POST FALLS, Idaho — The Ponderosa pines that welcomed visitors into Coeur d’Alene from the west now lie on the side of Interstate 90.
Crews have cut down the trees, pulled roots and stripped branches along the I-90 median from State Highway 41 to the exit onto Northwest Boulevard. The once-lush median now stands bare.
The work is part of a project to expand I-90 by adding two more lanes in both directions. Instead of widening the highway’s footprint, crews are building inward into the median.
Many residents are not happy with the change. The tree removal has sparked conversations in online groups.
“I hate it,” wrote Jill on Facebook. Michelle said she’s “really upset they were removed.” Jackie asked if she could have the limbs for her goats to eat.
Mackenzie said she doesn’t think the expansion is needed now, but in five years, when it’s needed, she’ll be glad it’s done.
“It made me cry the first time I saw the trees gone and feels like a part of my life is gone,” Mackenzie wrote. “However it’s about having those memories and still carrying room for change as that is the only thing consistent in our lives.”
The scene looks more like a logging operation than the middle of a major highway. For drivers heading toward Coeur d’Alene, the bare median is a big change from the mature trees that used to greet them.
The trees won’t go to waste. The Idaho Transportation Department said the contractor will sell the trees to a mill, which will decrease the overall cost of the project.
The expansion will take several years to complete. The project uses the existing median space instead of expanding into land along the highway.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
