COEUR d’ALENE — How will travel across the Rathdrum Prairie look in the future? 

Kootenai County residents came out in force Wednesday night to voice their opinions on the final four transportation alternatives and their combinations being considered by the Idaho Transportation Department. 

Eric Knutson said he’s lived in the area since 1972 and has been following the Rathdrum Prairie Area Transportation Study since open houses began to talk about the future of roads and highways across the prairie. 

“I’ve been following since the first meeting in Post Falls and there’s probably only two that I’m OK with, H and D,” Knutson said. 

Having grown up in Dalton Gardens, Knutson said he’s seen his share of changes to the local roadways and he hopes to make his thoughts known so future changes are ones that he can comfortably weather. 

For Post Falls resident Susan Vendetti, public input is crucial for every resident to weigh in before decisions are solidified.   

“We need to be concerned about our community. Whether it affects me personally, it’ll affect all those in the community," Vendetti said.  

Although she doesn’t see a clear winner for the best way to alleviate traffic pressures on the prairie with the least negative consequences for nearby neighborhoods, she said residents need to look at the bigger picture as well as the finer details to see what works best. 

"How can we try to expand and make a workable environment that is also supportive of families in our communities?” Vendetti asked. “If we cut out those homes, you’re just going to have bitterness and it’s just going to be constructive, that’s the challenge.” 

So far, she’s been most drawn to Alternative N-D, which involves Highway 53. 

“It looks interesting and you’re already utilizing areas that don’t have homes there. I think that there’s a benefit for the people who are coming over from the north and going into Spokane,” Vendetti said.   

Idaho Transportation Department spokesperson Heather McDaniel said with this being the final open house, the need for all area residents to weigh in has reached a wider audience. 

“We’ve heard that they didn’t realize this is important to people in Coeur d’Alene. This is important for people in Rathdrum, in Hauser Lake, in Hayden,” McDaniel said. “With the broadness of the study area, we’re realizing it’s going to address widespread congestion, not just on 95.” 

She noted that the routes being devised are still in a preliminary phase and pieced together based on past routes as well as the incoming responses. 

Turnout for the event Wednesday at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds was encouraging, however, McDaniel said.   

“It’s going to address connectivity across the prairie and it’s been great; we love seeing people engaged,” McDaniel said. “There’s been lots of opinions and not everybody loves everything, so it’s good for people to have the opportunity to get their feedback heard and their opinions validated.”   

The open house was a rallying point for Rathdrum resident Wendy Smith.  

“I’ve got posts on all of my groups on Facebook telling them to come here,” Smith said. 

So far, Smith favors alternative N to E on Highway 53, but worries about the bottleneck in Rathdrum it could cause.   

Because she lives on Ramsey Road, Smith doesn’t want options cropping up that involve expanding roadways just yards from her home. 

“I don’t want it looking like a huge city with a huge freeway going right through the prairie,” Smith said.  

With neighbors with hay distribution and other agricultural practices set up and running close by, Smith voiced concerns about their land being affected if certain options are explored by Ramsey Road. 

“This is going to affect thousands of people,” Smith said. “Imagine right smack in the prairie, a freeway.” 

The Rathdrum Prairie Area Transportation Study began in 2022 with more than 50 ideas for improving travel across the prairie. Through earlier rounds of public input and review, the options have been narrowed down to four final alternatives and subsequent combinations.   

Project information can be reviewed online from July 8 through July 22 through at itd.idaho.gov/project/rathdrum-prairie-pel-study/. 

    Susan Vendetti, left, looks over plans for the remaining four options being considered by the Idaho Transportation Department.