PRIEST RIVER — Priest River had a short city council meeting on May 18, where all business items were unanimously approved, including an update on Big Sky Construction’s 2018 Sewer Improvement Project. The council voted to approve the change orders tabled at the May 4 meeting and the new project total is $422,339.87 and included 60 additional contract days.

A four-day sewer improvement project took place in late April within the U.S. Route 2 (Highway 2) and the three change orders discussed at the May 4 and May 18 meetings are a result of unexpected issues during the first phase of the project. A second phase is needed in order to make minor elevation adjustments, repair pipelines and clean out the remaining manholes. The project dates will be determined after the plan is submitted to the Idaho Transportation Department.

Mayor Jim Martin also presented two options for traffic diversion. Option two was chosen, costing $25,800 as opposed to $49,698. Councilmember Greg Edwards recommended modifying the detour to push westbound traffic on Washington St. and eastbound traffic on Franklin, closing High St. all together for the five project days.

“I think that makes it much simpler,” Martin said. “The problem we had last time was a lot of the locals that were trying to miss all of the traffic were taking High St. and it just added a whole other area of mess. I think if we can eliminate some of that we are better off.”

The original option two suggested eastbound traffic down High St, and west bound traffic will go up Franklin St. to make a left turn. “I wanted to give the council the option of keeping traffic on Highway 2 and just detouring basically just one direction,” Martin said.

The city also requested reimbursement of the remaining 75 percent of the total invoice amount from Seattle District’s U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE), which is $178,204.25 out of $248,671.05. This grant contributed funds to Phase II the Wastewater Collection System Improvement Project and was the second reimbursement request made and approved by the city for this project.

The council also approved two curb ramps at Wisconsin St. and Highway 2, one ramp at Fourth St. and Highway 2 and two ramps at Third St. and Highway 2 under the Idaho Transportation Department’s Cooperation Agreement. The state has agreed to pay for the work in two lump sum amounts for the total of $260,513 under the American with Disabilities Act.

Aly De Angelus Kinnaird can be reached by email at adeangelus@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @AlyDailyBee.