As Ironman approaches, get ready for detours, closures

COEUR d'ALENE - On Thursday between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m., street crews will begin to prepare for Sunday's Ironman triathlon. Barricades will be set in place as will the detour route for the closure of Sherman Avenue between Second Street and Independence Point. Please consider these points when visiting the downtown area this week:

1. Southbound traffic traveling into the downtown area will be detoured onto Lakeside Avenue to Second, Third, or Fifth streets to reach Sherman Avenue.

2. Resort traffic should use First Street.

3. Westbound traffic will be detoured southbound onto Second Street and Front Avenue. These vehicles will loop around onto Fourth Street and exit the downtown on Lakeside or north on Fourth Street. Second Street at Sherman will be closed to northbound traffic. This area has been very congested in the past and being an ITD bypass route, the city has always chosen to close traffic northbound and to leave it open to just southbound traffic.

4. Bleachers will be staged on Sherman Avenue at 5 p.m. Thursday and will stay in place until the afternoon of June 27.

5. The Independence Point parking lot will be closed early Wednesday as they set up medical tents and Ironman stores.

6. At the time of the closure, the signals at Second and Sherman Avenue will be put in the red flash mode, and the signal at Lakeside and Independence Point will be shut off to keep traffic flowing.

Other closures:

The Third Street boat-trailer parking area will be closed early Wednesday morning and re-opened the next week on Wednesday, June 27. Alternate boat-trailer parking is available in the main lot or south of City Hall during this closure.

Mullan Avenue, from 17th to 23rd streets, will be "No Parking" on the north side on Saturday and entirely closed to traffic on race day, Sunday, June 24.

Info: 769-2233.