City gearing up to begin Fifth Ave./Pine St. traffic signal project

By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff

After more than a year of planning and discussion, the relocation of the traffic signal at Fifth Avenue and Church Street to the intersection of Fifth and Pine Street is set to begin Tuesday, Sept. 3.

City Hall announced the commencement of the project Aug. 27, stating in a news release that, “The overall project is intended to ease traffic flow and improve the connection between U.S. 95 and U.S. 2.”

The intersection of Pine St. and Fifth Ave. Courtesy photo.

Following the relocation of the light, Fifth and Church will be controlled by stop signs, while Fifth and Pine will be a full-access, signalized intersection.

In addition, Pine will return to two-way travel between Fifth and Fourth avenues, and the intersections at Euclid Street and U.S. 2 and Sixth Avenue and U.S. 2 will only allow right turns in and out.

The city further summarized the changes, including: 

• Conversion of the Fifth and Church intersection from a signal to a “side-street stop-controlled intersection with RRFBs for pedestrian crossing.” The “rectangular rapid flashing beacons” are defined by the Federal Highway Administration as “rectangular-shaped yellow indications, each with a light-emitting diode (LED)-array-based light source,” which are intended “to increase driver awareness of pedestrians crossing roadways at marked midblock crossings or uncontrolled intersections,” according to the city.

• Restricting U.S. 2 and Sixth and U.S. 2 and Euclid to right-in, right-out intersections with posted signage.

• Removal of Pine from the city’s truck route.

City Hall estimates that construction will be complete by December. During that time, work will take place from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 7 a.m.-5 pm on Wednesday. Crews will work at night from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. on certain days.

Pine Street will be temporarily closed between Fourth and Fifth Avenue, and motorists will be detoured. However, local access to driveways will be maintained.

Residents in areas adjacent to the work zone will receive door hangers with 72 hours advance notice, and the schedule on the city’s website (sandpointidaho.gov) will be updated as needed.

Construction-related noise and equipment are to be expected during construction hours. 

On-street parking may also be limited due to the staging of materials and equipment.

Crews will work on trenching and excavation, pipe work, backfilling and compaction, asphalt patching and pavement marking.

Expect to see gravel street patching in the project area until asphalt paving takes place in the fall.

To track the status of the project, go to bit.ly/3Z3sw98.

For more info or further questions, call City Hall at 208-946-2087 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.