Rathdrum Prairie traffic solutions draw community input
HAILEY HILL | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 2 months AGO
From left: Laura Winter of Ruen-Yeager and Associates, and Jerry Wilson from the Idaho Transportation Department, listen to Rathdrum resident Chris share her thoughts on what needs to be done to make transportation on the Rathdrum Prairie safer.
HAILEY HILL/Press
COEUR d’ALENE — Community members weighed in on 13 different plans to improve existing roadways on the Rathdrum Prairie during a public meeting at Lake City Center on Wednesday night.
A few dozen attendees had a chance to view mapped-out proposals as well as talk to representatives from the Idaho Transportation Department and other local agencies.
The meeting was part of an ongoing Planning and Environmental Linkages Study aimed at addressing safety concerns and optimizing mobility across the region.
“Our biggest reason for being here is to garner feedback,” said Heather McDaniel, ITD’s public information officer.
Several attendees voiced concerns with the intersection at Hayden Avenue and Meyer Road, where a roundabout is currently scheduled to be constructed by 2027.
“How many more deaths, more accidents, are we going to have?” said one resident, who thought the roundabout's construction should begin sooner.
Kevin Kirlin, also of Rathdrum, echoed the resident's thoughts.
“I may be in the minority here, but I’m pro-roundabout,” Kirlin said, citing late-afternoon congestion on Hayden Avenue.
“A lot of times, traffic is backed up for a quarter mile or more,” Kirlin said. “I like roundabouts best for their simplicity.”
Iain Fisher of Post Falls said that “any options for improvements would be nice.”
“Growth is here. It’s coming, and it’s not stopping,” Fisher said. “Any alternatives to the current situation would be great to see, and safer, too.”
Another meeting will be held tonight at 4:30 p.m. at the Trailhead Event Center in Post Falls.
ARTICLES BY HAILEY HILL
Hayden chamber marks 25 years
Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn named Business of the Year
When Andrea Fulks talks about growing the Hayden Chamber of Commerce’s membership, she makes a point to avoid certain words. “I never say you should ‘join,’” the chamber president and CEO said. “I say that you belong in this family.”
NIBCA celebrates leadership, growth
NIBCA celebrates leadership, growth
The first time Jessica Cargile attended a North Idaho Building Contractors Association meeting, she couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. That feeling returned for only a moment before she was sworn in as NIBCA’s president for 2026.
Coeur d'Alene chamber grows to nearly 1,000 members as it continues to evolve
Coeur d'Alene chamber grows to nearly 1,000 members as it continues to evolve
A sepia-toned photograph of about 30 businessmen hangs in the office of Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber’s President and CEO, Linda Coppess. Though dressed in the fashion of decades past, the men gathered for a purpose that has endured: uplifting area businesses through the Chamber. The photo is a reminder of the Chamber’s 114 years of history, Coppess said in her address to nearly 200 attendees at Tuesday morning’s Breakfast Connect event.