ITD talks U.S. 95 updates
Officials from the Idaho Transportation Department, as well as project engineers, gathered at the Northern Lights building in Sagle to provide information to the public regarding the upcoming changes to U.S. 95 between Sagle Road and Long bridge.
Photo by - ANNISA KEITH
Megahn Jahns, Idaho Transportation Department public information officer explains upcoming changes to the traffic corridor between Sagle Road and Long bridge.
Community officials, along with members of the public, attended the open house hosted by the Idaho Transportation Department providing details and future plans for updates to the stretch of U.S. 95 between Sagle Road and Long bridge.
Senator Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, attended the Idaho Transportation Department's open house at the Northern Lights Building in Sagle. The open house provided information to the public about upcoming changes to the portion of U.S. 95 between Sagle Road and Long bridge.
SAGLE — Changes to U.S. 95 are coming.
The Idaho Transportation Department held an open house on Thursday to share information with the public about the upcoming changes to U.S. 95.
The meeting had a higher than expected turnout, with over 100 people attending. ITD ran out of informational pamphlets within the first half hour of the open house, seeing a line of people reaching outside of the building.
Project engineers and officials from ITD stood among informational posters on display in the Community Room of the Northern Lights building on Chevy Street in Sagle.
In addition to members of the public, community officials, including members of the Planning Commission, water district board members, and state Sen. Jim Woodward, R-Sagle, attended.
“I’m just glad to see how many people turned out,” Woodward said at the open house. “It tells me that there really is a need in the area.”
ITD agrees that there is a need in the area. The corridor between Sagle Road and Long Bridge was named one of the primary stretches of road needing attention from the state.
The current phase of the project involves adding acceleration lanes to aid traffic in turning onto U.S. 95 from Lakeshore Drive.
Public information officer Megan Jahns said that the final work on Phase 1 of the project along the corridor will conclude next week. Weather permitting, striping at the intersection of U.S. 95 and Lakeshore Drive will take place from Monday, April 25, through Friday. Drivers should expect minimal delays, as one lane of traffic in each direction will remain open.
The upcoming phases of the project consist of constructing a U-turn just north of Bottle Bay Road, repaving from Monarch Road to Long Bridge, and placing a four-way traffic signal at Sagle Road. These changes are scheduled for late 2022, but will potentially reach into spring 2023.
According to information from Woodward, supplies needed to construct a traffic signal are not available nor will be for months due to raw material supply shortages.
During the open house, members of the public were invited to submit written commentary regarding the project and its upcoming phases.
To learn more about the upcoming changes, or submit written comments visit the project's website at itdprojects.org/projects/us95lakeshoredrive. The public comment period will remain open until May 6.
“These things take time,” Jahns said. “What we build lasts for generations. You got to take time designing it.”
