ITD takes up Curve vote
SANDPOINT — The Idaho Transportation Board is expected to officially put the brakes on the U.S. 2 Curve at a meeting today.
According to ITD representative Scotty Fellom, engineers expect board members to remove the $7.5 million that would have funded a highway extension between U.S. 2 and Fifth Avenue.
After months of negotiations between Sandpoint officials and ITD board members, council members decided to withdraw support of the project in favor of potentially diverting traffic onto Fifth Avenue. According to council members, this should be a more friendly option for pedestrians and bicyclists while having lessened impact on local businesses. However, the Curve was also considered necessary for the city to regain control of downtown streets.
“Our hope is that they’ll support our recommendations for operational changes along that street,” Councilwoman Carrie Logan said.
The board meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m., with defunding of the Curve estimated to occur at 11:15 a.m. According to the board agenda item, board members may move funds to seven different projects across Idaho. Two bridge replacements in the Silver Valley, one costing $3.9 million and the other $1.7 million, are projected for District 1.
According to Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, she and Reps. George Eskridge and Eric Anderson were hoping to secure a slice of that funding for projects in Priest River and Boundary County.
“Some of these projects having been languishing for years waiting for funding,” she said.
However, given the timing of the projects, she said it actually acquiring some of that money may be a long shot. In addition, she said she wouldn’t be surprised if all the Curve’s funding was reallocated immediately.
“It may all be decided (Wednesday),” she said.
For city officials, the major question is whether or not the ITD board will endorse operational changes including two-way traffic flow to Fifth Avenue. According to Logan, this could potentially represent a no-construction option that would still get the city its downtown streets back. And while it wouldn’t be completely without cost — ITD District 1 engineer Damon Allen cited a preliminary estimation of $1 million — it would still be cheaper than the Curve.
Sandpoint city attorney Scot Campbell is traveling to Boise to answer any questions the board might have about this option. In addition, Logan said city officials wrote a letter to the board explaining their position. The resolution being considered by ITD board members also intends to “continue to work with the city of Sandpoint to find low cost operational changes” that would allow the return of downtown streets.
ITD would need to support operational changes to Fifth Avenue if the city is to regain its downtown streets, said Logan, adding there isn’t a contingency plan if the department shuts the possibility down.
“We would just have to keep leaning on them,” she said.
The decision to nix the Curve also has implications for local businesses. Dub’s owners Marty and Jeralyn Mire said they’re happy they won’t have to relocate. Employees of Melody Mufflers said that business is staying put, too.
However, Frank Thieme of the Cycle Haus committed to moving after being informed of the project in November. It’s too late to go back for Thieme — his mechanic has already moved on and his new location at his home eight miles out of town is ready to go. He estimates the move will cost him a major chunk of business, and he’ll scale down his operations accordingly. Now he’s seeking money from ITD to cover his costs.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m a tenant (of state land) and they told me to leave, so they need to pay me to leave,” he said.