County wants to explore shared parking with city

COEUR d'ALENE — Kootenai County has taken the first step toward sharing a possible future parking lot with the city across Northwest Boulevard from its downtown campus to reduce traffic congestion.

Commissioners on Friday voted 2-1 to split the cost with the city for the preliminary design and cost analysis for a 140-lot parking area across from the Mobil gas station.

The cost to each agency would be $23,245 and the agreement still needs approval from the Coeur d'Alene City Council.

"To me, this is parking insurance for 20 years out," said Commissioner Dan Green, who supported the proposal along with David Stewart.

The analysis would explore two options on how pedestrians would cross the busy street — via a pedestrian overpass or a signalized at-grade pedestrian crossing.

The parking lot on the city-owned property would be in addition to the 112-space parking lot the city on April 1 plans to break ground on at the corner of Northwest Boulevard and Mullan Road as part of the Four Corners project.

Commissioner Marc Eberlein opposed the shared parking proposal, saying he had cost and security concerns.

"The lot would have to be patrolled by police and cameras would be required," he said.

The city's "best guess" project for the lot and an overpass (without an engineering analysis) is $1.5 million to $2 million. If an at-grade signalized pedestrian crossing is used at Garden Avenue, the rough estimate is $850,000.

"We need to stop dipping into our fund balance because we've got several projects, including this one," Eberlein said. "This is a transitional year. Maybe the money would be better spent elsewhere."

The county also plans to expand the DMV office in Post Falls, increase evidence storage at the sheriff's office and is exploring jail expansion.

The county earlier explored constructing a parking garage on its downtown campus before that idea was scrapped.

Green said there are some days when the parking lot next to the DMV is completely full and there are drivers waiting for spots, especially on jury trial days, and there are days and times when ample spaces are available.

He said now is the time to explore the parking issue, while the city is willing to do the same. There is also a limited amount of space available downtown for parking.

"Preserving our real estate is very attractive," Green said.

The concept would be that the lot would be open to county customers or employees during the day and available for the city on the weekends, nights and holidays when downtown is busy during events.

Details such as which agency would maintain the lot and what the city would charge for spaces would be hammered out later.

Stewart said he would only support the shared parking concept if ignite cda, Coeur d'Alene's urban renewal agency, is not involved in the project. City officials told him the urban renewal agency wouldn't be involved with the parking lot project.

Coeur d'Alene City Administrator Jim Hammond said the city would not pursue the second parking lot in the foreseeable future, if at all, along Northwest Boulevard if the county does not pursue it as well.

If Coeur d'Alene approves the work for the shared parking's preliminary design and cost analysis, Welch-Comer Engineers would be the consultant as it has been working on the adjacent Four Corners project.