Ignite cda to discuss spending on Mullan Road work

COEUR d'ALENE — Next week, Coeur d'Alene urban renewal agency board members are scheduled to discuss — and possibly approve — spending $1.6 million on the proposed Mullan Road re-alignment construction project.

Later this month, on Nov. 23, a Coeur d'Alene City Council committee is scheduled to consider approving a contract for the project's design work. That would then need to be approved by the full city council.

The design contract was in front of the public works committee early this week, but was tabled to give the three city councilmembers on the committee more time to review the details of the contract, said City Councilwoman Kiki Miller, a committee member.

A public works committee staff report this week said the proposed timeline calls for the design work to be completed by March, with construction beginning in the spring and completed by summer. The design work would be done by Welch Comer Engineers, of Coeur d'Alene, and the design cost is estimated to be between $300,000 and $400,000.

"The traffic has substantially reduced in this area since the education corridor improvements went in," Phil Boyd, principal engineer and president of Welch Comer, told the urban renewal agency (ignite cda) board late last month. "The five lanes are no longer necessary from a traffic standpoint."

The construction work — if a bid is approved by the city council — is coming up fast and will affect a lot of people, City Councilman Dan Gookin, another committee member, said Wednesday.

"It’s going to be a wonderful addition to the city," said Gookin, who lives in the neighboring Fort Grounds. "This is one of the projects I think the public is really behind."

The re-alignment work will make walking much safer between City Park on the south side of Mullan and Memorial Field and the planned carousel on the north side, Gookin said.

Along with the re-alignment of Mullan between Northwest Boulevard and Park Drive, the construction would include additional parking and a pad for the planned carousel plaza. The plan is to design the road in a way that makes it easier to close during major events downtown, effectively connecting the parks.

The city's current budget includes $400,000 for construction of the project. The estimated cost for construction is $1.9 million to $2.4 million, with ignite cda covering the rest of the bill.

Tony Berns, ignite cda executive director, said discussion of the request is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 18. A decision is possible that day, Berns said.