Sandpoint eyes vision for downtown streets

SANDPOINT — Elected officials will soon be getting a clearer vision of everything city-controlled downtown streets could be.

In a special council meeting Tuesday night, members selected consulting firm SERA to develop a plan for the downtown Sandpoint streets once they’re returned to city control. According to Public Works Director Kody Van Dyk, the study will help craft a vision for the new streets.

“It’s primary purpose is to develop concepts for what the downtown streets will look like,” Van Dyk said. “We’ll still need to hire an engineer.”

Along with the Sand Creek Byway and the forthcoming Curve Project, which will bypass U.S. 2 traffic from the downtown, the downtown street redesign is a core project in the long-sought reacquisition of downtown Sandpoint streets. With a consulting firm selected for the project, the conceptual plan will be a major contributor to the future aesthetics and navigability of downtown Sandpoint. At a minimum, council members have emphasized the need for two-way street traffic and easy access for pedestrians and bicyclists.

After accepting applications from several candidates, the Public Works Committee whittled submissions down to three consulting firms: MIG, CTA and SERA. The finalists gave 30 minute presentations followed by 20 minutes of questions and answers. 

Public Works Committee members weighed each candidates’ merits and ultimately recommended SERA for council approval. Members based their decision on SERA representatives’ enthusiasm and commitment to the job, their impressive technical experience, their ability to use a variety of techniques in communicating their ideas and especially with their strong history of public outreach and connectivity.

Council members accepted the committee’s recommendations, although some noted the other candidates weren’t without their advantages. Councilman Shelby Rognstad noted that CTA’s local office would help keep dollars in the community.

“They would employ people locally, and I think we should consider that option whenever possible,” he said.

Nevertheless, council members were obligated to base their decision primarily on qualifications. With their decision finalized, the next step will be to draft a contract and obtain funding from the Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency.