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Consultants outline downtown Phase 3 design options, urge public outreach
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Summary
Welch Comer presented the basis-of-design for Sandpoint’s Downtown Revitalization Phase 3, proposing a 100% design and bid for Lake-to-Church plus 30% work to Superior, exploring options for protected bike lanes, shared-use paths and a ‘woonerf’ at 1st & Bridal; TAG meets March 2 and a public meeting is planned.
Consultants working on Sandpoint’s downtown revitalization told the City Council on Feb. 18 that Phase 3 design work is under way and will prioritize pedestrian and bicycle safety while addressing aging utilities.
Eric Bush, project manager, said the team is producing a 100% design, bid and construction package for the block from Lake Street to Church Street, and a 30% design from Lake to Superior Street intended to make the project competitive for future grant funding.
Matt Gillis of Welch Comer said the work focuses on replacing aging water and sewer infrastructure and improving the streetscape. ‘‘We want the 12‑year‑old kid to get from home through downtown down to the beach and back in a safe manner,’’ Gillis said, describing an emphasis on pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
Gillis presented three cross‑section options for the 60‑foot right of way south of Pine: Option A preserves a center turn lane while adding narrower sidewalks and a 10‑foot shared‑use path; Option B eliminates the turn lane to repurpose that width for wider sidewalks and a larger multi‑use zone; Option C proposes protected, in‑street bike lanes separated from traffic. For areas with an 80‑foot right of way north of Pine, the team showed alternatives that extend Phase 2 streetscape treatments and reallocate angle parking to create broader pedestrian and bike space.
The presentation also introduced a European‑inspired ‘‘woonerf’’ concept—an ornamental shared street that flattens curbs and blurs vehicle/pedestrian priority—as a discussion item for the 1st & Bridal ‘‘malfunction junction,’’ where summer traffic and trailer turning create frequent queueing and safety concerns.
Gillis said the team will meet the Technical Advisory Group on March 2, hold a public meeting shortly after, and return to council in March with refined designs. Councilors pressed for outreach that reaches residents who cannot attend a single evening meeting; staff and the consultant said they plan multiple engagement methods, staffed boards at in‑person events, and targeted stakeholder meetings.
Next steps: the consultant will incorporate TAG input, schedule the public open house, and return to council with a refined set of options and a recommended path toward construction procurement, with an intended construction start shortly after Labor Day, subject to weather and funding.
