SANDPOINT — A host of local road projects recently received grant funding from the state as part of Idaho's Strategic Initiatives Program.

Receiving grants in Bonner County were the cities of Clark Fork, Kootenai, and Ponderay. Clark Fork received a $600,000 grant for pavement rehabilitation on Stephen Street; Kootenai received a $1.7 million grant for corridor improvements on Railroad Avenue; and Ponderay received a $2 million grant for pavement rehabilitation on McNearney Road.

In Boundary County, the Boundary County Road and Bridge Department received a $2 million grant for intersection improvements on Sunrise Road.

Several projects in the area were not recommended for funding. Among them, a $2 million pavement Bonner County Road & Bridge rehabilitation project near Whiskey Jack and Oden roads, a $1.77 million corridor revitalization project in downtown Priest River, and a $1.5 million signal revitalization project at Fifth and Pine in downtown Sandpoint. Also failing to secure funding was a $1.85 million pavement rehabilitation project in Bonners Ferry for work on Ash Street.

The transportation funding championed by Idaho Gov. Brad Little and the Idaho Legislature continues to improve roads at the local level and defray local property taxes, state officials said in a press release.

Forty-eight transportation projects, many of them ready for construction in 2024, received grants as part of the program. Funding for the program comes from House Bill 132, which created the program, and was signed by Little in 2023. The program directs $100 million to help local jurisdictions mitigate the impact of state highway projects on local roads or economically significant local projects that require the assistance of the Idaho Transportation Department to facilitate.

The ITD received 127 applications from local governments totaling more than $293 million in transportation project costs submitted.

“We championed historic transportation investments in recent years without raising taxes or fees, and it is making a difference. We can keep Idahoans safe on the road, save them time, and facilitate commerce with transportation investments,” Little said. 

In recent years, Little and the Idaho Legislature funded transportation safety and deferred maintenance gaps at ongoing levels based on external studies and made significant gains in funding airports, rail, bridges, and pedestrian infrastructure.

“As I’ve said before, investments in infrastructure is property tax relief. We’re taking the financial burden off local governments that would have raised taxes or fees on residents. All these initiatives serve to lower Idahoans property taxes and improve quality of life,” Governor Little said.