ITD to host open house on bridge replacement

PRIEST RIVER — The Idaho Transportation Department will hold a community open house to provide updates on the planned replacement of the U.S. 2 bridge near Priest River.

The open house is scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Priest River Event Center, 5399 U.S. 2.

The goal is to gather input from the community to help ITD develop a design that reflects residents’ vision.

Originally built in 1962, the bridge remains open to traffic but has reached the end of its service life, according to ITD officials on the project’s webpage.

“Its foundation is in poor condition, and it no longer meets modern design standards — making it ‘functionally obsolete’ and due for full replacement,” officials said.

Currently in the design phase, project surveys were completed in late 2024, setting the stage for the next steps. Additional fieldwork, including geotechnical exploration, took place this summer. Construction is expected to begin in 2029 and take two years to complete.

ITD officials said the new bridge will feature wider shoulders to improve vehicle safety and include a broader pedestrian and bicycle path. The design will also reduce the number of piers in the river, enhancing mobility for boats and river users and improving water flow to benefit the surrounding ecosystem and community.

“The Priest River waterway will remain open for recreational use during both the design and construction phases,” officials said. “However, there will be in-water work during both phases that may limit passage through portions of the river channel.”

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/bpay26bn.