Extending Conestoga Drive?

Conestoga Drive would be extended, a bridge would be constructed on the street and West Palouse River Drive would undergo improvements if the city of Moscow and a local developer reach an agreement.

BBC LLC, which owns 232 acres south of the city’s 44-acre property (proposed for ballfields) on West Palouse River Drive, asked the city earlier this month for its financial participation in extending Conestoga Drive and constructing a bridge on the proposed extended street that would cross the South Fork of the Palouse River.

Bill Belknap, deputy city supervisor of community planning and design, told the Moscow City Council’s Public Works/Finance Committee Monday that the construction would benefit both parties.

BBC LLC is proposing a huge residential development on its 232 acres and it needs to extend Conestoga Drive and build a bridge to help facilitate the development, Belknap said

“Council has previously recognized its obligation to extend Conestoga to the (city’s) property, so this is an opportunity to do so at a reduced cost,” Belknap said.

The cost to construct the roadway, bridge and utilities is estimated at $2.37 million. Belknap said it is his understanding that BBC LLC is requesting the city share in the cost of those improvements. The city would share $1.08 million of the cost under the city’s recommendation.

Because the proposed residential development and proposed development of the city’s playfields would bring increased vehicular traffic on West Palouse River Drive, Belknap said he recommended that the city should only contribute to the project if BBC LLC makes improvements to West Palouse River Drive from Conestoga Drive to South Main Street. Those improvements would include widening the street and adding curbing and sidewalk to the south side of the street.

The Public Works/Finance Committee recommended approving the financial contribution with the condition that the developer makes the West Palouse River Drive improvements.

The full City Council will discuss the matter at Monday’s regular council meeting.

“This is why we have capital accumulations, so we can jump if we want to if there is an opportunity like this to participate,” Councilor Art Bettge said.

In other business, the committee:

- Recommended the City Council reject the bid for the Paradise Path lighting project because the lone bid came in at $358,458, well over the $178,035 the engineer estimated. The bid for the project includes installing an electrical service connection, 18 lighted bollards and 29 overhead lighting fixtures along Paradise Path between Main Street and Styner Avenue. Work would also consist of trenching and installing about 2,850 feet of conduit, accompanying electrical wire and the installation of seven junction boxes to power the lighting system.

Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.