Lawmakers press ITD on renewed $9.6 million request to move District 4 HQ from Shoshone to Twin Falls

Senators and representatives at a Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee hearing criticized the Idaho Transportation Department for again requesting funding to relocate District 4 headquarters from Shoshone to Twin Falls, a proposal the Legislature rejected in the prior session.

Senator Cook said the request appeared unchanged from last year and questioned why the administration and the department were revisiting the relocation after the House, Senate, JFAC and the governor had previously declined the move. Cook described on‑site visits to the Shoshone facility and said employees told her maintenance, not replacement, was needed. “I really have a hard problem that we're revisiting something that we made a decision on last year,” she said.

Director Scott Stokes told the committee the department and the Transportation Board were recommending reconsideration because they believe long‑term public service should be “closer to where the public is” and to position service near a growing community in Twin Falls. Stokes said part of the reasoning includes operational considerations for staff who travel to projects: “For them, it creates an inefficiency,” he said.

Details in the request: Committee briefing materials and ITD staff described the proposal as including $8,000,000 for access and site development and $1,600,000 for building design (the request narrative in the FY26 materials mirrored last year’s submission). Representative Price asked whether at least $1,000,000 that had been directed toward Shoshone repairs was being spent; Stokes answered that roofing and window replacements were in final design and would be installed that summer.

Committee context: Members pointed to travel‑time analyses offered during prior review, noting median one‑way commute times of 37 minutes to Shoshone and 25 minutes to the proposed Twin Falls site (a 12‑minute median difference). Senator Cook said GIS mapping of employee addresses showed average commutes of 29 minutes to Shoshone and 27 minutes to the new location, arguing the commuter‑time benefit did not justify $9.6 million in relocation costs.

Outcome: No formal action or vote occurred during the hearing. Committee members pressed ITD to supply clearer justification and updated project‑cost details; the department said it would provide follow‑up and reaffirmed its recommendation to locate District 4 facilities closer to population growth in Twin Falls.

Ending: The relocation remains a live budget question; the committee requested further information on building needs and costs before deciding whether to reapprove funding.