With the current parking lot's gravel and dust, occasional potholes, low areas that accumulate large pools of water following a rainfall, and its rather random and congested parking arrangement during big and busy events, paving the area should be a welcome improvement.
The county commissioners have been considering paving the large fairgrounds parking area for some time. Last fall the commission put out a request for bids on the project. Two bids were received, one from Wood's Crushing and Hauling for close to $52,000, and the other from Interstate Asphalt for a little over $49,000.
The bids were reviewed last November, and the commissioners voted to accept the lower bid from Interstate Asphalt, with the stipulation that the work was to be done in 2016.
Details of the project are close to being finalized, and depending on weather and availability of crews from Boundary County Road and Bridge to complete some preliminary work and site preparation, should begin sometime this spring.
"The county has some work to do ahead of the actual paving," said Lanny Beck, lead estimator for the Sandpoint office of Interstate Asphalt. "Usually a project like this would start sometime in May."
According to Mike Meier, Boundary County Public Information Officer, the county's preliminary work will include hauling in gravel and initial site preparation. Interstate Asphalt's Mr. Beck said the county's site preparation will include initial shoulder work, ditching, placement of base rock, and other preparation.
"In addition," said Mr. Meier, "There is communication with the City of Bonners Ferry to discuss improvements of the dewatering pump and the addition of a catch basin to help facilitate drainage. Hopefully it can be accomplished prior to paving the parking lot."
The area to be paved will be quite large. Interstate Asphalt's bid materials specify paving of 42,775 square feet, which is right at a full acre of paving. This would include paving all areas from the Fairgrounds Arena, out to and including the large parking area east of the children's playground area, and tying into the existing paving of Bonner Street (which is the street that runs from downtown to the Fairgrounds).
Once all preliminary work is done, the actual paving itself would take a couple of days, according to Mr. Beck. He also mentioned that with their crew and all their paving equipment in the area during that period, it would be a good and convenient time to take on and complete other paving projects in Boundary County, if anyone wants to contact them about other individual paving projects.
After all the Fairgrounds paving is completed, some striping and marking work will be done for parking spaces, handicap areas, and fire lanes.
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Interstate Concrete and Asphalt started in Coeur d'Alene in 1986, and currently has offices in Rathdrum and in Sandpoint, with other facilities in Dover, Hayden, and in Elk, Washington. The Sandpoint office is in charge of the Boundary County Fairgrounds paving. Interstate Asphalt works in aggregates, ready-mixed concrete, asphalt, paving, and road construction. The company has recently been involved in the Sandpoint bypass road project, paving at Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d'Alene, work on paving U.S. Highway 95 near Sandpoint, and other projects.
Interstate Concrete was acquired in 1997 by Oldcastle, Inc., the North American arm of the Irish company CRH, PLC. Oldcastle is North America's largest manufacturer of building products and materials. The company has approximately 40,000 employees throughout the United States.
Boundary County Road and Bridge will be busy this spring with other projects, also. "Other things on the spring agenda for Road and Bridge are brushing, ditch cleaning, grading, and sweeping of roads," said Mr. Meier. "We have some scheduled minor repairs for bridges and some sign work. New guardrail will be installed on the Cow Creek Road this year from the city limits to the proximity of Kent's Gulch." Clint Kimball is Superintendent of Boundary County Road and Bridge.