Bypass construction nears end

SANDPOINT — A May 31 dedication ceremony is set for the Sand Creek Byway.

The ceremony is expected to take place at the site of the former Lakeside Inn motel off Bridge Street. It’s the same site that was used for a groundbreaking ceremony for the U.S. Highway 95 rerouting project in the fall of 2008.

It remains unclear exactly what day motorists will be turned loose on the new highway alignment, although it could coincide with the dedication ceremony, according to Idaho Transportation Department officials.

Although the $100 million project appears substantially complete, it remains closed to the public because a pedestrian structure is still being constructed at the east end of the Cedar Street Bridge. Signage and guardrail are also being installed.

Anticipation for project’s opening has created a void filled with speculation and conspiracy theories to explain why the project hasn’t opened yet.

Even if the roadway doesn’t open until the dedication ceremony, it will still be months ahead of the November completion date specified in the project contract.

Ken Sorensen, ITD’s resident engineer, was hoping the new alignment could first be opened to bicyclists and pedestrians so people could take in all its features, something that’s not as easy to do at 45 miles per hour, the posted speed limit on the bypass.

However, that plan is not likely to come to fruition.

“There was some serious liability issues both for the state and the contractor, particularly the state though,” said ITD spokeswoman Barbara Babic.

“The guardrails are not high enough from a safety standpoint for pedestrian traffic.”

Babic said there could be fun run or bike ride to commemorate completion of the bypass, although such events would take place on the project’s bike/pedestrian pathways, not on the highway alignment.

“At this point in time we just want people to save the date. Particulars of the event haven’t quite been worked out yet,” said Babic.