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Nez Perce, ITD launch new Camas Express travelers' facility

ITD’s Doral Hoff joined local dignitaries and representatives from the Nez Perce Tribe Thursday to formally launch a new partnership that will provide rest and respite for motorists on heavily traveled U.S. 95.

Tribal officials announced early this year plans to rebuilt an existing fuel station and convenience store, the Camas Express, at near Winchester, south of Lapwai. The new facility, expected to be completed late next spring or early in the summer, will include an expanded parking lot for commercial trucks and outside entrances to new restrooms that will be open to the public 24 hours per day.

ITD plays an integral role in fostering economic development statewide by ensuring safe efficient travel, both for the general public and for commercial vehicle operators, Hoff told the crowd assembled for Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony.

The Nez Perce Tribe’s vision for creating a new traveler’s facility at Winchester helps the department meet its Strategic Plan goals of:

1) Providing a safe, efficient transportation system,
2) Driving economic opportunity and
3) Using innovative practices to achieve greater efficiency and the best use of taxpayer funds.

ITD enjoys a strong working relationship with the Nez Perce Tribe, and collaboration on construction of this facility is another example of that partnership, Hoff said. ITD committed more than $350,000 for constructing the expanded parking lot.

“It’s a win-win proposition for the tribe, travelers and the state. The new facility will fill a 182-mile void between existing rest areas on U.S. 95, save ITD the cost of building a new, separate rest area at that location and provide higher visibility for the convenience store,” Carpenter said earlier.

The closest state-operated rest areas on the highway are Sheep Creek, about 121 miles south of Lapwai (89 miles from Winchester), and Mineral Mountain, 26 miles north of Moscow.

The Nez Perce Tribe purchased the Cadillac Ranch gas station and restaurant at the top of the Winchester Grade (milepost 278) about three years ago. The existing restaurant was converted to a convenience store with deli services.

From the Lewiston Tribune
WINCHESTER - The Nez Perce Tribe breaks ground on a joint project with the Idaho Transportation Department today to expand the Camas Express store near Winchester to a rest area. Representatives from the tribe and the transportation department will be speaking about the project at the 1:30 p.m. event at the store along U.S. Highway 95, according to a Wednesday news release from the tribe.

"It's going to be a whole new (convenience) store," said Jamie Olson, Nez Perce Tribal Enterprises executive officer.

The 4,200-square-foot building will offer a greater selection of goods and will be almost twice the size of the existing store, which will remain open during construction. The total project will cost about $3.8 million, Olson said, with the tribe paying for most of the work and the state contributing $367,500 toward the cost of 24-hour restrooms.

Other changes include tractor-trailer parking and a new fueling bay specifically for big rigs, Olson said, along with a redesign of the pumps for passenger and private vehicles. Olson said the new facility will hopefully be open in June, in time for summer travel. Severe winter weather could hold up that timeline.

"We're really worried about the weather, but we're trying to get it off the ground," Olson said.