POST FALLS - The majority of the Post Falls City Council on Tuesday night said it's in favor of extending the life of an urban renewal district to fund an Interstate 90 overpass at Greensferry Road to enhance traffic mobility.

However, the extension proposal first has to clear the Urban Renewal Agency before coming to the City Council for a public hearing and official council vote.

Terry Werner, the city's public works director, wanted to see just how serious the council is on wanting to extend the life of the East Post Falls Urban Renewal District for likely seven years before deploying staff to work any legwork for the project. The district is set to expire in 2015.

"I'm in favor of the overpass provided that we don't own it or maintain it," said Skip Hissong, council member.

Hissong said he would also like to see urban renewal hire its own construction management team for the project, lessening the burden on city staff.

Council member Linda Wilhelm, also in favor of the URD extension, said she would still be warm about the proposal even if the state doesn't maintain the overpass.

Some details such as who would own the overpass and maintain it remain unclear.

Werner said a rough estimate of the overpass is $14 million for construction, $2 million for right of way acquisition and about $1.2 million for preliminary and final engineering.

City and urban renewal officials say construction could begin as early as 2014.

At the meeting, Mayor Clay Larkin requested to urban renewal officials in attendance that its board draft the extension proposal this month to put the wheels in motion as soon as possible. If that happens, the council will likely consider the proposal in November after a public hearing.

The momentum for the extension comes after the council more than a year ago voted to not extend the URD life to help fund the overpass. However, recent citizen and business surveys indicate strong support for the project aimed at creating another north-south passage across Interstate 90 to enhance vehicle and pedestrian traffic and emergency response.

With urban renewal districts, incremental taxes that are paid based on the higher assessed values after development are remitted to the URA and are, in turn, paid to the proponent or developer for the cost of infrastructure to improve the district.

Properties in an urban renewal district pay the same tax levy rate as any other property owner.

Taxing districts were given $3.3 million in surplus tax-increment funds from the East Post Falls district earlier this year and $2.2 million in 2009.