Mayor details construction projects in Moscow’s future

Major coming construction projects became a recurring theme of the Moscow mayor’s annual State of the City address Wednesday.

Mayor Art Bettge gave his address during the monthly Moscow Chamber of Commerce Luncheon at the Best Western Plus University Inn. In it he touched on upgrades to downtown, Mountain View Road, Sixth Street and U.S. Highway 95.

For example, Moscow is getting ready to embark on a project to replace the 41-year-old sidewalks, curbs and asphalt located downtown that are “starting to fall apart significantly,” Bettge said.

This project will take place in phases. The first phase, a joint study funded equally by the Moscow Urban Renewal Agency and the city, will begin this summer, with results due later in the fall, Bettge informed the Daily News.

This summer, the city will also begin extensive work on Mountain View Road and Sixth Street. A new roundabout will be constructed at the intersection of those streets in conjunction with the building of a new Sixth Street bridge near that intersection.

“We only want to disrupt traffic once across the course of the year,” Bettge said.

Moscow received a nearly $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to construct a new elevated bridge on Sixth Street that will include sidewalks, bike lanes and a flood-resistant design.

Bettge encouraged residents who live on that side of town to start thinking about alternative routes they can take once construction begins.

“Think about where you’re going to go to get to work or the west side of town,” he said.

Moscow will also use grant money to improve the sidewalks and light fixtures on Third and Sixth streets this summer.

In anticipation of the project to replace a section of U.S. Highway 95 with a new four-lane route south of Moscow, the city wants to begin installing utilities in that direction. Bettge said the city wants to install these utilities because it expects more businesses will occupy the area south of the south fork of the Palouse River in the future.

The city is looking ahead to expensive long-term projects, such as partnering with the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee to establish an alternative water source. Bettge said Idaho has designated $70 million for this project, which he anticipates will likely cost $80 million to $100 million.

“We’ve got to start now in order to secure the water source for the future and enable us to continue to prosper as a community,” he said.

The city is planning capital improvements during the next 10 years to ensure the Moscow Water Reclamation and Reuse Facility adheres to Environmental Protection Agency rules. For example, Bettge said the facility needs to install chillers to cool the water reentering Paradise Creek. Otherwise, the EPA could fine Moscow $37,000 per day per violation.

Moscow announced Wednesday that the public can now view and comment on the Climate Action Plan draft the city developed to reduce carbon emissions. The draft plan calls for Moscow to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 with an interim goal of reducing emissions by 57% by 2030.

“City government itself can only do so much,” Bettge said. “What we can do is to try to set an example and show what works and hopefully bring the citizens of the city along with us to address these issues.”

The public has until March 26 to review and comment on the draft plan. It can be read on the city’s website at ci.moscow.id.us/1002/Climate-Action-Plan.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.