SANDPOINT — Although summer is the typical construction season in North Idaho, the second phase of the city’s downtown revitalization project was pushed back to fall to minimize impacts on local businesses this year.

Therefore, crews are getting ready to start the project, which will close down a portion of First Avenue and Cedar Street starting the day after Labor Day.

“Sept. 3 we will be peeling asphalt and getting started,” city engineer Dan Tadic said during a public construction meeting held at the Little Panida Theater last Thursday.

City council awarded the contract last month to Sonray Enterprises, LLC., for a total of $2,192,652.20. The project focus is on First Avenue, from where crews left off at Second and Cedar in the first phase of the downtown revitalization last year, around the corner to First and down to Church Street.

The second phase of the project includes wider sidewalks and bulbouts, seat walls and planters, stormwater improvements, new trees, bike racks, benches, lighting and more. The bid also includes concrete crosswalks at the intersection of Main and First. Everything will be replaced along the stretch from building front to building front, Tadic said.

“It’s a very similar look and feel to what you see on Cedar Street today,” he said.

Amanda Wilson, Infrastructure and Development Services manager, said contractually the project must be completed by June 5, 2020. However, Sonray officials have opted to try and complete the project by Thanksgiving, Wilson said, because they would receive an incentive bonus of $200,000. The incentive bonus is optional, so while Sonray aims to complete the project by the holiday, they are not obligated to do so.

Per the accelerated 13-week schedule, the street will close on to motorists Sept. 3 from Second and Cedar to First and Main. Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times throughout the project, Wilson said. The rest of the project area on First Avenue, from Main to Church, will close to motorists on Sept. 15 after the Sandpoint Cornhole Classic, which will be held on First Avenue the weekend of Sept. 13-14. The northern section of the street will remain closed at that time as well. The roadway will reopen with single-lane closures on Oct. 30. At that time, crews are scheduled to remove and replace the remaining five feet of sidewalk along the buildings that will be left in place for pedestrians for the majority of the project, Wilson said.

Wilson said screens will be placed on fencing along the streets to help block the businesses from the construction zone, as well as keep the dust down. Banners will go up at each end of the construction area as well, one on First and one on Cedar, letting people know the businesses are open. There will be opportunities for businesses to place signs on the fencing as well. Also, there will be three designated crossings, located at First and Church, First and Main, and Second and Cedar.

With the accelerated schedule, Wilson said crews plan to work 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, though the city is not placing any restrictions on work hours. The contractors will be required, however, to park at a designated staging lot, which will be the city’s Sand Creek parking lot near City Beach.

“That is one of our more underutilized parking lots, so on Sept. 3, that whole lot is going to be closed to the public,” Wilson said.

While the accelerated schedule is subject to change as Sonray is not contractually obligated to follow it, construction will start on Sept. 3. If weather or other events lead to crews not being able to complete the job by Thanksgiving, they will shut down construction for the winter and return in the spring.

The accelerated project schedule and other information can be found online at sandpointstreets.com.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.