Letter to the Editor: Riverside Road Project

RiVERSIDE ROAD: Solution should serve all

In regards to the expansion of the Riverside/Westside Road up to the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge. First, let me state that for 20 years I travelled this road, and while there definitely has been an increase in traffic, I really cannot say with any certainty that the bike traffic has increased … the usage mainly coming from workers at Elk Mountain Farms and out of state hunting traffic.

While the view gives you a sense of freedom as you look at the mountains, few would forget the remains of the industrial site that you must go through to access the road. How is that for scenic?

As far as the farmers and loggers we all tend to manage with the road as it stands, and quite frankly the infrastructure of the county as a whole needs to focus on maintaining what we have … not creating more. Along those same lines it is unbelievable that someone would even suggest it would take 1-2 years to complete such an expansion … they rebuild entire highways in less time in many other places.

Let us know when and where to meet, and we can find a solution that may serve everyone. I reckon that one could hope to travel via boat, or barge like we did on the Mississippi. One year of closure for some bike lanes and a few extra feet of width is just not worth the trade. The refuge still cannot even trim back the timber from the one-lane bridge … and am I going to continue to move the limbs out of the road even wider now.

I will make the next meeting — if I can find out about it.

Jim Nabors and “B Dawg” Buster

Bonners Ferry