Lawmakers Press ITD on $9.6M Request to Move District 4 Headquarters from Shoshone to Twin Falls

The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee questioned the Idaho Transportation Department’s proposal to relocate District 4’s headquarters from Shoshone to Twin Falls, a project director Scott Stokes and staff described as a long‑term service decision for the state that would cost about $9,600,000.

Lawmakers said the committee and the governor previously rejected the move last year and pressed the director for new justification. "There are 2 primary components that have been part of this discussion...the primary motivation...is for where, for the state of Idaho, the long term service should be delivered from the District 4 area," Director Scott Stokes said, describing the department and Transportation Board recommendation to place services closer to the public in Twin Falls.

Committee members pushed back, citing prior workgroup reviews and recent building assessments of the Shoshone facility. Senator Cook told the director that last year the working group, both legislative chambers and the governor all voted to reject the relocation request and asked why the administration was asking again. Cook said staff on site told him they did not need a new building and pointed to localized maintenance needs such as water stains and ceiling tiles.

Representative Cook also cited a committee analysis of employee commute times put into GIS: the mean commute times were similar (about 29 minutes to Shoshone and 27 minutes to the proposed Twin Falls site) while median one‑way commute to Shoshone was 37 minutes vs. 25 minutes to the proposed site—a 12‑minute median difference. Cook asked whether that difference justified the $9.6 million relocation expense.

Stokes told the committee the department’s recommendation reflects a desire to locate services closer to a growing Twin Falls community and to reduce operational inefficiencies over the long term. He acknowledged the decision is ultimately for the Legislature: "You do have our recommendation and where we would like to serve the public. I recognize that's a difficult decision," he said.

Committee members also noted the Shoshone building does have ongoing maintenance work: Representative Price asked whether at least a $1,000,000 minimum directed last year had been used; Stokes answered that roofing and window replacement work is in final design and scheduled for contractor bids and installation this summer. Senator Cook and others pressed for more public meetings and community input as justification for relocation rather than maintenance.

The committee did not vote on the relocation during the hearing. The discussion highlighted three factual points lawmakers said they would weigh: (1) prior legislative rejection last year, (2) documented building repair needs and work under way at Shoshone, and (3) the department’s long‑term argument to place services closer to Twin Falls residents.

The Legislature will decide whether to fund the relocation, require additional public outreach, or instead continue with the planned maintenance work at the Shoshone facility.