Let's say goodbye to the 'Sagle inch worm'

Experienced during the peak traffic hours between Sandpoint and Sagle is the "Sagle inch worm." Attempting to go the speed limit of 55 after leaving the 45 zones the traffic speeds up, stretching out, then crunches up, requiring slowing down quickly, much like an inch worm. A high alert, dangerous, and frustrating, event.

Staying at 45, the inch worm effect would go away. Must we go 55 in this short section of Highway 95? On the north end, coming from Canada, the 45 zone starts a good distance north of Ponderay at Bronx Road and continues all the way to the south end of Sandpoint where the Sagle inch worm appears. Down south, heading north, at Algoma we are required to decelerate from 65 mph to 55 mph and again to a slow-feeling 45 mph in Sagle with five lanes. As these five lanes merge back into two lanes, we are encouraged to speed up to 55 mph. Thus begins the Sagle inch worm section.

The Idaho Transportation Department determines our speed limits depending on the concentration of intersections. In this problematic short distance of 2.8 miles, excluding the Long Bridge, there are 16 named intersecting roads and another six permitted driveways — 22 in 2.8 miles! Just shy of one for every tenth of a mile. Shouldn’t that be enough to warrant a 45 mph zone? Creating flow, reducing accidents and allowing time to enjoy the views from our Long Bridge and saying good bye to the dangerous Sagle Inch Worm. 

We were just informed by ITD that all this goes away when Highway 95 is upgraded between Dufort road and the Long Bridge. Problem is, the estimated ground breaking is scheduled to begin in fifteen years, that would be 2040, if all goes well. 

PAUL DUKES

Sagle