell V. Manning, in addition to numerous state lawmakers and local officials, are slated to attend.

A reception will follow at the Elk's Lodge in Ponderay.

"It's just an opportunity for people to get together and be with people who are happy to see this project move forward," said Barbara Babic, ITD's District 1 spokeswoman.

And yes, gold-painted shovels will be involved.

Otter and Risch have publicly thrown their support behind the project, as has Idaho's congressional delegation.

Babic said Craig was helpful in dealing with BNSF Railway to secure property and right of way for the project, while Sali helped interface with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The project's Citizen Design Advisory Committee will also be in attendance.

"They stuck with us through thick and thin. They were extremely helpful in getting the input that we needed," Babic said of CDAC's involvement.

The ceremony will signal the symbolic start of the project. The actual start of construction of the bypass is tentatively slated for early November, said Babic.

A preliminary construction schedule is still being finalized.

Although there are several pending lawsuits which aim to derail the bypass, ITD continues to soldier on in all-systems-go mode.

Along with the legions of passionate supporters and detractors, there are still some who are leery of believing the project will actually start after 50 years of debate. Many have said they will believe the project is really starting once they see dirt moving.

"This is just one more step in the process of seeing and believing," Babic said.