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.