ITD open house to night at Cd'A Inn
Traffic on U.S. 95 waits at a red light on Appleway Avenue.
BILL BULEY/Press
COEUR d’ALENE — The Idaho Transportation Department will host an open house today to share information and gather input on the proposed redesign of the Interstate 90 and U.S. Highway 95 Interchange and associated local road improvements.
It is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Best Western Plus Coeur d'Alene Inn.
“The I-90 and U.S. 95 Interchange connects two of the most traveled, and most congested, roadways in the region. Adding capacity and improving mobility on the interchange and adjacent roads will help to alleviate congestion, reduce crashes, and shorten commutes,” ITD Project Manager Joey Sprague said in a press release.
The goal of the proposed design is to expand the interchange, enhance safety, and improve mobility to support future traffic volumes, which are expected to double by 2045. Ideas regarding the design for a future new interchange for I-90 and U.S. 95 have been presented to the public through open house events in 2022 and 2023, a press release said.
The current design proposes several improvements, including a new single-point urban interchange, widening U.S. 95, and grade separating U.S. 95 and Appleway, among others.
One option calls for a bridge to be built over Appleway, which some fear will hurt businesses on that corridor.
The design is funded by Gov. Brad Little’s Leading Idaho initiative and is the first interchange project to emerge from the I-90 Corridor Study.
For those not able to attend the open house in person, an online option will share the same information and be available starting March 5 at itdprojects.org/i90corridor. Comments submitted online before March 19 will be considered by the project team.
“The intersection at US-95 and Appleway has the most crashes of any intersection in North Idaho. The proposed design will increase both vehicular and pedestrian safety and optimize interchange operations for decades to come," Sprague said.
ITD is meeting with city officials, property owners and local businesses ahead of the public open house to present the design, answer questions and gather feedback. To stay up to date on this and other projects on the I-90 corridor, visit itdprojects.org/i90corridor and sign up for email updates.