BPA begins pole replacement at Pine Street Woods, VTT

DOVER — Visitors to Pine Street Woods and the neighboring Velo Tout Terrain trails will begin seeing activity next week as the Bonneville Power Administration starts a project to replace aging wooden transmission poles with new metal poles along the existing powerline corridor.

Crews are expected to begin moving equipment and materials into the area as early as Monday. Access to Pine Street Woods via the main entrance road is expected to remain open throughout the project, although short, temporary trail closures may occur as work begins. Kaniksu Land Trust will notify the public of any closures as work progresses.

The project is part of BPA's ongoing effort to modernize the region's electrical grid while improving public safety and reliability. At Pine Street Woods, the existing wooden poles have deteriorated over time due to weather exposure, woodpecker damage, and age. Replacing them with metal poles provides several long-term benefits, including increased durability, improved reliability during severe weather, and significantly reduced maintenance needs.

Perhaps most importantly for North Idaho, the new poles will help reduce wildfire risk. Unlike wood poles, metal poles cannot burn, eliminating one potential source of ignition in dry conditions. As wildfire seasons become longer and more intense, investments like this help protect both critical infrastructure and the surrounding forest.

KLT is working closely with BPA to minimize impacts to visitors while ensuring the work is completed safely. Trails will remain open whenever possible. Visitors are asked to respect all temporary trail closures and posted signs for their safety.

Project updates, including any temporary trail closures, will be shared via the Pine Street Woods WhatsApp community, KLT's social media channels, and at kaniksu.org. Questions may be directed to [email protected] or by calling the Kaniksu Land Trust office at 208-263-9471.