City turns on the lights at new Fifth and Pine intersection

By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff

Almost two months to the day since work began on installing a new traffic signal at Fifth Avenue and Pine Street, crews turned on the lights Nov. 4.

The city started the project Sept. 3, relocating the signal and equipment from Fifth and Church Street and converting that intersection into one controlled by stop signs. In the interim, Pine was closed between Fourth Street and Fifth.

With the new signalized intersection at Pine and Fifth, traffic on Pine will return to two-way between Fifth and Fourth and the street will be removed from the city’s designated truck routes.

The newly opened traffic signal at Pine St. and Fifth Ave. in Sandpoint. Photo by Ben Olson.

“One objective of the project is to create a direct east-west link between Highway 95 and Highway 2, reducing cut-through traffic in South Sandpoint,” Sandpoint Construction Manager Holly Ellis told the Reader. 

“Relocating the signal is expected to ease congestion and minimize delays downtown,” she added. “Also, the Pine Street location should offer better intersection efficiency than the Church location.”

The Fifth-and-Pine intersection change is part of a larger project that includes restricting both the intersections of Euclid Street and Sixth Avenue with U.S. 2 to right turns in and out, with posted signage.

Work is ongoing and expected to be complete by the end of November, so final numbers won’t be available for a few more weeks, but Ellis put the cost of the project at about $500,000, funded with impact fees paid by developers.

Ultimately, “Enhanced safety for all road users is anticipated, including safer pedestrian crossings,” Ellis said.