POST FALLS - Construction of the Interstate 90 interchange at Beck Road - expected to spur development near Cabela's - will start this month and could be completed by Thanksgiving.

"We should start grading activities later this month, and we're hoping to have it open to traffic by Thanksgiving for the shopping season," said Brandon Squire, project manager for Ralph L. Wadsworth based in Draper, Utah.

The project between the Greyhound Park and Walmart will be a full interchange with on- and off-ramps in both directions.

Squire said he expects traffic delays on I-90 to be "fairly minimal" during construction.

Access will be maintained to the Greyhound Park, Centennial Trail and Jacklin Seed during construction, but vehicle and bike traffic will be re-routed.

Beck Road between I-90 and Seltice Way will also be completed during the project, so there will be some delays on Seltice during intersection work.

The interchange, estimated to cost $35 million, is the first project in Idaho to utilize the State Tax Anticipated Revenue (STAR) legislation approved in 2007. The legislation allows private developers to initially fund projects before being reimbursed through sales tax revenue from the project.

Squire said his firm is financing most of the construction cost for Foursquare Properties, which is developing the Pointe at Post Falls that includes Cabela's and Walmart.

"The developer will pay us back through sales tax revenue," Squire said.

Squire said "potholing" to locate the exact location of utilities that will have to be moved has begun at the site and some equipment has arrived. He said the utility work could delay the project slightly.

"Some landscaping and touch-up items may go into the spring," Squire said.

Squire said it's a "design-build" project, meaning the entire project doesn't have to be designed to start construction. That format is expected to expedite the completion date, he said.

"It's something we've done in surrounding states quite a bit," Squire said.