Sidewalk work to begin on Augusta Lane next summer

BONNERS FERRY — Due to a grant awarded by ITD, the city of Bonners Ferry will begin a sidewalk and crosswalk project on Augusta Lane.

“I’m very pleased that ITD allocated money that they have for this project,” said David Sims, director of the Boundary Economic Development Council (BEDC).

The project is in its very earliest stages.

Sims expressed concern on the matter of sidewalks and crosswalks for children walking home from school in this town.

“If you look at the highway, there’s a crosswalk at Augusta Lane and it ends in a ditch,” said Sims, “Literally, if you drive up there and look, kids cross and there’s a ditch and nowhere to go.”

One part of the project is to build a sidewalk along the east side of Augusta Lane.

The project includes a 6-foot swill and then a sidewalk to get the kids of the roadway.

“If you look down there during school time, there are kids just wandering down the street and there’s lots of traffic,” said Sims.

As far as Valley View goes, the main focus is in having a safe crossing.

Kids travel from the kindergarten to Valley View and back multiple times a day.

A big portion of the project will be spent on drainage as a lot of highway water flows down along Augusta. There’s also a drainage issue with the parking lot.

Underground drainage along the street and around the parking lot will take care of both of these issues.

A consultant will be selected to do the design work very soon and then the idea is to have the design done this fall and winter and have construction starting next summer.

BEDC wrote the grant application for the city and submitted it to ITD through a grant program called Community Choices. ITD came up with the program so cities can apply for money for various infrastructure projects.

ITD receives the money as part of federal funding.

“One of the focuses of BEDC is infrastructure; recognizing that for businesses wanting to be here and be able to operate, we need infrastructure,” said Sims,

“We also need facilities that make it a livable community, a place that people will want to live as well. “

BEDC is interested in public input. A public meeting will be held later this year.

For more information, contact Sims at 267-0352.