Tribe, county buy lots for Citylink

COEUR d'ALENE - Citylink is one step closer to having a permanent presence in Coeur d'Alene's Riverstone development.

Kootenai County and the Coeur d'Alene Tribe have completed the purchase of two lots for a permanent transfer center in Riverstone.

The lots, which total 4 acres, cost $1.7 million. One of the lots is the same site the free bus service has been using as a temporary gravel transit center since 2005.

"Over the past couple of years, Citylink has paid rent to Riverstone for use of the lots, but the transit service has been overdue for a permanent home," a Coeur d'Alene Tribe press release states.

The lots are at 2548 and 2476 West John Loop and are next to Riverstone Drive and Seltice Way.

Citylink is funded through a federal grant with support from the Coeur d'Alene Tribe. It is operated and managed in partnership with Kootenai County and cities in North Idaho.

"The Tribe has been a great partner for providing transit services for our citizens," said Jai Nelson, Kootenai County commissioner. "The county is proud to have played a role in making this purchase happen, and we look forward to having site improvements in the near future."

Coeur d'Alene Tribal Chairman Chief Allan said the project will serve many residents.

"We're excited to be able to provide some infrastructure and amenities for our drivers and passengers and enhance the transit services that are provided each month to the tens of thousands of citizens across North Idaho," Allan said.

The county had $570,000 in Federal Transit Authority grant funding, which was used to purchase one of the Riverstone lots. The grant required a local match of $45,152.

The Tribe had $1.14 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant funding that covered the rest of that lot and the purchase of the second. About $18,600 of tribal funds were left over after the purchase and will be used for the design and engineering of the project and improvements.

As part of the agreement, the county will own, operate and maintain the improvements of the project. The first phase will include paved parking, a bus loading area, seating, security cameras, landscaping, irrigation, signage, sidewalks and lighting.

Kootenai County Commissioner Todd Tondee said paving is expected for next year and construction of the 6,000-square-foot transit center building in perhaps two years. Construction of the building is contingent upon securing future grant funding.

Tondee said Riverstone donated $103,000 toward the lot purchases. Otherwise, the total cost would have been $1.8 million.

"We've been working on this purchase for a year and a half," said Tondee, adding that tribal funds had to be reallocated from a different transit center site and that the appraisal process took time. "It's been a long process."

A conceptual plan for the transit center was designed in 2009, but the transit center has been slow to develop due to a lack of funding. The entire project, including land and improvements, was estimated last year to cost $4.6 million.