Priest River looks forward to busy, active year ahead
As with everyone in Idaho, 2020 was a very different year for the city of Priest River.
As we dealt with the reality of the COVID pandemic we also saw unprecedented residential growth and skyrocketing housing and land prices. Everyone who lives in our area has come to realize that Priest River has become a hotspot for growth in North Idaho. As we approach the building season for 2021, we do not see this trend slowing down. The city expects several new housing developments will be coming before the City Council for approval within the next few months. We could see an additional 150-plus new housing units being proposed in 2021. Even with the growth we are seeing, the city is ready and in a good place to handle the influx of housing. And, in reality, we desperately need the housing in Priest River.
The city is in the final stages of finishing up our wastewater improvement project with a final completion sometime this summer. The project upgraded our wastewater treatment plant, replaced several thousand feet of sewer line dating back to the 1950s, and replaced a failing lift station. Next on the list for utility projects is a roughly $2,000,000 water improvement project that will replace our 1965 water reservoir, upgrade our backwash system to meet DEQ standards, and provide for standby power at the water treatment plant. The project is currently in the engineering stage and will be bid late spring 2021.
In addition to the larger utility projects, the city will be renovating ADA access on Highway 2 at Third street with a grant from the Idaho Transportation Department. We have also completed design and property acquisition for the Highway 2/Wisconsin Street re-alignment and are awaiting final funding to bid this project.
The city of Priest River made it through the difficulties of 2020 and are looking forward to an active 2021 and beyond. We are starting to see business growth in the city along with the residential growth. With the increased population base both in the city and the surrounding area, we hope that our local business will continue to thrive in 2021.