Sunrise project faces concerns from business owners
BONNERS FERRY — A potential loss of highway access highlighted concerns about the Sunrise Road project at a Feb. 22 open house held by the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and Boundary County.
Staff from HMH engineering displayed plan options at the Open House.
The road project is in the preliminary stage and will include an additional roadway around the coming Sturgeon Travel Center with connections to Sunrise and Great Northern Roads.
One of the options presented proposed closing access to Highway 95 from Sunrise Road. However, many business owners said they did not want this option. They said they were concerned with losing direct access to the highway and having to compete with other traffic as they would be required to drive around the Sturgeon Travel Center and stop at a light before getting to the highway.
Several voiced concerns of financial loss for business with the added time and if the road project would drop property values.
The plan option said at present it takes about six seconds for a vehicle to travel from Great Northern Road to the existing intersection on Highway 95. If the intersection is closed and the only route is around the Sturgeon Travel Center, then the time to travel from Great Northern to the highways is an estimated 31 seconds. From Sunrise to the highway would be approximately 45 seconds, staff from HMH said.
The second option offered only right turns on and off U.S. 95 from Sunrise Road and added stop signs at Great Northern, Sunrise and the right turn onto the highway. Staff present said that the Idaho Department of Transportation did not want a left-hand turn at the location and has made similar requirements at other comparable intersections in Coeur d’Alene.
It was incorrectly reported that the Sturgeon Travel Center would be discussed at a Feb. 22 open house, rather an open house was scheduled for the Sunrise Road project by the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and Boundary County.
Photos of the road concepts are available at our website.
Additionally, comments may be mailed and will become part of the project record if postmarked by March 8.
Send written comments to: Brett Cummings, 3882 North Schreiber Way, Suite 104 Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815
Comments can also be emailed to bcummings@hmh-llc.com. Please include Sunrise Road Project in the email subject line. Comments received by email will be accepted through March 8 and will become part of the project record.
