City seeks Ped/Bike input on Division Avenue phase 2 sidewalks as safety and utility constraints arise

City staff presented Phase 2 of the Division Avenue Corridor Improvements Project to the Sandpoint Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee on Sept. 11 and asked the committee for comments on sidewalk layout, curb radii and pedestrian safety ahead of construction.

"This is the second phase of a, multi phase project on Division Avenue. This plan is in our multimodal transportation plan," Public Works Director Holly Ellis said as she described plans to extend sidewalk and narrow lanes for two blocks north to Pine Street. Ellis said the earlier phase rebuilt two blocks of sidewalk and provided a lateral shift to create a buffer for pedestrians, snow storage and tree plantings; Phase 2 continues that work.

Why it matters: Staff said the work is funded in part by a child pedestrian safety grant and is intended to improve pedestrian access near school routes and other high-use walking corridors. Committee members asked staff to have an engineer examine curb radii and turning speeds at intersections and to assess whether the proposed crosswalk locations and ramps maximize safety for children walking and biking.

Key details from staff: The project covers the east side of Division Avenue from the previously completed two-block segment north to Pine Street. Plans show both perpendicular and parallel curb ramps, new sidewalk segments and replacement of two impacted driveways. Ellis noted large Avista power poles in the corridor that would need to be undergrounded later, a process she said is "probably 10 years out" and expensive; in the meantime the sidewalk must jog around some utilities.

Ellis distinguished the project as a sidewalk improvement rather than full roadway reconstruction. "This is a sidewalk project, not a road reconstruction project," she said. Committee members pressed on curb radius and visibility at intersections; Ellis said the plans match the city's Urban Area Transportation Plan standards but staff can request an engineering assessment if the committee's comments recommend safety-focused changes.

Timing and staffing: Staff said they hope to bid the project and construct it before snowfall this fall. Ellis also disclosed a staffing issue: the project's original design engineer, Brandon Stagland, no longer works for the city, and staff cautioned that very large design changes may be harder to incorporate on short notice. "Depending on how significant your comments are ... we may or may not be able to incorporate them," Eric Brubaker said.

Committee response: Members recommended that staff ask the engineer to assess curb radii and turning speeds, and to evaluate intersection elements "to maximize safety of children walking and biking." Committee members drafted language asking staff to support sidewalk setback from the curb where feasible and to evaluate crossings to minimize vehicular turning speeds; the committee endorsed that comment in a voice vote for transmission to staff.

Next steps: Staff said it will collect committee comments, seek engineering input on curb radii as requested, provide responses to committee comments and take a final plan to city council before construction.