R&B to seek asphalt project bids

SANDPOINT — The Bonner County Road and Bridge Department has received approval to advertise for bids for its summer 2024 asphalt projects throughout the county.

The biggest project, staff engineer Matt Mulder said, is paving a portion of Sunnyside Road, located off Highway 200 past the city of Kootenai.

“This project will seek to place new asphalt on Sunnyside Road from the end of the existing asphalt in the 4300 block and extend that to the end of county maintenance at Cedar Drive, which is approximately 1.75 miles further down the road,” he said.

Currently, the gravel portion of Sunnyside Road is riddled with potholes due to the continuous freezing and thawing temperatures the Idaho Panhandle has seen this winter.

The Road and Bridge Department is also planning on placing asphalt on several intersection, bridge and driveway aprons in the Blanchard area. An apron is a smooth portion of asphalt that is placed to improve drivability and reduce erosion. Intersection aprons can help large vehicles make right-hand turns without driving on the sidewalk while driveway aprons help cars pull into their driveway smoothly while helping water run into drainage systems rather than pooling in front of houses.

The Bonner County commissioners unanimously approved the department’s request for bid, and it will begin doing so shortly to ensure construction projects are started and finished on time this summer.