The widening of busy Prairie Avenue will continue this summer.

The east-west road will be widened for a mile from Huetter to Meyer, from two lanes to four in the area west of Hayden.

"There will definitely be traffic delays during the construction project," said Lynn Humphreys, chairman of the Post Falls Highway District.

The project, which is about to go out to bid, is expected to cost about $6 million, including design, right of way acquisition and construction. The highway district will be required to fund a 7.34 percent match to the federal funds.

"The project is intended to mitigate congestion," Humphreys said.

Prairie from Ramsey to Huetter was widened several years ago. This summer's project is the second phase of the widening plan. Traffic signals along Prairie at both Huetter and Meyer are part of the project.

Humphreys said the hope is that the project will be completed in the fall, but Mother Nature may ultimately dictate that.

The third phase, which will run from Meyer to Highway 41, will be years down the road.

"It generally takes six years to secure federal funding, and we haven't made the application," Humphreys said.

Humphreys said the district has started talks with the city of Post Falls and the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization on which agencies will be responsible for helping fund the third phase and how much. He said it's possible developers could also help fund that project.

* In another highway district matter, a decision on whether to grant the city of Rathdrum access to its 557 acres on Rathdrum Mountain has been delayed until at least April 16.

The district will continue a public hearing that day at 6 p.m. at its office on Seltice Way between Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene.

The city is seeking validation that Barrett Drive was accepted as a county road in 1909 to gain access to the site and offer low-impact recreational opportunities.

The highway district's board decided Wednesday night to extend the hearing after a Rathdrum Mountain landowner asked the district to review an earlier court decision regarding property in the area.

"The city of Rathdrum understands and respects the district's desire to get it right, but we don't believe (the earlier decision) is pertinent," Mayor Vic Holmes said.

Humphreys said new testimony on the validation request will be accepted at next month's hearing.