Church work wraps up city's street reversion

SANDPOINT — Although a bit later than city officials originally planned, the two-way street reversion is now complete.

Church Street went two-way between First and Fifth avenues Thursday, which represents the final change in the reversion.

According to city officials, crews will be out over the next few weeks painting curb lines, crosswalks, etc., throughout town. City officials will also continue to monitor the changes downtown for any signage or other tweaks that will need to be made.

Over the last few weeks, Fifth Avenue, Pine Street, First Avenue and Cedar Street were converted from one-way to two-way traffic. The only areas that remain one-way include two blocks of Main Street between Third and Fifth avenues, and one block of Pine Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues.

Log trucks cannot make the turn onto Fourth if heading west on Pine. On their Facebook page, Sandpoint PD said the recommended truck route, specifically for trucks wanting to travel toward Priest River, is to use the Highway 95 bypass and use the north Highway 2 exit to Fifth Avenue and out to Highway 2.

If trucks choose to use the south exit to enter the city, they are not to turn left onto Pine Street from First Avenue “ever.” Instead, the post directs them to proceed north onto Cedar Street to Fifth and out to Highway 200.

The reversion is part of the city’s downtown revitalization project and is designed to get through traffic out of the downtown core and create more of a “downtown feel.”