VEHICLE FEE: Unclog the jams

How often have you been stuck in a traffic jam on I-90 between Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene? Have you noticed the rapidly increasing amount of traffic on U.S. 95? If you think it’s bad now, just wait. It’s going to get much worse unless we do something now.

Whether we like it or not, our population is growing and will continue to do so. We have an opportunity on this next ballot to spend 30 cents to get a dollar in return to upgrade our roads. To me, that’s a great deal. Plus, all of the money raised will be spent here, not in Boise.

The ballot measure will fund 12 projects, but I feel the most important one is the Huetter corridor. This one will help alleviate the on-ramp bottlenecks at Hwy 41 and Northwest Boulevard at I-90 by providing an additional exit and entrance between those two exits. It will also provide an alternative bypass route for traffic heading north or south away from U.S. 95 and its numerous traffic lights. The Huetter bypass has been a known need since I moved here almost 30 years ago. The time has come to take care of it.

MARK WHITT

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