Construction ahead

Kootenai County agencies are hoping for favorable bid climates as they prepare for road and power improvement projects.

"It's still a good time to get work done," said Terry Werner, Post Falls public works director. "People are still hungry for work."

Local officials said that the wet spring hasn't hampered improvement projects because the construction season typically doesn't begin until June when school is out.

"It's hindered us a bit with patching, but that's about it," said Jim Porter, Post Falls street maintenance director.

Post Falls plans to overlay more than 2 miles of roads and seal 6.25 miles this summer.

A major project that motorists along Interstate 90 are expected to see is work on the Beck Road interchange at Post Falls near Cabela's. Dirt work is expected to start in the late summer or early fall.

Construction is expected to start in earnest in early 2012 with completion about 10 months later.

Meanwhile, construction on an I-90 overpass or interchange at Greensferry is not expected to start for at least two years.

A traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of Poleline and Greensferry near Prairie View Elementary.

Another major project on the north side of Post Falls will be the installation of a roundabout intersection at Prairie Avenue and McGuire Road. Avista will relocate a power line during the project.

In Coeur d'Alene, new streets will be constructed and existing ones improved in the education corridor next to North Idaho College. Avista will also be relocating power lines and natural gas mains from Hubbard to River.

Outside the metropolitan area, U.S. 95 in the Chilco and Athol areas will be realigned, East Hayden Lake Road from Honeysuckle Avenue to Dike Road will be rehabilitated and 6 miles of O'Gara Road from Chief Road to the north intersection of Highway 97 will be overlayed.

Here's a listing of the other spring and summer improvement projects by jurisdiction:

CITY OF COEUR d'ALENE

* 15th Street from Margaret to Dalton to be reconstructed; traffic signal install at 15th and Margaret;

* 15th Street storm main from Garden to Birch to be replaced;

* Government Way sewer and water mains from Dalton to Hanley to be installed;

* Sherman Avenue from Second to Seventh overlay;

* 15th Street from Mullan to Harrison overlay;

* Ironwood Drive from U.S 95 to Government Way overlay;

CITY OF POST FALLS

* Third from Bay to Greensferry overlay;

* Idaho from Polston to Mullan overlay;

* Pioneer Ridge from Poleline to Stagecoach overlay;

* McGuire from Dawn to Seltice grind and replace north end, south end overlay;

* Riverbend east of Pleasant View overlay;

* Maplewood in Riverside Harbor area overlay;

CITY OF HAYDEN

* Government Way from Miles to Prairie chip seal;

* Prairie from U.S. 95 to Fourth chip seal;

* Ramsey from Brookside to Leisure reconstruct;

* minor arterials and collectors fog seal;

CITY OF RATHDRUM

* Second Street in front of old jail new construction;

* Parkway, State, Roth, Larch, Arbor, Montana (short section adjacent to Arbor) and Main (near Mountain View school) overlay;

LAKES HIGHWAY DISTRICT

* Diagonal Road from Ramsey Estates to Hunter's Grove widen and pave;

* Dodd from Strahorn to Rimrock surfacing;

* Lancaster from Government Way to Ferndale reconstruction;

* Lancaster from Warren to Huetter overlay;

* Old Highway 95 from Highway 53 to Chilco reconstruction (contingent on funding);

EAST SIDE HIGHWAY DISTRICT

* Burma from Highway 97 to Gotham Bay overlay;

* Sunnyside from Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive to Bonnell overlay;

* Johnson Road resurfacing;

* Meadow from Doyle to bottom of Millers' Hill resurfacing;

* Driftwood Heights completion;

WORLEY HIGHWAY DISTRICT

* Conklin Road from Larsen to Benewah County line paving;

* Elder Road from U.S. 95 to Washington line paving;

* Cave Bay from B Street to Bitter paving;

KOOTENAI ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

* U.S. 95 from Worley to Conklin Road power line work;

* Highway 53 from Ramsey to Atlas reconstruct power line;

* U.S. 95 from Setters to Plummer reconstruct power line;

* Ramsey Road from Boekel to Garwood reconstruct power line;

* U.S. 95 from Garwood to Athol relocate line;

AVISTA UTILITIES

* Government Way from Dalton to Hanley relocate power line;

* Ante from Seltice Way to Stateline reconstruct power line;

* Fruitland from Appleway to Neider reconstruct power line;

* U.S. 95 from Boekel to Highway 54 relocate and rebuild natural gas mains;

* Northwest Boulevard from Emma to I-90 reconstruct power line;

* Miles from Strahorn to Lakeview reconstruct power line;

* Upper Hayden Lake Drive west of Hayden Lake Marina reconstruct power line.