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Sand Creek Byway garners ARTBA award for community outreach

State's largest – and oldest – project
nears completion

As the project nears completion, the U.S. 95 Sand Creek Byway project in northern Idaho recently received an award for outreach efforts to the public. Public participation was sought throughout the design, environmental and construction processes. A high level of public input was the hallmark of the $98 million project.

The American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) - Transportation Development Foundation's 2012 PRIDE award recognized excellence in community relations. The award will be presented on May 30 in Washington, D.C.

U.S. 95 is vital as the only north/south highway in the 100-mile region between western Montana and eastern Washington and the only highway that connects northern and southern Idaho. The 2.1-mile byway, which connects Sandpoint and Ponderay and removes commercial truck traffic and heavy traffic volumes from downtown, began in 2008. It finishes soon, and a ceremony to mark the completion is set for May 31.

The concept of a bypass has been discussed locally for more than 50 years. Accordingly, the public was engaged early in the design process, years before construction began. The main goal of the public participation plan was to focus on fitting the project into the community, not the community into the project.

A public participation office, staffed by members of consulting team URS Energy & Construction, opened in downtown Sandpoint in 2000 - the first dedicated solely to public participation by ITD.

"A lot of credit goes to ITD for supporting the level of public involvement used on the Byway," said URS/Connecting Idaho Partners Program Manager Dave Butzier. "It really helped make the project the success that it has been."