Moscow eyes pedestrian underpass, other projects

As 2023 nears an end, the city of Moscow is eyeing several road construction projects that are expected to take place during the next two years.

Deputy City Supervisor Cody Riddle discussed these projects Thursday during a Moscow Transportation Commission meeting.

Moscow is still going forward with constructing a pedestrian underpass near the intersection of U.S. Highway 95 and Idaho Highway 8.

The underpass will allow pedestrians and bicyclists to travel underneath U.S. 95 without using nearby crosswalks and disrupting traffic flow.

Riddle said the project is on track, but a complication arose during the design process. He said crews will need to excavate more sediment than was originally thought as a result of flood events along Paradise Creek. Riddle said construction will likely take place in 2025.

Additionally, the city is planning to extend the sidewalk along the existing U.S. 95 next year. It will fill a gap in the sidewalk that extends from near the front of the Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories factory to near the front of the Palouse Ice Rink.

He said this will give residents a complete sidewalk to access from Palouse River Drive to the SEL campus.

Next year, Moscow also plans to replace the underground utilities on A Street from Washington Street to Adams Street. Riddle said the curb, gutters and sidewalk will also be replaced as part of the project.

Riddle said Thursday that the pathway through Carol Ryrie Brink Nature Park will be repaired. He said the pedestrian pathway has been damaged by roots, and the city will seek proposals to fix it.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.