Centennial Trail asphalt rehab complete, trail now open in Post Falls

The Centennial Trail is back open in Post Falls after crews replaced about two miles of deteriorated asphalt between the Idaho-Washington state line and Pleasantview Road. The reopened stretch gives walkers, runners and cyclists a smoother link just as north Idaho’s busiest trail season gets underway.

Kootenai County said the Centennial Trail Asphalt Replacement Project was complete in its May 14 update and available for use again. The work ran from May 4 through May 13, closing the segment through the heart of the Post Falls corridor while Poe Asphalt Paving, Inc. handled the repaving.

County officials said Poe Asphalt reported the job stayed on schedule during construction. Under the county’s agreement, the contractor was responsible for asphalt removal and replacement along approximately two miles of the North Idaho Centennial Trail. The contract value was $268,000, and the work was to be finished within 21 days after a notice to proceed unless extended.

The project was paid for through a partnership that included Kootenai County, the City of Post Falls, the City of Coeur d’Alene, the North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation and a state recreational trail grant. County officials also thanked the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners, the mayors of Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene, the North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation and the Idaho State Parks Grant Division for backing the rehab.

For taxpayers, the payoff is straightforward: the county replaced a worn section of one of the region’s most heavily used recreation routes before summer traffic builds. Rebuilding the asphalt now should cut down on patchwork repairs along the corridor and help keep the trail safer and more reliable for users moving between Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene. It also supports the corridor’s role as a destination for local recreation, which can spill over into nearby businesses that serve riders, runners and families using the trail.

The project also came with a defined public timeline. Bid No. 2026-02 was opened earlier this spring, with sealed bids due by 2 p.m. on March 24, 2026, and the closure was then set for the May 4 to May 13 construction window. With the asphalt work complete, one of Kootenai County’s signature recreation assets is open again in time for the season ahead.