COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County travelers can weigh in on an ongoing study regarding a traffic management center at two open houses next month or through an online survey available now.

Growth has strained existing infrastructure, according to the Idaho Transportation Department, causing drivers to consistently experience bottlenecks, unreliable travel times and other issues. That growth is projected to continue, with traffic volumes on Interstate 90 alone expected to double by 2045.

“Our studies have already shown that a traffic management center is needed now,” Glenn Miles, director for the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization, said in a news release. “The current phase of the planning study is evaluating what it would take to implement one.”

Traffic management centers bring together resources from highway districts, cities and transportation departments to allow for joint management of traffic safety, mobility and information in a region.

District engineer Damon Allen said traffic management centers are already used in neighboring metro areas, including Spokane and Boise.

The public can learn more by attending one of two open houses scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3, one at the Black Bay Depot in Post Falls and the other at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library. The same information will be shared at both open houses.

The material is also available online.

Find a link to the material, as well as the survey, at kmpo.net/public-notices-news.

Comments will be accepted through Aug. 4.

The study is a joint effort directed by the Idaho Transportation Department and the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Comments will be shared with the KMPO board at the Aug. 10 meeting.

No funding has been identified for implementing a traffic management center. Study results will identify what is needed and improve chances of securing grants, according to ITD.