SANDPOINT — Bonner County commissioners advanced multiple infrastructure project Tuesdays, approving road material bids, bridge construction access and several airport grant applications.   

The Road and Bridge department was approved to seek bids for rock crushing in all three county districts.  

According to the department, the project will include the crushing of three-quarter-inch minus gravel, rock chips, drain rock and traction sand throughout Bonner County. Bids will be accepted until Feb. 23 at 11 a.m.  

“This is an annual procurement that we do, getting all gravel, base rock, chips for chip sealing, sand for our winter traction, and it will be crushed at various pits throughout Bonner County under three different contracts, depending on where we’ve got our project needs,” staff engineer Matt Mulder said.  

The overall project has a total budget of $1,260,000, with $1 million being allocated for crushed rock/gravel and the rest for sand.  

Road and Bridge was also approved for a temporary property use agreement between Bonner County and a property owner on the southeast corner of the Colburn Culver Road Bridge at the Pack River. The agreement, according to Mulder, will allow the county and contractor to appropriately replace the Colburn Culver Bridge and rebuild the roadway embankment.  

Mulder noted that the project is part of the Leading Idaho Local Bridges funding program, which covers 100% of the project’s costs through state funding.  

In other business news, commissioners also approved action items applicable to the Priest River and Sandpoint airports.  

Airports were approved to apply for a grant in the amount of $631,759 for the acquisition of approximately 4.4 acres of land at the Sandpoint Airport for the runway two Runway Protection Zone and associated approaches. The approved grant application requires a $15,790 county match.  

A runway protection zone is located off the ends of a runway, designed to enhance safety for people and property.  

The Priest River Airport was approved for two grants relating to a proposed snow removal equipment building, both of which will pay for the construction of the storage building. According to a memorandum submitted to the board, the project will consist of a pre-engineered metal building with vehicle doors and one personnel door, a concrete floor and concrete pad and paved approach driveway, wall heating, lighting, electrical outlets, a floor drain and a frost-free spigot.  

The building is estimated to be 2,000 square feet. 

The grants will be for $292,106, with a county match of $7,303, and $260,921, with a county match of $6,523.