Lewiston seeks design for downtown project
Apr. 23—A bond to rebuild Lewiston's Main Street could be put before voters in May 2025.
The Lewiston City Council approved awarding a $881,000 contract to the engineering firm Welch Comer on Monday to create a preliminary design and estimate for the project. That information would be used in putting the bond on the ballot.
The vote split 3-2. Council President Jim Kleeburg was in the majority along with councilors Kassee Forsmann and Kathy Schroeder. Councilors John Spickelmire and Jessica Klein voted against the measure. Councilor Hannah Liedkie was not at the meeting because of unanticipated travel delays.
The project would focus on a portion of Main Street from the Interstate Bridge to the intersection of Main, D and 11th streets where Main Street turns into a two-way road.
The underground portion of the work would include water, wastewater, storm water and telecommunications infrastructure, as well as remediation of sidewalk vaults, said Lewiston City Engineer Luke Antonich.
Above ground, the present plan is for Main Street to be turned into a two-way road from the Interstate Bridge to Main, D and 11th streets to help slow traffic and make downtown more of a destination, Antonich said.
Whether D Street would be one way or two ways is part of what will be examined in this phase of the work, he said.
Road surfaces would be redone along with curbs, gutters, signs, striping and pedestrian access, while roundabouts could be installed, Antonich said.
The community will be heavily involved in deciding what the design will look like with opportunities for public comments running from about June through October, he said.
"This project is not simple," Antonich said. "It involves every utility that we have in the city. ... Main Street (is) one of our highest capacity streets."
Once Welch Comer completes its work, the city's elected officials will have adequate information to make an informed decision about the next step, Antonich said.
"Much of this is 100 years old plus," he said. "This is the old infrastructure. There's lots of stuff in the ground that we are uncertain of. ... There's guaranteed to be some unseen things that crop up."
Lewiston Public Works Director Dustin Johnson said he recused himself from being a part of the selection process for the bid after he learned that Welch Comer was one of the engineering firms making a bid on it.
His wife, Courtney Kramer, is a public engagement specialist for the company, Johnson said.
In other business, the council approved a price proposal from Hughes Fire Equipment for $1.59 million for a new ladder truck that would be ready in three to four years. The city's existing ladder truck is 24 years old and it's becoming increasingly difficult to get parts or make repairs.
The ladder truck plays an important role in the city's firefighting capabilities, said Lewiston Fire Chief Greg Rightmier.
For example, when the Emperor of India restaurant caught fire in downtown Lewiston in 2021, using the ladder truck helped prevent the blaze from spreading, he said.
Lewiston and Pullman are the only communities in the region that have ladder trucks, Rightmier said.
Pullman's is so old it can't travel down the Lewiston Hill, so Lewiston would have to summon a truck from the Spokane area if it didn't have one of its own and needed one in an emergency, he said.
The council also heard a request from a group of more than 10 library supporters to pass a resolution supporting the Lewiston City Library.
Libraries serve communities by providing free and open access to print and digital books, supporting citizens in learning and recreation, according to the resolution.
"We particularly recognize the role of a public library in the introduction of children to books and storytelling, social interaction and teaching responsibility in the care of property," according to the resolution. "We also support the need for parents to take responsibility in supervising their children's use of the library."
The resolution wasn't on the council's agenda and the council took no action on it.
Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.
