Mullan Avenue Fix To Help Trail Also Eleven Blocks To Be Repaved; South Side Will Close To Parking

The Coeur d’Alene City Council voted Tuesday to improve both Mullan Avenue and a portion of the Centennial Trail.

In September, crews will start a $278,000 project to repave Mullan Avenue from Eighth to 19th streets, which also doubles as a section of the Centennial Trail.

The overlay project includes tearing up the old railroad tracks that are part of the street and installing a new storm water sewer, said Dan Yake, city growth services director.

Signs and stripes along Mullan indicate it is part of the trail, but the 11-block stretch is the only place in Coeur d’Alene where trail users must contend with both parked cars and traffic, Yake said.

“So, when we considered this overlay project, we pondered what to do with the trail,” he said.

The city looked at three options. One would have been to leave the street as it is, which would not have improved the trail.

The city could not find any viable solutions for relocating the trail so it explored an option that also has been endorsed by the Centennial Trail Committee.

That plan calls for closing one side of Mullan to street parking.

“Our recommendation is that we establish a no parking zone on the south side of Mullan Avenue,” Yake said. “It seems to impact more citizens, but we consider it the safest option.”

The Centennial Trail travels east from McEuen Field onto the south side of Mullan Avenue. In that 11-block stretch only six homes don’t have off-street parking, but each home does have parking available on other nearby streets.

The north side of Mullan only has one home with no off-street parking. But bikers and joggers would be forced to cross two intersections to stay on the trail.

The city sent letters last week to all the property owners asking for their comment.

Two returned letters asking the City Council to reconsider the plan to close parking.

“Elimination of parking on the south side will flood the north side of the street with vehicles, making it impossible for residents and guests on the north side to park in front of their property,” resident Kris Tiede said in a letter sent July 31 to the city.

Susan Koerner, who also lives on Mullan, attended the meeting and asked the City Council to deny the plan.

“My daughter can’t come visit without parking over on Ninth Street,” she told the council. “I only pay taxes. I’m not a tourist, so I don’t count.”

Monica Donegan spoke Tuesday in favor of the city’s plan.

“(Mullan Avenue) is really not usable because of all the cars on the street,” Donegan said.

Councilwoman Deanna Goodlander said the city had to make a choice, and closing the south side of Mullan made more sense.

“This is the best option we have to ensure the safety of cyclists,” she said. “For the overall benefit of the community, this is the best way to go.”