St. Anthony poised to start major road project

ST. ANTHONY – The city’s pothole-filled, 12-block-long West Main Street soon will get a complete makeover.

Any day now Idaho National Guard officials are expected to sign papers for an already agreed-upon land exchange near the guard armory. That’s the last remaining step before bids are called for on the estimated $3 million project.

West Main is a main arterial into St. Anthony from the spud and grain farms in Parker and the Egin Bench. It’s a residential street with a few long-existing businesses, especially in its first two blocks off Bridge Street downtown.

The project has been in the works since at least 2008, says City Clerk Patty Parkinson. She remembers it as one of the projects on a list she was handed by the departing city clerk in August that year.

Although many of the city’s streets have been upgraded and seal-coated in the intervening years, West Main has continued to deteriorate. Earmarked to receive the federal funding eventually, the city waited, completing necessary water and sewer upgrades prior to the start of road reconstruction.

With a $3 million price tag, there was no way the city could fund the project itself. In fact, city officials had a difficult time finding money for the match, about $220,930, some 7.34 percent of the cost of the total project. State and federal funds make up the difference.

Parkinson said as soon as the land trade documents are signed, Idaho Department of Transportation officials will call for bids for a contractor to do the project and request proposals for an engineering firm to oversee the work. Actual construction could start this spring.

As such a long wait and with inquiries daily about progress, St. Anthony officials are calling the project the city’s No. 1 priority right now.

“’Excited’ is an understatement,” Parkinson said about nearing the bidding stage.

Mayor Neils Thueson echoes her enthusiasm.

“If the (National) Guard gets with it, we can still get it all done this year,” he said.

When completed, the project will include a reconstructed street, curbs and gutters, sidewalks, signs, lighting and utilities upgrades. An approach to a canal bridge near 12th West will be straightened, making the street safer as well. And everyone along the street will get uniform mailboxes at the sidewalk, the mayor said.

Not only will the people and businesses on the street see changes, but the improvements will improve the looks of the town.

“We’re really happy to see this finally happening,” the mayor said.

Laura Ellis, owner of the Wooden Nickel, an art glass shop along the street, also said she will be happy to see the street work start, though the process has been somewhat frustrating.

“There were changes (in the plans) at every meeting,” she said.

And in the end, her business will have fewer parking spaces for customers, particularly when she holds classes.

Despite the frustrations, she said, “I think it will be beautiful when it’s done.”