The last few weeks, I’ve been spending a lot of time at home. With gas prices at astronomical rates, driving is decidedly unappealing. And as noted in virtually every Sandpoint publication, traffic isn’t much fun. At this time of year, you hear lots of talk about the byway, which may or may not run up Sand Creek in the future.
Everyone has an opinion on the byway, but I have a different question. Why does Boyer Avenue seem to be closed almost every summer? Pretty much every local and a whole lot of visitors have figured out that you can skirt a lot of tedious lights and traffic if you go down Boyer. For example, if you live north of town, you can zoom down to the library a lot more quickly if you turn at Kootenai Cut Off Road and head south the Boyer way.
Except that almost every summer, part of Boyer is closed. At least twice before in recent memory, Boyer has been completely shut when traffic is the absolute worst in town. And unlike other roads, they don’t just reduce it to one lane. No, the powers that be shut it down completely for 6 or 7 weeks.
When you see the line of cars stretching past the Chamber of Commerce almost to Larch from the junction of highway 95 and 200, you realize the tremendous impact shutting down one road can have on little old Sandpoint. Traffic is always crowded in the summer, but it’s not as bad when people can use Boyer as an alternate route.
One year, the road folks replaced lots of curbs and added storm drains on Boyer. I have no idea what they are doing this year. It sure seems like someone didn’t plan ahead though. I can’t think of another road anywhere that has been closed as often as Boyer. I certainly hope when it’s done, they are really finished with it this time.