Results
Idaho Transportation Department
01/13/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/13/2025 13:21
ITD partnering with Jefferson County to make immediate and future traffic improvements
1/13/2025
Sky Buffat
ITD Communication
208.488.0240
[email protected]
ITD partnering with Jefferson County to make immediate and future traffic improvements
RIGBY-The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) chief operations officer with district managers joined local state legislators and Jefferson County commissioners in November and December meetings as a working group to enhance traffic relief discussions to bring new improvements to local communities over the next ten years.
Amidst increasing traffic and growth statewide, ITD has been meeting with interested local officials to share long-range regional planning concepts and discuss the near-term highway solutions to partner on addressing traffic and safety concerns. At the recent council meetings, the working group outlined how ITD and county staff will team together to add a signal on SH-48 at Road 4000 East within two years to address school traffic congestion issues. The group agreed on the benefits of extending the limits of a lower 45 mph speed limit zone on SH-48 about two miles east of US-20 to Road 4200 East, in coordination with law enforcement to enhance safety for drivers approaching the new signal.
The signal installation design will be led by Jefferson County in partnership with city, ITD and school district officials. It will be jointly funded and should be ready for starting construction in the fall of 2025 or by spring 2026. Engineers expect the new signal to operate similar to the SH-48 and 3800 East signal near Rigby Middle School.
"I'm impressed with the quick progress in our recent meetings due to the strong local partnerships with our ITD District 6 team," said ITD Chief Operations Officer Dan McElhinney. "We appreciated the leadership of Representatives Furniss and Raymond who joined us with county commissioners to define concerns and discuss solutions, looking ahead for timely traffic improvements to help our communities."
Other discussion topics included regional needs for future traffic congestion relief on SH-48, improvements on US-20 at County Line Road and on US-20 a possible overcrossing at Road 200 as the region continues to grow in population. These planning discussions will continue in monthly meetings with ITD and local partners in 2025.
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