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Streets, Highways & Bridges
More than a walkway:
Street redevelopment increases safety, improves amenities By MARY JANE BOGLE | The Municipal
It’s not unusual for street improvements to result in increased amenities in municipalities. However, city officials in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, took this concept to a whole new level when redeveloping Mullan Road, now renamed Fort Grounds Drive. And while pedestrian safety was a primary driver of the project, the end result was a value-added plaza — including a historical carousel and grandstand — greater connectivity to a lakefront park and extended improvements throughout the area.
Former railway corridor The impetus for the entire project began with the city’s interest in acquiring a 100foot right-of-way, formerly owned by the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railroad, from the Bureau of Land Management. Transfer of ownership required a master plan, detailing how the city would use the corridor. The city’s primary interest in the property was creating additional outdoor recreational opportunities — a natural 56 THE MUNICIPAL | AUGUST 2021
extension of the already robust tourism in the area. In fact, part of the original railway system was built with the goal of increasing summer and holiday travel to Coeur d’Alene and its beautiful lake, with the railway connecting Coeur d’Alene to nearby Spokane, Wash. It worked. To the north of the former railroad corridor lies City Lake Park, complete with 300 feet of frontage along Lake Coeur d’Alene; to
ABOVE: Making travel easier for pedestrians was a major component of the Mullan Road redevelopment project. (Photo provided) the south, Memorial Park, featuring softball grandstands built in the 1930s, along with concessions and restroom facilities. These features were a natural draw for tourists in the early 1900s and continue to attract visitors to Coeur d’Alene today. Pedestrian Safety Naturally, during peak tourist season, Coeur d’Alene saw — and continues to see — a great deal of foot traffic between the two attractions. There was just one problem. Running through this corridor — and directly intersecting the main pedestrian path — was a five-lane highway, Mullan Road, with its accompanying 40 mph traffic and on-street parallel parking.
