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Sandpoint advisory committee discusses Long Bridge closure and urges residents to use ITD comment process
Summary
The Sandpoint Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee discussed the Long Bridge pedestrian closure, heard that the Idaho Transportation Department is taking public comments as part of its ITTIP process, and encouraged local advocacy through ITD public comment, BCAT and district meetings.
Committee Chair Kate Houston and city staff spent a significant portion of the July 9 meeting discussing the Long Bridge pedestrian closure and how residents can press the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) to reopen limited pedestrian access.
Molly, a participant who works with the IdleWalk Life Alliance, told the committee that ITD "cares very much what local entities think" and urged members to use this month’s ITD stakeholder meetings and public-comment window to make the case for reopening. Associate Planner Eric Brubaker said ITD’s ITTIP process (the department’s five-year funding program) is the appropriate forum and that the public-comment link is available on ITD’s site through the end of July.
Why it matters: the bridge closure routes many pedestrians onto busier road shoulders and off designated pedestrian facilities. Multiple speakers raised safety concerns about people bypassing bollards and walking in traffic, and transit operators warned that walking past barricades has created dangerous interactions with buses.
Speakers outlined several ways to influence ITD decisions. Molly and other participants recommended attending the district-level ITD board meeting in Coeur d’Alene and raising the issue at the Boundary County Area Transportation team (BCAT). A participant who identified their group’s transit operations said ITD was "anticipating opening for pedestrian public access" in a phased way and expected a press release and some temporary barricade-based access ahead of a full repair.
Committee members also discussed local outreach options to reduce risky pedestrian behavior while repairs continue. Ideas included asking county dispatch to publicize the closure, encouraging posts in local Sandpoint Facebook groups, and coordinating messaging through newspapers and the city’s communication staff. Brubaker said he would review city outreach policies to see what the committee can do as a group and what members can do individually.
Budget and timing were a recurring theme. One meeting participant said a full bridge replacement had been discussed in planning at a large planning-range cost and may not receive ITD funding until later years; the participant characterized those estimates and the ITD backlog as reasons local advocacy could influence prioritization.
Next steps: ITD’s public-comment period and district meetings in mid-to-late July provide the most immediate opportunities for input. The committee closed the Long Bridge discussion for time and moved to the next agenda item but members agreed the issue merits continued attention and local outreach.
