Since 1999, The Spokesman-Review has kept close tabs on the main north-south road in Idaho, publishing an annual winter roundup of fatalities. It’s been a grim reminder of how dangerous it can be to traverse the infamous “goat trail.”

But recent trends show it’s time for U.S. Highway 95 revisited.

In 1999, there were 35 fatalities, which remains the record. In 2004, there were 29. In 2005, 22. Last year, a mere 11. This great news is the result of publicity, education, personal responsibility, and political wisdom and will.

After the trumpeting of 1999’s dubious record, the Idaho Legislature got busy. Since 2000, $70 million has been spent on improving U.S. 95. Lanes have been added. Shoulders have been widened. Curves straightened out. Rumble strips and reflectors installed. Better signs erected.

Then-Gov. Dirk Kempthorne won a showdown with a reticent House Transportation Committee to ensure that Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle (GARVEE) bonds were adopted by the Legislature. The bonds allow the state to borrow against future federal funding so it can immediately tackle highway projects. Now, 30 years’ worth of work can be compressed into 10 years.

A determined Kempthorne went so far as to veto eight of the House’s bills to show that he wasn’t going to back off until he got his way. North Idaho lawmakers also deserve credit for pushing for more funding.

Because of those political victories, once-perilous stretches of the highway in North Idaho are much safer. The route from Coeur d’Alene to Worley has seen major improvements, and the goal is to build four lanes all the way to Moscow. North of Coeur d’Alene, the Garwood-to-Sagle segment is also a major focal point. And the once-narrow stretch north of Bonners Ferry has been widened.

Along with that, the Idaho Department of Transportation launched an education campaign to spread awareness of the dangers that lurk along the 538 miles of road, especially in winter. From there, drivers have taken it upon themselves to drive more carefully.

What’s remarkable is that this uptick in safety has come about as the state’s population and use of the highway have dramatically increased. Since 1999, traffic has doubled in some areas and tripled in others.

All of this good news doesn’t mean the Legislature and drivers can relax. There are still many deadly stretches that need to be addressed. State Transportation Board officials in October recommended that some projects be delayed because of increasing construction costs.

Some North Idaho lawmakers already have indicated that’s unacceptable.

“All the legislators from North Idaho will be very aggressive to preserve the projects that have been promised for North Idaho,” said state Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls.

It’s never going to be cheaper than now to make U.S. 95 as safe as it should be. The encouraging returns on initial investments should be reason enough to keep the pedal to the metal.