POST FALLS - Whether you're coming at it from the perspective of a driver, bicyclist, pedestrian or rider, the city of Post Falls wants your input about the future of the city's transportation system.

An open house will be held at City Hall on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. to kick off the city's update of its transportation master plan.

"It is important to receive input from the community," said Bill Melvin, the city's engineer. "This will steer where we go in the next five to 10 years."

The master plan will focus on how to improve traffic flow, safety and all modes of transportation, including transit, bikes and walking/running. The last update of the plan was in 2004.

"Since that time, growth rates and patterns have shifted in the community as well as the community's desire to incorporate alternative modes of transportation into our standards," a city press release states.

The city is in the middle of multiple transportation projects, including the Greensferry overpass construction, extending Spencer Street to Seltice Way, mitigating congestion in the Seltice-Mullan corridor and building a pedestrian pathway along Highway 41 from Seltice to Mullan.

Those projects are part of the current plan, but the city also wants to hear other ideas on how to improve transportation, Melvin said.

"We continue to hear more and more from people wanting us to incorporate bike or pedestrian lanes with city streets," he said. "We're open to any fresh, unique ideas."

Melvin said developments in recent years, including the Beck Road interchange and new subdivisions in the Highway 41 corridor and other areas, have spurred the need for public input on how best to develop a transportation system in those areas.

The master plan will also include an updated capital improvement plan and street and roadway standards.

David Evans and Associates is performing the update of the master plan. The cost of the service is to not exceed $255,822. Transportation impact fees generated from new growth will pay for $150,000 of the project, while annexation fees will pay for the remaining $105,822.

The transportation master plan supports the city's impact fee capital improvement plan of $15 million to $20 million dollars over 20 years.

During the open house, the public can speak with the project consultants and city staff about the city's transportation system. There will also be a questionnaire and charts of predicted city growth patterns.

"A lot of the growth is happening on the north and northeast sides of the city," Melvin said.

Melvin said improvement suggestions at existing intersections or areas are also welcome.

A project website expected to launch next week will be available throughout the project. The site doesn't have an address yet but will be accessible through the city's website at www.postfallsidaho.org. The public will have the opportunity to provide comments and participate in questionnaires on the website.

Melvin said other public open houses on the transportation plan will be held in May and September. The adoption of the plan is expected for November after a joint presentation to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.

"We really want to engage the public as much as possible to see where the priorities should be," Melvin said.