Holiday festivities will alter CdA traffic

Anyone looking to drive to today’s Fourth of July festivities in downtown Coeur d’Alene should be prepared to get there early and face plenty of road closures.

Sherman Avenue will be completely closed from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. for a parade, then closed between Second and Fourth streets and Fourth and Seventh streets the rest of the day. Lakeside Avenue will be closed between Third and Fourth, Fourth and Fifth, and Seventh and Eighth streets. Fourth and Seventh streets will be open for northbound traffic.

Motorists are advised to use Third and 15th streets for access to downtown. Travelers coming to the city from Interstate 90 should take the Lake Coeur d’Alene Drive, 15th Street or Fourth Street exits.

Northwest Boulevard will be closed to southbound traffic from Interstate 90 and Highway 95 beginning at 4 p.m. That means anyone wanting to park in the Third Street parking lot – the only public lot downtown – will need to get in before that time.

“It’s usually full way before then anyway,” said Kathy Lewis, deputy city clerk. “The best would be to stay north of Lakeside for parking.”

All streets north of Lakeside will remain open, but southbound access to downtown will end when Northwest closes at 4 p.m.

Northwest Boulevard will be open only to northbound motorists after the fireworks end. Northwest, Fourth, Seventh and 15th will be the main roads out of town.

The city used this road closure plan for the first time last year, and it helped improve the flow of traffic, Lewis said.