The Idaho Transportation Department has announced plans to eliminate left-hand northbound turns at the intersection of Lakeshore Drive and U.S. Highway 95 in Sandpoint, with re-striping crews set to begin work as early as the evening of May 27, weather permitting.
The move marks the first phase of what will eventually become a permanent physical restriction at one of the corridor’s more congested and collision-prone intersections. All outbound traffic on Lakeshore Drive will be required to turn right onto U.S. 95 and travel a short distance south to a J-turn on the east side of the highway, where drivers can reverse direction and merge back into northbound traffic.
The change also affects drivers who previously crossed U.S. 95 from Lakeshore onto Lakewood Avenue. Those drivers will now follow the same right-turn-only route. Drivers entering Lakeshore from the highway — traveling either north or southbound — will not be affected by the new configuration.
Congestion and Near-Misses Drive the Decision
ITD officials cited a pattern of hazardous conditions at the intersection as the primary reason for the change. Traffic exiting the Long Bridge frequently stacks up at the Lakeshore junction, and vehicles holding for a left-turn gap often block access to the nearby J-turn — creating what the department described as delays, confusion, and frequent near-misses.
ITD District Engineer Ryan Hawkins framed the restriction as a matter of predictability and crash prevention. “Reducing conflict points at this intersection will improve safety and reduce risk for severe crashes for everyone traveling through the area,” Hawkins stated. He added that even when a gap in traffic appears safe, conditions along the corridor can deteriorate rapidly, making the forced right-turn pattern a more reliable solution.
If rain or other weather delays the initial striping effort, work could shift to later in the week or into early June. Drivers should anticipate flagger activity on Lakeshore Drive during that window.
The painted lane markings are temporary. ITD has a raised concrete median planned for installation later this summer that will physically prevent left turns from Lakeshore onto U.S. 95. The department is also evaluating how to discourage drivers from using private business driveways and side streets along the east side of the highway as unofficial turnarounds to bypass the J-turn.
Part of a Broader $9 Million Safety Corridor Plan
The Lakeshore intersection work is one component of a larger $9 million safety improvement initiative targeting the U.S. 95 corridor, which sees a disproportionate number of serious crashes each year. The effort builds on earlier work completed in 2023, when a signalized intersection and median U-turn at Sagle Road were installed to address a documented history of dangerous crossing maneuvers. Officials noted that increased traffic volumes since then have made additional measures necessary.
The urgency of corridor safety was underscored by a deadly crash that occurred just days before the announcement. A Memorial Day weekend head-on collision further south on U.S. 95 near Sagle claimed the lives of 18-year-old McCoy Jensen and his 48-year-old stepfather, Joshua Pilch. Two other individuals sustained life-threatening injuries in that crash. Bonner County News reported on the fatal collision earlier this week. GoFundMe campaigns have since been established to support all parties involved.
ITD acknowledged that the new turn restriction may add a small amount of travel time for some Sandpoint-area drivers. Officials emphasized, however, that the tradeoff is a more consistent, lower-risk traffic pattern at an intersection that has long generated safety concerns for commuters, residents accessing Lakeshore-area neighborhoods, and Long Bridge users alike.
What Comes Next
Drivers should watch for flagging operations near the Lakeshore Drive and U.S. 95 intersection in the coming days as re-striping crews complete the temporary lane markings. The permanent concrete median is expected to be installed later this summer. ITD has not announced a specific construction timeline for the median work, but additional details are expected as the project advances.