9/19/2006
Public input sought at I-86 American Falls Interchange hearing Sept. 26
POCATELLO - A public hearing to record testimony about possible reconstruction locations for the I-86 East American Falls Interchange will be conducted Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. at William Thomas Middle School in American Falls, the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
The public is encouraged to attend the open house-style hearing anytime during the three-hour period. Attendees may leave their written or verbal testimonies regarding alternatives with a hearing officer.
Project officials will consider public input along with environmental impacts and engineering issues to decide which alternative to carry forward to the design phase. The four "Build" alternatives, the environmental impacts of each alternative and additional project information will be on display. A "No Build" alternative also is being evaluated.
The reconstruction project will replace the Idaho 39 overpass at exit 40. The overpass has an aging bridge deck, a substandard off-ramp turning radius and a deficient clearance height over the interstate. Locations of the alternatives range from 50 feet east to 1,500 feet west of the existing overpass.
Project information is available on the Web at itd.idaho.gov - choose Get Involved, then Southeast Idaho on the map and click on I-86 East American Falls Interchange Project.
Written testimonies, statements or exhibits pertaining to the I-86 Interchange project received by Oct. 10 will become part of the hearing record for this project. Testimony may be mailed to Public Involvement Coordinator, Idaho Transportation Department, PO Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707-1129; emailed to comments@itd.idaho.gov; or faxed to (208) 334-8563.