POST FALLS - The Greensferry overpass project now has a short list of possible firms that will construct the connection over Interstate 90 next year.

The Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency on Thursday trimmed from five to three the number of construction companies in the running for the estimated $17 million project.

Those making the cut were the Max J. Kuney Company of Spokane, Ralph Wadsworth Construction and Wadsworth Brothers Construction. Both Wadsworth firms are out of Utah.

Ralph Wadsworth constructed the Beck Road interchange that opened last year near the state line.

"Those three will receive requests for proposals at the end of November and be given 60 days to respond with a proposal, including cost," said Tom Lien, Post Falls URA director. "We'll likely award a contract in February."

The overpass will be built on Greensferry Road between the Highway 41 interchange and the Seltice Way off-ramp to improve mobility between the north and south sides of the city. It has been in the works for about 15 years.

Lien said construction could start as soon as May. Construction is expected to take six to nine months.

The project will be funded with tax-increment dollars generated by the East Post Falls Urban Renewal District. The Post Falls City Council last December extended the life of the district from 2015 to 2022 to generate the funding.

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

The urban renewal agency on Thursday also passed a resolution to extend the western boundary of the East Post Falls district slightly farther west to allow for construction access. The western boundary line currently is on the western right of way line of Greensferry Road.

"We need a strip so that construction is inside the new boundary," Lien said. "It's only for the purposes of construction, not to take in more increment."

The new boundary would also include the intersection of Mullan and Greensferry, where traffic signals are planned.

Lien said he plans to consult the state tax commission to see what, if any, tax implications the boundary adjustment will have. He said he expects the impact will be minimal because it is not a large extension.

The city council is expected to consider the boundary extension proposal after a public hearing in the near future.

Lien said right-of-way purchases for the project will be determined after the proposals are received from the construction companies.

Lien said there will be impacts on some property owners in the corridor, but it's too early to know specifics or how much.

"There's a lot of questions today that can't be answered until we get the proposals back in late January," Lien said. "We don't want to say things today that may not be true in January."