Shoshone County roads projects moving right along

Numerous road projects are ongoing throughout Shoshone County and according to Public Works Director Jessica Stutzke, they’re doing a good job staying on schedule.  

Beyond just the work dotting Shoshone County’s stretch of Interstate 90, many of the most heavily traversed side roads have at least one project or another being completed on them. 

A series of safety projects along Coeur d’Alene River Road between Kingston and Murray have made a quick trip up the river take a little longer than normal. In various areas, crews are working to install guardrails and rumble strips along the road, but Stutzke expects the project to be completed by summer’s end.  

Because of potential safety concerns, the project was approved for maximum delays of 30 minutes as work is completed, but even with these expected delays, Stutzke was adamant about keeping the road along the North Fork open during the crucial summer months. 

“I’m not anticipating any road closures along Coeur d’Alene River Road,” Stutzke said. “I instructed the crews to make sure that they keep traffic flowing.”  

On Silver Valley Road, the replacement of the Elk Creek Bridge is one of the more glaring projects being completed. The multi-million dollar project has a substantial detour that restricts almost anything larger than a passenger vehicle, which has made navigating the county a challenge due to many of the westbound I-90 on-ramps between Kellogg and Wallace being closed.  

Stutzke told the News-Press that she hasn’t received any reports of significant delays in the work being completed and that the project is expected to wrap up before the end of the 2024 construction season.  

This is good news for the county, which is preparing for a major paving project on Silver Valley Road from Big Creek to Elizabeth Park. Because of the way the project is funded, the paving project cannot wait until next year, which means staying on schedule is paramount.  

“When it’s time for us to go on this, we gotta go,” Stutzke said.  

The Shoshone News-Press will provide updates for any major developments or future start-dates for the ongoing or upcoming projects.