15th Street rebuild pegged at north of $7 million

COEUR d’ALENE — Drivers and cyclists know that 15th Street, from Harrison to Best avenues, can be a rough ride.

It is an uneven 1-mile stretch marked by patches of asphalt, bumps, cracks and divots. The divide between four wheels and two is not easy to distinguish.

This isn’t new.

Todd Feusier, director of the Engineering and Streets Department, said he heard about the need for 15th Street reconstruction when he started with the city 10 years ago.

It may finally happen — but not for a few years.

The City Council recently approved a request for a $683,700 contract with Ardurra for a final design to improve 15th Street.

Feusier said engineers estimate the project cost at “north of $7 million.”

“Because of the size of the project, we need to find some federal funding,” he said.

To qualify for such funding, the city needs to have a shovel-ready plan in place.

But Feusier added that 2025 is probably the soonest the city would see final design documents.

“When it happens, hopefully, we can move forward,” he said.

The project would start just north of Harrison Avenue and extend to about the Cherry Hill fire station. It would involve upgrades to lighting, milling the road edges and an overlay and chipseal.

Feusier said because the Idaho Transportation Department is working on a plan for that interchange off Interstate 90, the city doesn’t want to invest heavily into it yet.

“But the road is failing and we have to do something,” he said.

Beyond the fire station, the street would undergo a complete reconstruction, with a new road, curbs, sidewalks, bike lanes and a mixed-use path.

The new design will also “look for opportunities to capture and dispose of stormwater with swales, rather than piping to the existing outfall.”

An entrance to Cherry Hill Park would have rapid flashing beacons and a crosswalk from the west.

Feusier said the city does need to purchase some rights of way as a few Avista power poles would need to be moved, and make some other small right-of-way adjustments for the pedestrian path.

At 15th and Best, improvements would cover the entire intersection, with new lighting, new forms of traffic detection and sewer work.

“It’s big project for us,” Feusier said. “We are looking for a way to fund this project.”

He said there are designated funds, highway user fees, to help pay for the $683,700 contract with Ardurra for a final design.

"It seems like a lot but when you look at the size of the project, it kind of matches, we’ve done some checking, it seems like we’re in the ballpark," Feusier said. "This price should get us through the bid process. It’s not for construction.”

Mayor Jim Hammond said the project has been kicked down the road over the years and he urged the council to support it.

“I think it’s time we get a final design ready so we can go after funds to complete this project,” he said.

The council agreed, by a 6-0 vote.