ITD pledges to improve communication

SANDPOINT — Idaho Transportation Department officials apologized for neglecting to forewarn the public of an abrupt change in U.S. Highway 95 bypass construction plans which resulted in lengthy traffic delays on Monday.

However, ITD officials cautioned that they cannot guarantee such delays won’t happen again over the next several years.

“First and foremost, we apologize. We certainly could have done a far better job communicating to the public what was going on,” said ITD spokeswoman Barbara Babic.

Monday’s traffic delays stretched to several hours for some motorists, some of whom were merely trying to get from Sagle to Sandpoint.

Bypass contractor Parsons RCI decided late last week to begin replacing guardrail on the west side of the Long Bridge with Jersey barriers, which forced the closure of one lane of the bridge and caused traffic to knot throughout town.

But the potential guardrail work was never addressed during last week’s construction update, meetings which are meant to advise the public of what to expect in the coming weeks.

Babic said ITD didn’t learn of the change in plans until Monday, when the department became flooded with phone calls from frustrated commuters and motorists.

Parsons Engineer Shane Webley said the unannounced change of plans resulted from a “struggle” involving the retaining wall being built beside the bridge, a matter he then downgraded to an “issue.”

“Part of the resolution was to get the barrier out,” said Webley, whose construction update for the next few weeks was overshadowed by the discussion of Monday’s traffic delays.

ITD’s pledge to communicate better with Parsons and the public, was not welcomed by everyone. Sagle resident Lisa Ailport complained the pledge meant little since ITD could not guarantee there wouldn’t be future delays.

Others were more forgiving.

“People have to get used to the delays,” said Ponderay resident Nancy Piatt.

Sandpoint Mayor Gretchen Hellar continued to pound the drum regarding the lack of night work on the bypass. Work on the project is limited between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Hellar urged the state to amend the work contract to allow for night work which does not have noise impacts.

“I would be surprised if you can’t (amend the contract),” Hellar said.

Babic said the restriction is rooted in the project’s environmental impact statement, in which construction noise was considered a major factor. Changes to the time restrictions could require changes to the EIS or open ITD up to legal challenges from critics who could argue the noise restrictions aren’t being adhered to, Babic said.