|
City council stands fast in support of ITD project |
|
January 20, 2018 |
Bonners Ferry City Council members on Tuesday
heard one final plea that they withdraw their
approval of the Idaho Transportation
Department's $9.4-million Alderson Lane to
Kootenai River Highway Improvement Project.
But after a review of what it's taken to get the
project to the point of starting work this
season, including significant public involvement
over the course of years, the council declined
withdrawing their support for the project,
saying it's time instead for the city to look at
how its streets impact traffic on Highway 95
through town.
Tim West presented a list of concerns and
recommendations, some of which Mayor Sims said
are being addressed, such as his recommendation
to take the level of the over several years,
back down to the level of the side streets that
enter onto Highway 95.
Instead of backing up and starting over again,
what the city is doing, Sims said, is developing
a traffic plan of its own to complement the
improvements ITD will be making.
"We are looking at ways the city can improve the
way our city streets access the highway," Sims
said. "By rerouting and reconfiguring how our
streets connect to the highway, we can
significantly improve how traffic flows through
the city."
As the process proceeds, Sims said, the public
will again be asked to weigh in.
West, who contends that the cost is astronomical
for what we are getting and will compromise
traffic flow through town rather than improve
it, said, "I am still disappointed they won't
back up a bit and try to change at least the
striping. I can only see a frustrating time
ahead. It can be changed and I am going to work
on them to see if we can get that done before
striping. I love this town and only want the
best for it. The fact we will never get a bypass
is a little disconcerting."
In his report, Economic Development Specialist
Dennis Weed was pleased to report that Yoder's
Market, having grown through two buildings in
the City of Bonners Ferry, had moved and
reopened that very day to a new building the
Yoder's built on the North Hill near Three Mile.
"They we're jam packed all day, and it was a
good thing to see," Weed told the council.
He said that suitable buildings are in short
supply in the county, prompting businesses such
as Yoder's Market to turn to building their own.
He said Boundary County has been one of the
fastest growing counties in Idaho of late, with
over three percent growth last year and both the
two years prior. While still in the planning
stages, plans for establishing sewer systems in
the City of Moyie Springs and to Three Mile are
getting more serious. He said such plans will
likely have little impact on the city sewer
system, due in large part to geography and
distance.
"What planners are seeing is that the cost to
connect a Three Mile system to the city system
would be untenable due to the elevation
difference, and that connecting a Moyie Springs
system to either a Three Mile or Bonners Ferry
system would be too expensive as well."
The city council have requested the Golf
Committee to take a look at a possible fee
increase at Mirror Lake Golf Course, noting that
2017 was a rough year for the course due to the
weather, and noting that the past practice of
waiting years to adjust greens fees resulted in
large increases that weren't usually well
received by golfers. Perhaps, they decided, it
is time to look at making smaller adjustments
over shorter increments of time.
The next meeting of the city council in Idaho's
most friendly town will be Tuesday, February 6.
|
|
Questions or comments about this
letter?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
