2/7/2025
Sophia Miraglio
ITD Communication
208-994-2298
sophia.miraglio@itd.idaho.gov
ITD will accelerate interchange construction along SH-16 corridor
MERIDIAN – The Idaho Transportation Department will accelerate construction of multiple interchanges along State Highway 16 in the central Treasure Valley with Leading Idaho funds. The entire corridor is expected to open by 2027, a year earlier than previously planned.
The new SH-16 corridor will be the area’s first new freeway in over four decades, extending between Interstate 84 and State Highway 44. Access on and off the highway will be limited to interchanges at I-84, Franklin Road, Ustick Road, U.S. Highway 20/26 and SH-44.
“ITD is able to accelerate these interchanges due to a number of factors, including additional funding and efficient management,” District Engineer Jason Brinkman said. “We are very proud of the work that has been accomplished, and we are confident this project will improve the mobility for large parts of Ada, Canyon, and Gem counties.”
With the accelerated schedule, construction will take place in multiple areas along the project. Starting Monday, work at the US-20/26 interchange will require extended nighttime detours. Traffic on US-20/26 will be detoured from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. for three weeks to allow crews to safely place 12 steel girders—each weighing 83,000 pounds—across the roadway for the interchange bridge. Click here for the detour map.
This spring, work will begin to expand the I-84 and SH-16 Interchange and construct a new interchange at Franklin Road. Work on the US-20/26 and Ustick interchanges is already underway, while construction at the SH-44 Interchange is expected to begin by fall 2025.
The first phase was completed in 2014 between US-20/26 and SH-44. The second phase began in 2022 and has included constructing the mainline highway, part of the I-84 Interchange, and many overpasses and local road adjustments. The final phase of this project was accelerated when additional funding became available through the Idaho Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) bonding program. These funds are a deliberate investment to allow ITD to accelerate project timelines to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure today that would otherwise take many years to build.
The public is invited to attend the SH-16 quarterly meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Gem Prep: Meridian North Charter School, 5390 McDermott Road in Meridian. The meeting will follow an open-house format, allowing the public to drop in at any time. ITD representatives will be available to answer questions and provide information.
Media Advisory:
Media outlets are invited to a guided tour of the SH-16 construction site and an opportunity to speak with ITD resident engineers overseeing the project on Monday, Feb. 10, at noon.
RSVP is required to attend. Please contact Sophia Miraglio at 208-994-2298 to reserve a seat.