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District 3 corridor plan reaches out
to communities along U.S. 95, Idaho 55

About 165 residents of Payette and Canyon counties have taken part in workshops in recent weeks to help identify needed improvements to U.S. 95 and Idaho 55. Several more workshops are planned in coming months for residents of the eight counties that rely on the vital north/south corridors.

The studies will result in a corridor plan that identifies policies and projects important to the development of the major arterials over the next 20 years. Safety, access management, traffic capacity and flow, and environmental considerations are critical to the discussion.

The Idaho 55 highway corridor originates just south of Marsing in Owyhee County at the Idaho/Oregon/Nevada junction with U.S. 95 and serves six counties, ending at the junction of U.S. 95 in New Meadows. Most travelers know the highway for its turns along mountain forests, whitewater rapids and favorite recreation spots. The corridor is an important route that supports the regional daily commute, the long-haul trucking industry and recreational traffic.

U.S. 95 runs north to south through western Idaho. It is an important north-south international transportation link for long-haul freight between Mexico and Canada. ITD is studying U.S. 95 from the Idaho border in Owyhee County to Pinehurst at the Adams/ Idaho County line. Recreational travelers and local traffic share the road with commercial trucks, straining the roadway capacity as demand continues to grow.

The completed corridor plans will include an analysis of existing conditions on the highways; a forecast of future demand; and a list of short- and long-term improvements on how to modernize transportation on the route. The plan will be based on community input, engineering analysis, and city, county and agency planning goals. ITD will include the plan in its Idaho Horizons Long Range Capital Improvement and Preservation Program (LRCIP). LRCIP is a planning document that helps ITD prioritize projects for the future.

The public is being consulted to develop master plans for future improvements corridor-wide on a county-by-county basis. Participation of the many diverse communities along these corridors is critical to the success of these studies because corridor needs vary greatly among the counties.

The transportation department will continue reaching out through the following workshops.

Future Idaho 55 workshops
Horseshoe Bend (Boise County) – Dec. 11, 2008
Marsing (Owyhee County) – early January
Cascade (Valley County) – spring 2009

Future U.S. 95 workshops
Council (Adams County) – Nov. 5, 2008
Weiser (Washington County) – Nov. 6, 2008
Homedale (Owyhee County) – Dec. 9, 2008
Parma (Canyon County) – spring 2009