Council approves DOWL contract for River's Edge PUD traffic mitigation study

The Coeur d'Alene City Council on Aug. 5 approved a professional services contract with DOWL, an on-call traffic engineering firm, to prepare a traffic mitigation plan for the River's Edge planned unit development (PUD).

Chris Mosley of the city street department told the council the work will analyze traffic that River's Edge will generate and compare it with background growth to identify needed improvements at nearby intersections on Atlas, Northwest Boulevard and other corridors. Mosley said the developer, Lance Douglas, will reimburse the city for DOWL's work; the contract will be paid by the city and then reimbursed by the developer. The proposal price is "just over $27,000," Mosley said, and DOWL can begin once council approves.

Councilmembers asked whether the developer had signed the development agreement obligating reimbursement. Mosley said the city is holding certificates of occupancy pending execution of the agreement and that the developer has indicated he will sign. He estimated DOWL would complete the study in a couple of months.

Council approved the resolution authorizing the contract. Councilmembers said the study is timely because the River's Edge project and other nearby development may create congestion that should be addressed as part of mitigation planning.