COEUR d'ALENE - Downtown streets should hold increased traffic comfortably, the first phase of the project could cost $17.2 million, the proposed boat launch site could shift to the east, and Coeur d'Alene could get 5.2 more miles of shoreline roadway.

More McEuen.

Or at least more details.

Engineers and officials detailed the impact - both financial and motor - of a redeveloped McEuen Field Friday, bringing into focus possible ramifications and hard numbers should the downtown park's multi-million conceptual plan be built out.

First things first, the first phase of construction is expected to cost around $17.2 million.

Doug Eastwood, parks director said the city could have around $15.6 million in revenue already secured

"That's where we are today," he said. "There's always the possibility when we send it out to bid" it comes back cheaper than anticipated.

Friday's workshop between park designers and City Council and steering committee members was for information only.

Should the city move forward with adopting any of the discussion points, it would do so at a City Council meeting, with public comment.

But a focus of the meeting was traffic.

Downtown streets shouldn't be impacted greatly should the park be built out, Welch Comer Engineers representatives said.

"They're really not inconvenienced," said Melissa Cleveland, WCE project manager, who presented the traffic study findings. "(Drivers) will do what they've always done."

Having studied traffic numbers during the summer, and using trip generation figures from Institute of Transportation Engineers to account for expected traffic increase with the proposed changes, a re-done McEuen Field could get 1,011 more trips each day.

A trip is counted as either coming or going to the park. The peak hour for visits to McEuen Field and the boat launch right now is between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sundays in the summer. That window sees around 25 trips. Future figures could see 57 more trips in that peak hour.

It may sound like a dramatic increase that could take a toll on infrastructure, but it's not and it shouldn't, Cleveland said.

Most of the intersections except two would retain A or B level of service grades.

Those are good grades and what they have now. It means that motorists can get through an intersection - from slowing and stopping and accelerating and turning - in less than 20 seconds.

Sherman Avenue and Sixth Street and Sherman and Second Street going north and southbound on traffic could be a C, which is a few seconds more on average. Eastbound flow would still be an A.

Neighborhoods to the east and west shouldn't be affected either, Cleveland said.

Basically, traffic wouldn't be impeded for downtown drivers to change their routes in those directions, she said.

Back to Phase 1, which is called the park's core, or footprint.

It would replace the asphalt on the east side of the plot with other amenities and grass. It would include a re-done Front Avenue and promenade, below surface parking, seawall and steps where the boat launch is now, grand plaza, Centennial Trail extension along the park, veterans memorial, play area and splash pad, pavilion and rest rooms, and a pedestrian friendly, rebuilt Front Avenue between Second and Third streets.

Other amenities like a skate park and dog park could go in down the line.

The cost does not include a replacement boat launch or baseball field. Those have to be secured if the city were to re-do the park.

Eastwood said the city has been in discussion with Hagadone Corp. about a possible land trade that could put the Silver Beach boat launch on the east side of the Beachouse restaurant, with a 60-space boat and trailer parking spot across the street.

The site would be more optimal for launching as the water is deeper, and the launch could come in at a better angle, Eastwood said. Hagadone Corp. would get land just to the west, while moving some of the boat slips to allow more launching room.

Meanwhile, the city is negotiating with the Idaho Transportation Department about acquiring 5.2 miles of waterfront roadway along Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive.

ITD doesn't want to maintain the old highway, and Coeur d'Alene's street department said it could handle the work should the city take it over. It could cost $14,000 in paint and plowing a year, according to the street department.

The negotiations are separate from the McEuen Field project, but the timing intertwines them since the city was looking for replacement launches.

"We're in the business of creating outdoor recreation opportunities," Eastwood said. "It would be a mistake not to" explore getting more waterfront property.

Timing is still the question.

Officials said they won't schedule any decisional meetings on McEuen Field's fate until after January, when the council-elects take their seats.

The Third Street launch will be open next summer though, said Wendy Gabriel, city administrator.

The $15 million secured by the city for phase one would include revenues from Lake City Development Corp., the city's urban renewal agency, parking lot fund, capital improvement fund and the ITD. It does not include donations or fundraising.