A three-mile stretch at the south end of the Garwood-to-Sagle project on U.S. Highway 95 in North Idaho would be eligible to be added to the bond-funded project, under legislation introduced by the House Ways & Means Committee today at the request of Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls. The stretch, from Wyoming Avenue to State Highway 53, is two lanes - though Highway 95 is four lanes just south of there, and it'll be four lanes north of there as a result of the Garwood-to-Sagle project. Henderson said when the project was designated, its southern end point was never specifically pinpointed. "Garwood itself is not a point on a map," he said. "It's a rural community, it's unincorporated. ... It's an area."

His legislation wouldn't guarantee any funding, but by making it eligible to be part of the bond-funded project, it could qualify if money is available, Henderson said. Already this year, bids have been coming in so much lower than expected on GARVEE bond-funded projects that they've saved $36 million. If the money were available and the Idaho Transportation Board decided to spend it to take that three-mile stretch up to four lanes to match what'll be north and south of it, it'd cost $15.5 million, Henderson said. The committee voted unanimously to introduce the bill.

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