Video: Request for Oversight of the Rathdrum Prairie PEL Study

The group sent this video to the legislators with its cover email and letter on September 2, 2026. Captions can be turned on in the player.

Transcript

To our Idaho State legislators, the Idaho Transportation Department District 1 of North Idaho has been conducting a planning and environmental linkages or PEL project for the Rathdrum Prairie. The project has missed its mark.

It was designed to find improvements throughout the Rathdrum Prairie. Instead, it has returned to a 30 year old single focus, more north-south highways.

For example, the 4th proposed North-South highway was originally estimated at $300 million, but is now adjusted to $564 million, twice the cost of a more viable solution. However, independent analysis reveals a price tag that could exceed $800 million, threatening over 112 private properties. The long term administration costs a new highway would create are not discussed yet.

The traffic it is expected to support is 85% local to US-95 locking in level of service F, meaning it is over capacity for itself and other roads before the new highway is even completed.

ITD has not addressed East-West traffic for commuters and through traffic between Coeur d’Alene and Spokane as adding lanes will not address the long term needs. Further, a simple connection between SH-41 and Lancaster could address many of the issues.

It is concerning that the community has been required to provide detailed engineering concepts and then restricted from critical information only for ITD to continue producing non functional results.

With ITD cutting $1.3 billion statewide in 2026, cheaper arterial and grade separation solutions must come first to our state representatives.

For Kootenai County, Idaho, it’s time to stop overspending on roads that go nowhere. It’s time to make a better future.