'Curve' forum attracts hundreds

SANDPOINT — Dub’s was on the minds of many of the 300 people who visited Thursday’s Curve design public forum.  

According to ITD public affairs officer Barbara Babic, around 200 people had shown up by 4 p.m. to participate in the hearing regarding design choices for the U.S. 2 “Curve” extension that will divert highway traffic from downtown Sandpoint. She expected a total of more than 300 by the time the meeting wrapped at 6 p.m.

The high turnout was greatly influenced by word-of-mouth and social media discussions regarding the potential impact of the road project on Dub’s, the much-beloved local burger and ice cream institution that has existed for more than 50 years. A Facebook update by Sandpoint High School senior Beth Lewis encouraging individuals to attend the meeting was posted Sunday and has since been “liked” 123 times and shared 155 times.

Lewis’ post had the unique influence of drawing a large number of teenagers to a state infrastructure meeting in support of their favorite hangout. Babic said many of these teenagers also brought their parents along, which swelled attendance even further.

“I think it’s great,” she said. “The kids haven’t just come in and left — they’ve looked around carefully at all the designs. I’m hoping they learned a little about the public process.”

Indeed, many people specifically asked about Dub’s while checking out the Curve’s various design proposals. According to Precision Engineering representative Joel Grounds, the majority of his discussions centered around the fact that the design completely swallows Dub’s real estate.

Grounds said it was an unfortunate necessity in his team’s particular design, given the restrictions imposed on them. They were tasked to design the extension without using any traffic control lights and without impacting either Pine Street Park or the Wrenco Arms property. The design controls traffic with two strategically-placed roundabouts, one of which occupies the Dub’s property.  

Other designs offer a contrast to that approach. One alternative controls traffic with one large, oval-shaped roundabout and has the least impact on Dub’s, although other businesses like Melody Mufflers will be displaced.

Finally, Alternative B uses the least amount of additional right-of-way and doesn’t feature any roundabouts. However, it does cut into a portion of the Dub’s property.

A variety of criteria will be used to select the final design. Public input is a  major one, and street connectivity, emergency access, pedestrian and bicycle crossings, the level of traffic service, business access and impact, historic property impact, large truck maneuverability, the number of problematic pedestrian and bicycle intersections, aesthetics, ease of maintenance and project cost will all also be considered.

ITD officials will likely schedule more public meetings as the design process progresses, with project construction projected for spring of 2014. Those who wish to file an opinion on the Curve can view draft concept maps at www.cityofsandpoint.com and email a statement to barbara.babic@itd.idaho.gov.