'Curve' gets a green light

SANDPOINT — The U.S. 2 “Curve” extension will soon be a reality.

The Idaho Transportation Department board approved the project Thursday afternoon, setting funding at $7.5 million. The extension will bring a round of improvements to traffic in Sandpoint, including added safety and mobility. It is also the final piece in the puzzle that must fall into place before Sandpoint can reacquire its downtown streets.

“This project will not only improve the level of service for Highway 2 but also complete a critical element of our transportation plan,” Sandpoint Mayor Marsha Ogilvie said.

The U.S. 2 extension, popularly referred to as the Curve, will run between Lake and Cedar streets toward Fifth Avenue, diverting traffic away from downtown streets. Working in tandem with the Sand Creek Byway, which diverts highway traffic on U.S. 95, the Curve will keep heavy industrial traffic and travelers away from the downtown core, creating a safer environment for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Construction on the project is scheduled to begin in 2013. To meet that deadline, ITD will have to act quickly in the upcoming stages of the project. The next step is to put together the final design for the project, a task ITD can either contract out or per form in-house. Since federal dollars are now in play, a rigorous process of public input will accompany the engineering design.

Fortunately, a solid amount of conceptual work has already been completed. The Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency contributed $200,000 for a concept study conducted by David Evans and Associates and spent another $200,000 on a downtown street redesign currently being handled by SERA Architects.

David Evans and Associates’ work produced the mini-couplet design, an approach approved by ITD staff. The design converts a section of Pine Street to an eastbound one-way to disperse traffic more effectively. That feature allows the Curve to handle greater traffic density without adding on lanes and creating a more dangerous situation for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Curve is one of several projects the ITD board decided to expedite with the funds available at the end of the fiscal year. Altogether, they approved $180 million in highway projects in an effort to improve the transportation system and revitalize the state economy.

“With low interest rates, the need to improve safety, grow the economy through construction jobs, remove bottlenecks to commerce and improve traffic flow, the board decided unanimously to advance these projects,” said Jerry Whitehead, chairman of the Idaho Transportation Board. “Saving money and putting it right back on the road reflects well on the people and management of the Transportation Department.”

For Sandpoint, the funding approval is another big step toward locally-controlled downtown streets and a vibrant, safe social hub.

“It’s a win-win for everyone,” transportation information officer Susan Kiebert said. “Sandpoint really wants its downtown streets back, and the state really wants to give them to it.”

An earlier version of this story incorrectly named the agency Sandpoint hired for a design concept. The error has since been corrected.