COEUR d’ALENE — Road improvement projects in Coeur d'Alene totaling nearly $3 million are scheduled to begin this week and be finished by mid-August.

The majority of projects Northwest Boulevard and Ramsey Road, with their ever-increasing traffic, and receive an estimated 30,000 vehicle trips daily.

"To people that use these roads every day, I think they would agree they're all in desperate need of repair," said Todd Feusier, street and engineering director.

The key arterial that leads to downtown Coeur d'Alene from Interstate 90 has long been showing signs of wear with cracks and potholes.

The city plans to spend $1.4 million on overlay work and $1.3 million on chipsealing. In years past, the city has spent about $750,000 a year on both.

"This year is a significant push to try and improve the roads," Feusier said.

While much of the work will be done at night, Feusier called for patience, saying drivers should expect lane closures and delays.

"Hopefully we won’t impact the public but there will be some inconveniences for daytime travel," he said.

The city has contracted with Poe Asphalt Paving, Inc., for the projects.

Overlay work will cover Northwest Boulevard from Lakewood Drive to I-90, and Ramsey Road from I-90 to Appleway Avenue, and Ramsey Road from Kathleen Avenue to Hanley Avenue.

Utility adjustment work begins July 10, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Grinding and paving work begins July 16, 7 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Chipseal work, also by Poe, includes streets in The Landings & Hawks Nest, Sunshine Meadows and Coeur d'Alene Place.

Kathleen Avenue from U.S. 95 to 15th Street and Best Avenue from Fourth to 15th will also receive a chipseal.

Chipseal application is scheduled for July 24, and fog-seal coating application is scheduled July 28.

"Chipsealing is a cost-effective and necessary treatment for extending the life of our roadways," according to a city press release. "The treatment fills and seals cracks to prevent water from penetrating below the surface and causing potholes."

The coating consists of liquid asphalt and rock chips and is applied to the roadway in two stages.

Feusier said the chipsealing needs to be done in the summer because the coating requires dry, warm weather.

Additional work, such as sweeping and painting will occur in the weeks following chipseal.

The City Council approved the overlay contract with Poe last month.

The low bid of $1,410,847.50 is being funded by the current overlay/chip seal budget and $300,000 from state highway user fees.

The city is also working with the Idaho Transportation Department on a cost-share agreement, as the area around the I-90 interchange falls within its jurisdiction.

Feusier said the city has fallen behind on street improvements and work on Ramsey Road and Northwest Boulevard.

"We need to get in front of this and do these repairs now," he said. "The road is in bad enough shape now where we feel we have to fix it."

He said Ramsey and Northwest will be ground down about 2 1/2 inches before 3 inches of crowned asphalt is laid on top, that shape promoting better runoff.

Improvements should be completed by the second week of August and last about 10 years.

"A month of inconvenience to end up with a lot of improvements," Feusier said.