SANDPOINT — The City Council approved a contract to expand the sidewalk on Bridge Street as part of the Nov. 19 consent calendar with a 5-1 vote Wednesday. 

Councilor Kyle Schreiber was the most outspoken of the council against the project at the council’s last three meetings and represented the lone opposing vote against the consent calendar. Schreiber pointed to the price being a significant issue as well as the independence of the project as the reasons behind his opposition. 

The project will expand the sidewalk from 6 to 12 feet wide by building a retaining wall that pushes the sidewalk back to the property line. The city estimates the project will cost $396,672 and will be funded primarily by a $385,102 performance security given to the city by Bridge Street LLC with the rest of the project being funded by the Resort City Sidewalk Fund. 

"When every bid comes in over budget, the fiscally responsible course is to reconsider the project,” Schreiber said. “We can get a wider sidewalk by moving the curb into the street without building a $300,000 retaining wall. It’s likely we could have been able to include that contract in downtown revitalization work.” 

Schreiber said at the Nov. 5 council meeting he wanted to delay the project until December to incorporate it into the Downtown Revitalization Phase No. 3 for potential efficiency and cost benefits. 

Project manager Erik Bush said the contractor, Big Sky ID Corp, is planning to begin the project Dec. 2 and pushing it back that far could risk cancellation of the bid. At the Nov. 5 meeting, Central Services Director Cheryl Hughes said those longer delays could hurt the city’s reputation with contractors in the future. 

The motion was tabled at the council’s Nov. 5 meeting in hopes the city could renegotiate a land swap which gave 0.31 acres at Farmin’s Landing to Bridge Street LLC. Planning and Community Development Director Jason Welker said at the council’s Nov. 12 special meeting that the owners of the property showed some interest in getting the land back to the city. 

The council was also concerned the potential development would cut off access to Gunning’s Alley. Public Works Director Holly Ellis said at the Nov. 12 meeting the city is not planning on constructing anything there that would restrict access to the alley. 

"We feel quite comfortable that in the site plan review process that will eventually take place for the property there will be ample opportunity to improve pedestrian access,” Welker said.

Welker’s request to talk with the landowner was one of the driving factors behind the initial delay at the Nov. 5 meeting. At the Nov. 12 meeting, he said he believes that going ahead with the project would be the most beneficial thing for the city and would not interfere with negotiations with Bridge Street LLC.

“After additional conversations with the team here, I’m comfortable and confident encouraging you to approve this contract,” Welker said. “Not knowing when this development might progress, I think it’s the right time to undertake this improvement.” 

The site next to the sidewalk has been empty since February 2019 when a fire burned down two buildings and destroyed five businesses. A third building, home to Grace Sandpoint Church, suffered heavy smoke and water damage. 

Welker said Nov. 12 that Bridge Street LLC has never submitted a permit application to the city, only preliminary concepts. Construction on the sidewalk is expected to be completed by spring 2026, according to the resolution.