SPIRIT LAKE — A project to realign a dangerous curve on Spirit Lake Cutoff Road has been approved to enter its construction phase.  

Bonner County Commissioners unanimously approved the Road and Bridge Department to start the construction phase of a project that would realign the corner of Spirit Lake Cutoff by Beare Road to better match the posted 45 mph speed limit.  

Improvements to the curve come after a trend of roadway departure accidents, including three fatal accidents in the last seven years, according to a memorandum given to county commissioners.  

The department was also approved to pay a final match amount of $116,017 for the project. The remaining cost of improvements will come from the Local Highway Safety Improvement Program safety grant, which includes $1.5 million in funding.  

“This is a grant-funded project that the county pursues back in 2022 and was awarded based on fatalities and the number of severe accidents that we have on Spirit Lake Cutoff Road,” project engineer Matt Mulder said. “On all the section corners where you’re going along at 45 miles per hour, or a lot faster in some people’s cases, for miles and miles, and suddenly you get to this sharp 90-degree corner that’s a suggested 15 miles per hour, and a lot of people end up flying off the road there.”  

In addition to the realignment of the roadway, guardrails to the outer edge of the corners will be added, along with an improved “curve ahead” sign and chevron signage around all corners to make the corner more visible at night. 

In approving the construction start, Commissioner Brian Domke said he was happy to see the realignment of the road, and that it was a long time coming.