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Dignitaries cut ribbon on reconstructed
U.S. 95 in Moscow

Cars, delivery trucks and recreational vehicles streaked past toward unannounced destinations. An agile skateboarder rolled down the sidewalk, followed soon afterward by a pair of women, each pushing a stroller. And then a jogger, made oblivious to the surroundings by music plugged into her ears.

True representations of a multimodal transportation system, they were.

And fitting, albeit unplanned, participants in a ceremony that celebrated completion of a new segment of U.S. 95 from the South Fork River Bridge to Sweet Avenue in Moscow. The route is heavily used by traffic passing through Moscow, by local commuters and traffic destined for the University of Idaho campus.

Bruce Sweeney, transportation board member representing ITD’s District 2, spoke of partnerships required to make the complex reconstruction project a success. New University of Idaho President Tim White thanked ITD and the city of Moscow for rolling out a new black carpet to usher in his tenure as head of the university. And Moscow Mayor Marshall Comstock talked about personal experiences he had while winding through the construction project.

Sweeney recognized the city, university and prominent Moscow dentist Dr. Gerald Weitz for their generous gifts of property that helped make the $4 million project possible. Comstock reciprocated by handing Sweeney a key to the city of Moscow – a symbolic gesture of providing access to the home of lentils and Vandals.

About 45 people turned out for the Sept. 17 ribbon cutting, directed by master of ceremonies Gary Riedner. The City of Moscow supervisor read a letter from Gov. Dirk Kempthorne that congratulated partners for their success and reaffirming his commitment to creating a safer U.S. 95 through Idaho.

The real focus of the ceremony lay immediately to the east of the dedication site – a freshly painted five-lane route that includes new traffic signals, street lights, sidewalks, landscaping and a new five-lane bridge over the South Fork Palouse River Bridge.

Photos: Moscow Mayor Marshall Comstock presented transportation board member Bruce Sweeney with a key to the city during the ribbon cutting ceremony (top). Sweeney presented Moscow dentist Dr. Gerald Weitz with a plaque formally acknowledging a gift of land for the U.S. 95 project (center). And new University of Idaho president Dr. Tim White thanked ITD for the recently completed project (bottom) while Comstock and city supervisor Gary Riedner watched.