a. The Role of South Hill is Different Than Downtown
    Much of the South Hill in Bonners Ferry originally was open agricultural land, with some residential neighborhoods and schools. As traffic increased on Highway 95, and new businesses needed space to develop outside the Downtown core, a commercial strip developed along the highway. Most of the businesses focused on services for passing auto traffic and surrounding residential neighborhoods. Eventually, some professional, financial and medical services moved there, either to find low-cost office space, high traffic visibility or proximity to residents.

    In other words, the South Hill's role has been to provide auto and tourist-oriented services, a place for businesses with large space needs (such as furniture, implement dealers, golf course), and low-cost space. It also provides convenience goods and services for nearby residential neighborhoods and schools (beauty salons, banks, grocery, pizza, videos).

    Growth in the community has created a tendency for development sprawl on the South Hill, which continues to creep toward the golf course. Additional business development should focus on the South Hill's niche, and be managed to ensure that appropriate access and safety issues are addressed. Incentives for businesses to develop as infill among the existing South Hill businesses, or to locate Downtown, would reduce pressure to sprawl and further erode existing business.

b. South Hill's Key Strengths are Visibility, Proximity to Residences and Schools
    The South Hill commercial district's greatest strengths are its visibility to highway traffic and its proximity to residential neighborhoods and schools. Traffic counts are high (though this has become problematic from a safety and accessibility standpoint), and most businesses are located immediately adjacent to the highway. Most properties have ample parking, and there is room for additional commercial infill in several locations. As a commercial district, the South Hill has a building space vacancy rate of approximately 10%, so there is room for business growth.

c. Traffic & Safety are Serious Challenges on South Hill
    The South Hill's biggest challenges are its traffic and safety issues. Lack of a left-hand turn lane in many places makes access to businesses difficult. Lack of sidewalks and pedestrian lighting creates safety issues, especially with two schools, adjacent residential neighborhoods and the City swimming pool located on the South Hill. The number of uncontrolled business access points (open frontage with no curb or driveways) contributes to chaotic turning movements and driver safety hazards. Driver safety is further impacted by sign clutter: business signs proliferate in all sizes, shapes, colors and heights. Without sign design guidelines, the clutter actually detracts from businesses, and discourages potential customers from stopping.

    Three traffic lanes (one each way plus a center turn lane) are needed along the entire length of the South Hill (ideally to the golf course), along with sidewalk(s) and lighting in the core commercial area (ideally to the current city limits). If traffic counts continue to grow, the highway may have to expand to five lanes - or be relocated. This would require significant additional right-of-way, which would impact some buildings and many businesses' parking areas. However, if the alternative is to relocate the highway, a loss of some buildings and parking is worth the trade-off to retain the health of the overall business district. Improvements to pedestrian amenities (sidewalks, crosswalks, lighting) would encourage drivers to park and walk short distances, rather than driving to every individual business, which requires them to re-enter the highway and become part of the traffic.

d. South Hill Lacks a Sense of Place
A visitor driving north through Bonners Ferry is greeted by open ditches full of weeds and trash, and visual clutter of signs along the South Hill. It is not a good first impression. There is not a clear sense of "arrival" into the community, except for a sign south of the Department of Lands office that says "Welcome to Bonners Ferry". The paint is peeling off the sign, giving the impression that the community is a bit unkempt. Driving through the South Hill commercial district, there is no sense of continuity, connection, or centrality to it - it simply feels like a strip. Some design elements, such as sign guidelines, lighting and landscaping, would greatly improve the image of South Hill, and encourage highway travelers to stop.

e. South Hill's Primary Markets are Highway Travelers, Adjacent Neighborhoods
    The South Hill's primary markets are pass-through traffic (tourist and commercial) and surrounding residential neighborhoods. Secondary markets are county residents, area workers and school children. In certain product categories, South Hill businesses draw customers from neighboring towns and counties: groceries, building supplies, farm implements, furniture and specialty products (glass, solar power equipment, signs, etc.). It is surprising that, with the number of youth located on the South Hill daily, there are not more goods, services and activities to serve them.

    South Hill businesses need to focus on serving their primary and secondary markets effectively. Capturing highway travelers requires good "curb appeal": an attractive building exterior, landscaping, clear (but not overbearing) signs, accessible parking and a product mix to serve travelers. Good customer service is important: knowledge of products, and of the area, clean restrooms, and referrals to other businesses.

    To increase sales to local customers, businesses need to listen well, know their customers' needs, provide personalized service, and express appreciation. Most customers do not want to drive to Sandpoint to shop or find professional services; however, limited business hours and product/service selection or quality often forces them to leave town. Understandably, extended hours and increased inventory is costly, so businesses need to work cooperatively, taking incremental steps, so that return on investment is maximized. Youth are a market that is often ignored, but many youth have significant expendable income. If youth are not treated respectfully as customers, they will not return.

f. South Hill's Primary Competition is Ponderay/Sandpoint
    For certain goods and services, the South Hill's most direct competition is the Downtown commercial district; however, in most categories, the two districts are complementary. They are two different types of experiences: South Hill is auto-oriented (each business is a separate destination), and Downtown is pedestrian-oriented (park and walk). For some auto services, the Three-Mile area north of town competes with the South Hill. However, the most significant competition comes from Ponderay and Sandpoint, and to a lesser extent, Coeur d'Alene and Spokane. 

    Ponderay and Sandpoint have significant retail stores and tourist services. However, those businesses are often large, impersonal chains and "big box" retailers. South Hill needs to promote its unique goods and services, with personalized service, to retain local residents. Many travelers do not want to stay in a "resort" community like Sandpoint (often expensive), preferring instead the more "down home", reasonably-priced atmosphere of Bonners Ferry. Businesses can attract travelers by promoting good quality and service at a reasonable price.

g. South Hill's Niches are Auto, Convenience Goods/Services and Durable Goods
    The South Hill is an auto-oriented commercial district (as opposed to pedestrian-oriented), which means that each individual business tends to be a destination. Businesses and services best suited to the South Hill are those who rely on high visibility to passing traffic and those serving youth and local residents. It also is a good location for durable goods: those that require significant floor or lot space, such as furniture, building supplies and equipment/implement dealers. Based on the current inventory of South Hill businesses, a review of market data, and an auto orientation, the South Hill's niches for business retention and recruitment appear to be the following:
· Auto Services (gas, repair)
· Convenience Retail (fast food, c-store)
· Youth (schools, pizza, sports-related)
· Grocery/Food
· Lodging (motel, RV)
· Personal services (hair, laundry)
· Furnishings/Antique/2nd Hand
· Equipment Sales/Repair

h. South Hill Lacks Coordinated Promotion, Link to Downtown
    Like Downtown, the South Hill business district currently has no cohesive image or collective promotion strategy. Each business advertises its individual message to consumers, so there is no consistent "voice". Furthermore, business hours are inconsistent and uncoordinated. Many customers simply drive by on their way to Sandpoint because many businesses are closed after 5:00 p.m. and on Sundays. More businesses on the South Hill are open late and on weekends than businesses in Downtown because of the South Hill's auto orientation. However, more consistency would be conducive to business growth.

    Both South Hill and Downtown have a huge stake in recapturing some of the retail and service dollars that are leaking out of Bonners Ferry to Sandpoint. Stemming this tide will require strategic coordination and cooperation. The Chamber of Commerce is a common link between South Hill and Downtown, and so is positioned to coordinate strategic promotions. 

a. South Hill Has High Accident Rates Along U.S. 95
    Traffic congestion, a plethora of business accesses and lack of pedestrian/bicycle amenities has contributed to high accident rates on South Hill. High accident locations on South Hill are U.S. 95 intersections at Alderson and Lincoln. The highest injury locations were at Lincoln, Pierce, and Washington. Factors that appear to contribute to accident rates include rear end collisions and angle turning due to the lack of center turn lanes.

b. Condition of U.S. 95 along South Hill is Poor
The following items reflect the existing conditions of U.S. 95 at South Hill:

* 50-foot. right-of-way
* Unsafe/un-maintained open ditch along east Side
* Intermittent/discontinuous pedestrian path adjacent to west Side
* Intermittent/discontinuous center turn lanes
* Center turn lane on only 50% of U.S. 95 from south City limits to Madison Street
* Capacity and safety is compromised because of discontinuous center turn lanes (3-lane cross-section)
* High accident rate

    Only one signal light presently exists on U.S. 95 in Bonners Ferry, and that was recently installed at the intersection with Alderson Lane. This signal has helped create gaps in traffic on U.S. 95. These gaps allow traffic to turn or enter 95 from side streets or adjoining businesses. However, residents and businesses still complain about the difficulty of entering onto U.S. 95 during peak traffic periods. 

    Another problem area for traffic turning and entering U.S. 95 is at Tamarack Lane. This short street intersects U.S. 95 from the east and provides access to the Bonners Ferry High School and sports complex.

c. Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities are Sparse
    A discontinuous pedestrian/bike path has been striped by ITD adjoining the traffic lane on the west side of U.S. 95 near the high school. However, there are no other pedestrian or bike facilities along U.S. 95 on South Hill, even though the high school and major sports fields are located. The need for safe and improved pedestrian paths along U.S. 95 must be considered a high priority for South Hill.

    The only protected pedestrian crossing of U.S. 95 on South Hill is at a signalized intersection at Alderson Lane. However, these pedestrian crossings terminate into a guardrail and landscape bed. There have been two accidents involving pedestrians at this intersection during the past five years.

d. Lighting and Traffic Signals Would Enhance Safety
    Improved lighting on U.S. 95 along South Hill would enhance the safety of traffic and pedestrians by improving visibility. Further, a "Warrant Analysis" should be performed at the intersection of Tamarack Lane and U.S. 95 (the access road to Bonners Ferry High School), in order to determine if a traffic signal is justified at this busy intersection.

    The "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices", published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, identifies eleven "Warrants" which can justify traffic control signals under a consistent set of criteria. An investigation into the need for traffic signal controls must evaluate these eleven criteria. If the intersection of Tamarack and U.S. 95 is found to meet one or more of these warrants, a traffic signal may be justified.

    Although an additional signal on U.S. 95 along South Hill would decrease traffic mobility, it would improve the accessibility and safety of traffic and pedestrians to the high school. It also would create gaps in traffic and better access to U.S. 95 from side streets and businesses. The City of Bonners Ferry and ITD presently are cooperating on a plan to install a left turn lane on U.S. 95 at Tamarack.

    The overall design character of South Hill is auto-oriented with typical characteristics of "laissez-faire" commercial corridor development found throughout the United States. Addressing many of the design and physical conditions will entail partnerships between the City, property owners, residents, and the Idaho Transportation Department. Specific design and physical conditions found in South Hill include:

a. Gateways to South Hill Commercial District are Unclear
    Traveling north on Highway 95, the gateway to Bonners Ferry begins at the golf course. About one mile later, there is an attractive welcome sign with a backdrop of trees (though the sign needs refurbishing). Driving south from Downtown, a residential neighborhood character provides the transition onto South Hill. Once through the neighborhood, no formal gateway to the commercial area of South Hill exists.

b. All Parking on South Hill is Privately Owned
    No public parking exists on South Hill. Businesses located along Highway 95 provide on-site private parking for their customers, as required by City ordinance. Little, if any, shared parking exists between neighboring individual businesses.

c. South Hill is Designed for Vehicles, Not Pedestrians
    Although it is an important pedestrian circulation route, the South Hill has many pedestrian safety problems. No sidewalks exist south of Madison, and there are only a few striped walkway areas. Only one signalized (protected) crosswalk exists, at Alderson. The most important issue on South Hill is improving the pedestrian environment, especially in terms of safety.

    Streetscapes on South Hill are unimproved. The corridor is lined with telephone/utility poles and cobra head-style streetlights. No pedestrian-scale lighting, sidewalks, public space, benches or wayfinding signs exist.

d. Commercial Buildings, Signs and Sites Need Linkages
    South Hill's commercial area is characterized by franchise businesses co-existing with independent businesses. The variety of building and sign designs, business setbacks and unmanaged access creates a cluttered and often confusing environment. The situation contributes to an unsafe and unpleasant visual experience for passing motorists. Greater consistency in design, setbacks and business access would make the area more appealing.

e. View Corridors and Vistas are an Asset
Franchise architecture co-existing with independent building design creates a diverse commercial character along Highway 95. A wide array of building setbacks from the highway exists, as does unmanaged access control to adjacent properties. These characteristics, as well as an abundance of large freestanding signs, contribute to an unpleasant visual environment to passing motorists.

f. View Corridors and Vistas
South Hill lies in a picturesque setting with views of the nearby hills and mountains. While the built environment provides unique visual and functional challenges, the surrounding natural environment provides a nice backdrop for the highway. Motorists traveling southbound on the highway see an attractive focal point of hills, and both southbound and northbound travelers on have periodic views to the east and west

g. Open Space is Not Readily Accessible
Pockets of open space occur throughout the South Hill, however, only a few open space areas (e.g. high school property, occasional stands of trees, etc.) are evident from the highway corridor. 

h. Neighborhoods
The South Hill commercial corridor is strengthened by the adjacent neighborhoods to the east and west (tucked behind the commercial development). Some compatibility issues exist between the residential and commercial uses that are sources of potential conflict. They include lighting spillover (residences affected by highway lighting and traffic headlights), commercial traffic in neighborhoods, unsightly outdoor storage and highway/business noise. As South Hill continues to develop, conflicts between commercial and residential uses should be minimized.