Path to the future
<p>Betty Halseth, of Post Falls, walks along the Centennial Trail Thursday during her lunch break near the intersection of Aqua Avenue and U.S. 95. The North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation is asking the Idaho Transportation Department to help fund a repaving project of the existing 9 miles of trial in Coeur d'Alene and a 9-mile extension of the bike and pedestrian trial system.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - John Bruning, chairman of the North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation board of directors, asked state transportation officials Thursday for construction funding to rebuild and expand a bike and pedestrian trail along U.S. 95.
Bruning appeared before the Idaho Transportation Department board members, saying the existing 9 miles of paved trail running along the east side of the highway between Appleway Avenue and Garwood Road is in poor condition. The ITD board was in Coeur d'Alene, at the district office, for a regular meeting.
Bruning said the aging trail needs to be rebuilt. He estimated it would cost $2 million to rebuild that portion and add 9 additional miles, reaching just north of the Kootenai County line. Eventually, the foundation would like to see a trail connecting Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint.
Bruning said the trail would act as a collector, providing "connectivity" for the individual bike paths in the neighborhoods and subdivisions along the U.S. 95 corridor in Kootenai County.
"The connectivity of the Highway 95 trail is critical to making the system of bike trails work as it should - as a component of the overall transportation system," he said.
He said biking is one of the many outdoor activities that make the area attractive to tourists and generates economic activity for local businesses.
Additionally, he said, "People are becoming more health conscious and realize the importance of exercise in their lives. They want to get that exercise safely."
Jim Coleman, of Hayden, vice chairman of the ITD board, agreed the current trail is in poor condition.
"It's a huge liability for the state of Idaho," Coleman said.
Other ITD board members asked if local matching funds existed, but Bruning said they didn't at this time. He said the only hope for matching funds, right now, is from grants.
Bruning told the ITD board a memorandum of understanding for "continuous maintenance of the trail" has been drawn up and agreed to by the foundation and the city of Coeur d'Alene and Kootenai County.
The ITD board didn't make a decision on the foundation's request.