POST FALLS — Officials voted to improve a section of the North Idaho Centennial Trail between Second and Third avenues at Ross Point this week. 

The project will cost about $22,000 from multimodal impact fees for the city to turn a single bicycle lane into a cycle track.  

“When I worked in Coeur d’Alene, I would often cycle to work, and this stretch was always the sketchiest to cycle down,” Councilor Joe Malloy said.

City engineer Rob Palus said that normally, it’s illegal to bicycle as you face traffic, but a cycle track adds greater safety and visibility supports for cyclists. 

“Instead of being on each side of the roadway, we combine them into a single bicycle lane on one side of the road,” Palus said. 

The city will better define the space between the cycle track and traffic by vertically raising the track higher than the roadway. The cycle track will have a horizontal curve for better visibility where traffic will cross.  

“With the change in configuration of State Highway 41, we were going to be putting in a hawk signal, which is a pedestrian activated traffic light for pedestrian and bicycle traffic to cross the Centennial Trail across Seltice Way,” Palus said.  

City Councilor Aaron Plew said the project was a net positive for the city. 

“I actually cycle around the city when the weather’s right and this sounds very appealing, a major improvement to quality of life for people who are using the Centennial Trail and everyone else,” Plew said. 

City Councilor Randy Westlund said the separation seemed like it would add additional peace of mind for cyclists passing through Post Falls. 

“This looks great, I love the physical separation. I know we’ve got places where there’s a bike lane and it’s just paint,” Westlund said. 

Palus said the city might eventually consider having the cycle track come down to Ponderosa Boulevard and back along Greensferry Road. 

“Long term, we’d like to see how these first couple of blocks work,” Palus said. 

To put in the cycle track, the city will need to put steel dowels into the roadway and a reinforcing bar within that curb as well as change the striping pattern. 

J-U-B Engineers was hired for the project.

Construction is estimated for late 2025 and will need to be coordinated with ITD’s improvements between Seltice Way and Third Avenue.  

    An example of a cycle track provided by Post Falls staff.