2/8/2013
Public hearing to be held Feb. 27 for U.S. 95 Council Alternate Route
BOISE – The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is holding a public hearing to gather comment on the design and location of a proposed new U.S. 95 route in Council.
The hearing will be held Wednesday, Feb. 27, between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Council High School. Project staff will be available to answer questions, and displays will illustrate project information. A hearing officer also will be available to take verbal testimony. The hearing will be held in an open-house format - those interested in attending can stop by anytime between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
An online public hearing will be held at the same time at: itd.nefsis.com. Click on “Join” to the right of the meeting name. To join the online meeting, you must use Explorer or Firefox as your web browser.
The project is designed to improve pedestrian safety, traffic safety, reduce congestion and reduce through traffic on U.S. 95 in downtown Council and the area just south of Council. The project will reduce through traffic in downtown Council, and eliminate the two 90-degree turns on U.S. 95 by building a new roadway along a new alignment relocating U.S. 95 in the southern part of the city. The new roadway will have one lane in each direction and left and right turn lanes at major intersections. Curb, gutter and sidewalk will be provided between School Avenue and Whiteley Avenue. Additional right-of-way will be required along the new roadway.
Work also will be completed on the existing U.S. 95/Illinois Avenue roadway, including completing the planned sidewalk, curb and gutter; and rehabilitating the existing pavement.
Testimony also will be taken on giving an existing section of U.S. 95 to the City of Council to manage and oversee. Once the work on the project is completed, the following roads will be given to the city for maintenance:
a. The existing U.S. 95, from milepost 135.381 to 136.056, including the right-of-way and any right or restriction associated with the right-of-way.
b. The newly built portion of Michigan Street from its intersection with the proposed U.S. 95 right-of-way to the existing U.S. 95 right-of-way and any right or restriction associated with the right-of-way.
If you cannot attend, you are invited to send comments by March 13, 2013 to: ITD Public Involvement Coordinator, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707-1129. Comments also can be e-mailed to comments@itd.idaho.gov. For additional information, please visit: http://itd.idaho.gov/Projects/D3/US95council/default.asp.
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News Editors/Directors:
For a video clip or audio file about the project, please visit ftp1.idaho.gov. In the User Name field, enter itdcommu. The password is W39gy7D2.