Mixed views on traffic management center

The Idaho Transportation Department and the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization held two joint open houses Thursday evening in Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls to hear community members' thoughts and concerns about an ongoing traffic management center study.

Traffic management centers are commonly used in larger cities such as Boise and Spokane to address growth and congestion through shared technology and resources, including cameras. They promote joint management of traffic safety, mobility and information via resources from highway districts, cities and transportation departments.

Several people were on hand at the Post Falls open house at Black Bay Depot before the meeting opened.

“I’ve seen concerns and I was trying to figure out what exactly they’re doing, because you hear a lot of stuff,” said Nick Vendetti of Post Falls. “I’m just trying to get an idea of what was really going on.”

Kenny and Lois Moore of Hayden shared why they attended the open house.

“We were concerned that this meeting was here to be an information source and a presentation to give us that last chance to get information on this and we found out that it’s not,” Kenny Moore said.

He said they are concerned after speaking to a woman who said her picture was taken at the stop light at U.S. 95 and Appleway Avenue in Coeur d'Alene. He said the woman said the photo was sent to her by her daughter in Seattle within two minutes after she went through that intersection. The image had "SOS" at the top and indicated there was an emergency, Kenny Moore said.

Lois Moore said they spoke to an Idaho Transportation Department official about it at the open house.

“He said they didn’t take the picture, they didn’t have any way to connect it with anybody’s information," she said. "He thinks it was a glitch in her phone.”

Kenny Moore said the traffic really isn’t bad if those in charge just coordinate the lights that they have.

“They let people go out of Coeur d’Alene about a minute longer than they let people go into Coeur d’Alene," he said. "The 95 Highway coming in from the north is a major thoroughfare.”

At the Coeur d'Alene Public Library Community Room, people heard from ITD officials posted at different stations.

David Morgensen came to the meeting hoping to learn more about the Traffic Management Center.

“It’s played up as something to help us, but what does it mean down the road?” he said. “My concern is that it’s big brother watching us.”

Roger Smith of Coeur d’Alene said as the area grows, so will the impact of traffic.

“Any kind of higher-tech management system is probably going to help the situation," he said.

Sandi Turner of Hayden expressed concerns about the cost of the traffic management center and did not believe people want it here.

“It’s a really good idea for anybody to live within their budget,” she said. “We don’t live within our own budget. We need to slow down, contain ourselves and not do this future expansive thinking about what future development is going to look like.”

Turner said government should listen to the public.

“The people don’t want this. They want slow growth,” she said.

Tristram Hale of Rathdrum said he was OK with the traffic management center, “if it is what they say it is.”

“I’m not an anarchist,” he said.

Hale said there have been accidents near his home, so improved intersections would be welcome.

“We need good traffic control," he said. "No doubt about it. People are not that good of drivers.”

Community members will have the opportunity to submit comments through the traffic management center survey at kmpo.net through the end of the business day today.