Open House meeting for highway project held

On Monday, the Idaho Transportation Department hosted an open house for members of the community to ask questions and get information about the planned highway construction project on Highway 30 through Soda Springs.  

ITD Representatives Justin Smith, Zak Johnson, and Julian Brotschi met with members of the public at Tigert Middle School on Monday, presenting some of the basic facts related to the upcoming project, as well as some of the issues that remain to be determined.

Among the most important of the latter were the issues of the precise dates for the project, as well as the ultimate cost.  Both of those are contingent upon the bidding process and the weather.  As far as the weather, a more wintery cold snap is expected over the next few weeks, though how long winter conditions may persist past January is anyone’s guess at this point.  As to the former, the bidding process will soon begin and a more specific cost estimate will then be generated.  At present, the anticipated total cost is somewhere in the $12 to $13 million range, with the city’s portion coming in at around $2 million.  

The project is anticipated to begin sometime in the spring, and last through the summer, roughly a May to August timeline.  

For city officials and local businesses, the question of disruption during the high traffic season is top of mind.  ITD intends to keep one lane of traffic in each direction open throughout the duration of construction, and does not foresee making entrances to any of the highway-adjacent businesses restricted.  Zak Johnson stated that oversized loads will be accounted for in the route planning for the highway. 

The Open House was attended by a number of City and State officials, as well as business owners up and down Highway 30, and interested members of the public.

Mayor-elect Paul Gritton expressed some concern about the impact the construction may have on local businesses as a natural consequence of the disruption.  He also noted that the infrastructure that will be improved and/or replaced is very much in need of it.  “It’s something that we do have to take care of,” Gritton said.

ITD reps were generous with their time and explanations, and while some of the specifics will ultimately change as the project proceeds, the office seemed willing to open communication from members of the public and officials with concerns.

In terms of what the project will accomplish, here are some of the highlights:

A turn lane will be extended to accommodate left turns into the Sheriff’s office at the east edge of town.  This has been a concern for city and county officials for years, and the change will prevent cars stopped in the travel lane at the potentially dangerous area.

ADA ramps are planned at all four corners of the intersection of US-30 and 3rd East.

The project does not include the replacement of curb and sidewalk.  The mill and inlay portion of the project will be done between the East city limits and 3rd East.  Reconstruction of the roadway will be done between 3rd East and the west city limits.

The project will used phased implementation to isolate and minimize disruptions to the businesses and residences along the route.  ITD representatives at the open house indicated that while there would inevitably some disruptions during the process, they did not expect any one particular disruption to last more than a few days.  Access to businesses will be maintained throughout.

Given the timing of the project, questions were also raised about the Fourth of July parade, which normally walks the same route as the majority of the construction.  Several alternate routes are under discussion, and as the time draws nearer and the project status is clearer, the route will be announced.

The project website can be found at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/soda-springs-ecl-wcl.