County traffic solution may not include Huetter

COEUR d’ALENE — Plans for a proposed traffic project historically known as the “Huetter Bypass” remain underway, but the project will be getting a new name, and it may not include "Huetter."

The first phase is a study the Idaho Transportation Department is preparing.

“Although efforts to date have focused on the Huetter corridor, our study will look at multiple options for improving traffic flow and connectivity in Kootenai County, which will include options beyond the long-studied Huetter route," said ITD spokesperson Megan Jahns.

ITD is still finalizing agreements before beginning work on the study.

Its initial phase will review what has been done by other entities and identify any gaps or remaining work left to do, Jahns said. Once the study is underway, the focus will be data collection, then taking public input during the second phase, which Jahns said will probably begin late this summer.

“No final decisions have been made,” Jahns said. “I want members of the public to trust that identifying and reviewing alternatives will be a transparent process.”

The only funding now available is for the study, which will likely take two years. No funding for construction of the project has been secured.

"Whatever solution we find to help with traffic congestion, it may not be expanding Huetter," Jahns said. "It may be an entirely different route, so we don't want to indicate any preference to an alternative."