Road project access to Sturgeon Plaza approved, many uncertain
Road project access to Sturgeon Plaza approved, many uncertain
BONNERS FERRY — Boundary County commissioners approved a proposed road plan to access the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho’s Sturgeon Travel Plaza on April 4, many business owners were not satisfied.
Commissioners approved the second option road design for Sunrise Road. This option allows a right-in-right turn on and off U.S. Highway 95 from the road. There will not be a left turn option from Sunrise onto U.S. 95 nor will traffic be allowed to cross the highway into David Thompson Drive , per Idaho Department of Transportation officials.
Vehicles will travel on a horseshoe-shaped, two-lane road around the coming KTOI Sturgeon Travel Plaza to a light at Tobe Way. Also at the intersection is the option for a U-turn from northbound to southbound.
Business owners from Sunrise and Great Northern roads attended the meeting, with some expressing concern, saying that this decision could affect property values and claims that Sunrise Road wasn’t dangerous and didn’t warrant any changes. They also opposed losing the left turn onto the U.S. 95 from Sunrise Road.
Boundary County Road and Bridge Co-Superitendent Rene Nelson said a light at Tobe Way was preferable to a light at Sunrise Road due to not wanting trucks stopped as they are heading up the hill. She added that this road project is to ensure all businesses and properties can safely have road access.
Commissioner Ben Robertson said it was the “better of the bad ideas,” stating he wasn’t satisfied with the road options and didn’t want to lose the left turn onto the highway from Sunrise road either, but noted that ITD has the final say.
The commissioners voted unanimously to approve this design option, which was the preferred option by ITD, which jurisdiction of the highway. The county is responsible for allowing property owners access to their properties.
The KTOI will build a new road connecting Great Northern and Tobe Way and will make Great Northern an all-weather road. The new road will also be an all weather road and will be given to the county as a permanent easement. The county will then maintain the road after construction and allow other businesses and drivers to access the road and therefore the highway.
An option which included a frontage road to the plaza was rejected by commissioners, who found the road would not have allowed enough room for semis to merge onto the highway and could negatively impact traffic trying to turn onto Highway 2 at Three-Mile. In addition, they noted there were other traffic issues with southbound trucks accessing the travel center if there was no light.
A traffic study was done by the tribe last August. ITD found that the location warranted a traffic sign.
Some county residents wanted the speed limit to be 45 mph after the hill.
Bertling said the change to 45 mph will come, but couldn’t be addressed at this time, because this application and request dealt with access to property, not the speed on the highway.
The commissioners said that ITD officials were invited to the April 4 meeting, but that they didn’t want to attend due to being “shouted at” previously.