8/29/2011
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Flaggers on Idaho 55 at Banks will aid travelers, relieve congestion over holiday weekend
BOISE - If your holiday weekend plans include travel on Idaho 55, the Idaho Transportation Department asks you to avoid the heaviest traffic by traveling outside peak travel times or using alternate routes. ITD will arrange for flaggers to help with traffic flow through at its junction with the Banks-to-Lowman Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway.
Since 1995, ITD has assisted motorists over the longer Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day holiday weekends at the heavily traveled junction.
Travelers will see electronic message boards in that area along with flaggers to help traffic move smoothly on Monday (Sept. 5), starting at 10 a.m. Flaggers will remain in place until no longer needed.
An Incident Response vehicle also will be stationed at the junction.
"Congestion is heaviest in this area, as travelers from the Garden Valley area access Idaho 55," said ITD Maintenance Engineer Tom Points. "We want everyone to have a safe and fun weekend."
During holiday weekends, significantly more vehicles travel on those roads as compared to the average day.
There is about three times as much traffic on Idaho 55 than on the Banks-to-Lowman highway, so the flaggers maintain that same 3:1 ratio in terms of traffic delays - 30 minute delays on the Banks-to-Lowman highway and 10 minutes on Idaho 55.
All ITD projects will be suspended during the holiday weekend and many will resume Tuesday or Wednesday of the next week.
The transportation department offers the following tips for holiday weekend travelers:
- Congestion is heaviest on the last afternoon of the holiday weekend, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Consider returning from your trip before or after that time to avoid the rush.
- Consider using an alternate route. To use U.S. 95, travel north on Idaho 55 from McCall, take U.S. 95 south and use Interstate 84 to return to the Treasure Valley. This route may take less time than using Idaho 55 on a congested day. Recreationists leaving the Garden Valley area might consider using Idaho 21 to return to the Treasure Valley.
- If you choose to use Idaho 55 when congestion is heaviest, be patient and plan an extra hour or two for your return trip.