POST FALLS - The Greensferry overpass is well on the road to becoming a reality.

The Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency on Tuesday unanimously approved a contract with JUB Engineers to perform a feasibility report, preliminary engineering, utility agreements and public involvement coordination to formally kick off the project.

"We've been talking about this for 20 years, but it's going to happen," said Jerry Baltzell, a URA commissioner.

Construction is expected to start next year and the project, estimated to cost between $17 million and $19 million, will take six to nine months to build.

The project, which will be between the Highway 41 and the Seltice Way interchanges, has been touted by advocates to improve traffic mobility between the north and south sides of the city and help emergency response. It will likely include pedestrian lanes.

The contract with JUB is to not exceed $623,603 and the firm's work is slated to be completed on or before Feb. 26, 2014.

As the owner's representative for the URA project, JUB will also assist in finding a builder for the project and work on the early stages of right of way acquisition.

"Our role is to determine all of the criteria for the builder to meet," said Dale Baune of JUB. "The more you can address that up front, the less fear there will be for a builder. And fear relates to money."

Baune said the design-build process, which is being used for the project, was also performed in Salt Lake City for the Olympics to get projects done faster and less expensive.

It is believed that right of way on both sides of the freeway will need to be acquired, but that won't be finalized until preliminary engineering is complete.

"We intend to address interaction (with stakeholders and the community) immediately," said Mike Worrall of JUB.

A project of this type and magnitude is new territory for the Post Falls URA. Therefore, board members appeared to proceed cautiously and posed multiple questions and thoughts before the contract was approved.

"I understand that this is a jump and commitment for the urban renewal agency," Worrall said. "Our goal is to design a process, advise you and manage your risks as you move forward. While this is a commitment, we believe you'll get better value and a better project for your money in the end."

Commissioner Dave Holloway said he was relieved to learn that the public will be involved in the project early on.

"I think it's the right thing to do," he said.

Worrall said a separate team to interact with stakeholders will be formed by JUB and the URA.

"The problem with (meeting with an engineer) is that they assume you've already made up your mind," Worrall said.

The project is included in the 2002 East Post Falls Urban Renewal District plan, which in December was extended by the City Council from 2015 to 2022 to pay for the project. In urban renewal districts, incremental taxes that are paid based on the higher assessed values after development are remitted to the agency and are, in turn, paid back to the district proponent for cost reimbursement for infrastructure.

The East Post Falls District has about $5 million in the bank to jumpstart the project. The URA earlier received a commitment for a $13 million loan from Washington Trust Bank.