Dear Editor,

Lots of road construction is planned for Sandpoint and Bonner County: 

• 4-lane US 95 from Garwood to the long bridge
• 4-lane the long bridge
• 2-lane Sandpoint’s waterfront
• 4-lane the highway north of Sandpoint
• Reconstruct US 2 through Dover
• Pave the Great Northern Road and Woodland Drive to attract industry

When you look at the big picture, all of these projects are related. Once construction begins, there is likely no turning back.  As a whole, do these projects…

• Leverage federal and state highway dollars for the benefit of the community? 
• Improve emergency transportation? 
• Create suitable traffic arteries for trucks? 
• Rid all the city streets of the semi-tractor trailers?
• Protect the ecology and beauty of Sand Creek? 
• Reduce the noise level and air pollution in downtown Sandpoint? 
• Protect the precious lakefront for future generations and development? 
• Protect the tax base of the valuable waterfront property in Sandpoint, Ponderay, and the county? 
• Protect local businesses? 

Temporary solutions to traffic problems, which will cost more in the long run, do not look at these questions holistically.  Consider a more permanent solution:

• Build a mandatory US 95 truck route from Garwood through the Hoodoo Valley, following the old Indian trail (or existing RR tracks)
• Cross the narrow river at any appropriate place between Dover and Laclede
• US 2 and 95 would then flow north of Dover
• Follow the RR tracks west of Sandpoint and reconnect with the existing US 2 and 95 north of Sandpoint 
• Connect Idaho 200 with this new truck route via improved Schweitzer and Kootenai Cut-Off Roads

Significant tax savings and other benefits:

• Bonner County would benefit with a federally paved road through the Hoodoo Valley
• The new bridge across the river would aid emergency vehicle and school bus traffic 
• Improve the valley’s connection to the county facilities and Sandpoint 
• In Sandpoint, all thru-trucks passing north-south and east-west would never cross a single city street
• The truck route could also be used by automobile thru-traffic, further reducing traffic in the city  
• The URB’s $7 million (local dollars) to attract industry would no longer be necessary.  Industry could locate along the new truck route.
• Trucks would not have to pass through downtown Sandpoint or Ponderay to exit the industrial area.  Under the URB plan, trucks would move in and out of the industrial area on city streets. 
• Instead of the proposed new fully-equipped fire station west of the RR tracks, the ITD could pay for one or more overpasses to accommodate emergency vehicles.    
• The entire crescent of the most valuable land in Bonner County (the waterfront) and its’ property tax benefit would be preserved for future generations.
• Many small towns have alternate US routes.  As Sandpoint grows, the truck route would eventually become US 95.  At that time the old US 95 would become a Business route to help local downtown businesses capture as many travelers as possible. 

Tom Dillin

Sandpoint