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Roundabout planned for deadly intersection

| October 20, 2018 1:00 AM

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Ward Crawford of the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office investigates a crash in April 2015 at the intersection of Prairie Avenue and Pleasant View Road that killed 85-year-old Marie-Claire M. Steinkamp. (BRIAN WALKER/Press file photo)

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

POST FALLS — Four crosses at Prairie Avenue and Pleasant View Road are a vivid reminder of how deadly the increasingly busy intersection northwest of Post Falls has been.

After a series of steps to improve safety at one of Kootenai County's most notorious intersections for crashes, a roundabout is now planned by the Post Falls Highway District.

"Accident reports include drivers failing to yield, failing to stop on Prairie and inattention," said Angie Comstock of JUB Engineers, the highway district's consultant, citing reasons why there were 37 crashes at the intersection from 2011 to 2016.

Three of the crashes during that timeframe were fatal and 78 percent were T-bone collisions.

Traffic on Prairie Avenue is currently required to stop at the intersection.

The district in 2004 erected over-sized stop signs and "cross traffic does not stop" signs on Prairie Avenue. Flashing beacons were added to the stop signs in 2015 along with advance warning rumble strips.

Comstock said two of the three fatal crashes during the five-year span, the most recent data available, occurred after all of the safety improvements were completed.

"Because of the nature of the crashes, installing a signal is not likely to reduce a driver's failure to yield," she said. "People can run a red light just like they can run a stop sign.

"The roundabout will trigger traffic to slow down approaching the intersection, yield to cross traffic and, in the event that an accident occurs, it will occur at a lower speed and at angles that are less likely to result in severe injury."

Based on the majority of the accidents being injury-related and continued crashes after the improvements were made, the highway district sought and received funding for the roundabout estimated to cost about $1.4 million.

"Roundabouts have shown to be very successful at (making intersections safer)," Comstock said.

The district will hold an open house on Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at its office at 5629 E. Seltice Way in Post Falls on the project expected to be constructed in 2020. Public comment will be accepted. The project team will be available to ask questions. No formal presentation will be made.

The project will be primarily funded by a federal program aimed at making roads safer with the highway district paying a 7.34 percent match ($103,800).

Comstock said semi traffic is being taken into account when designing the roundabout.

"The roundabout will be a single-lane roundabout similar to the one recently constructed at Chase and Prairie, but larger to accommodate truck traffic," she said.

Comstock said BNSF Railway has voiced concern over the roundabout's proximity to its rail lines.

"We are hopeful they will see the need for improved safety and work with our team on addressing any concerns they have," Comstock said.

For more information about the project, contact Comstock at 208-762-8787 or acomstock@jub.com.