POST FALLS - The Spencer Street extension project, which will provide quicker access to Seltice Way for Pine Villa residents and allow development to occur in a vacant pocket of East Post Falls, will start this summer and be completed this fall.

The project will extend Spencer north of Ponderosa Elementary from Second Avenue to Seltice Way west of Dairy Queen.

The Post Falls City Council on Tuesday night is expected to approve a bid of $1.2 million to T. LaRiviere Equipment and Excavation Inc.

"Construction will commence shortly after," said Bill Melvin, city engineer.

The total project cost, including rights of way acquisition, is $1.8 million. The Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency will fund $1.7 million of the cost, while the city will fund improving a small part of Spencer that is outside the urban renewal boundary with street impact fees.

Five bids were received for the project.

The half-mile project will including a BNSF Railway crossing just south of Seltice Way, a new traffic signal at Seltice and Spencer and water and sewer main extensions.

* Meanwhile, an $800,000 project for a bike and pedestrian trail along the east side of Highway 41 from Seltice Way to Mullan Avenue will be constructed next spring. Bidding for the project will be this fall or winter.

The project is being funded by a $500,000 federal grant administered by the Idaho Transportation Department through the Community Choices for Idaho program. The remaining $300,000 will be funded by the Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency.

Another project to prepare Seventh Avenue from Compton to Henry for an increase in traffic will be constructed next year.

"The project was originally scheduled for this year, but has been moved to a 2016 due to design issues," Melvin said.

The project will include widening for parking, sidewalks and curb and gutter.

"The improvements will encourage alternative movement of traffic to bypass the intersection of Seltice Way and Spokane Street, provide more efficient traffic movements along Seventh Avenue and maintain speeds that are appropriate for the surrounding land uses," Melvin said.

In addition to the road improvements, the city will be replacing an existing waterline on Spokane Street from Interstate 90 to Seventh as part of the project.

"The waterline replacement is to address operational and maintenance concerns with the age and material of the existing water main," Melvin said.

The estimated cost of the Seventh Avenue project is $750,000. It is being funded with transportation impact fee funds and the water department's capital replacement funds.