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Lawmakers, ITD再examine $9.6 million District 4 relocation from Shoshone to Twin Falls
Summary
At a Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee hearing, Idaho Transportation Department Director Scott Stokes renewed a $9.6 million request to relocate District 4 from Shoshone to Twin Falls; lawmakers pressed the department on commute times, building repairs and last year’s rejection of the plan.
Idaho Transportation Department Director Scott Stokes asked the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee (JFAC) to reconsider a $9.6 million proposal to relocate ITD’s District 4 headquarters from Shoshone to Twin Falls, saying the department wants its operations “closer to the growing community of Twin Falls.”
The request rekindled objections from members of the Legislature who said the relocation was considered and rejected during last year’s budgeting process. Senator Cook said the committee, both chambers and the governor all voted to reject the move in the prior cycle and said he was troubled the request had resurfaced.
The debate focused on two practical questions: whether the Shoshone building needs replacement or only maintenance, and whether moving the headquarters meaningfully shortens travel for employees or the public. Director Stokes said the Transportation Board and staff recommended the change on service‑delivery grounds; he described the request as a long‑term investment for the state.
Lawmakers cited past assessments. Senator Cook recalled a 2019 building assessment and a January 2024 update reviewed by JFAC’s budget working group. Cook also reported that, when staff examined the addresses of the 71 employees assigned to the Shoshone facility, the average drive times were similar: “29 minutes to Shoshone and 27 minutes to the new location,” he said, and the median one‑way commute was 37 minutes to Shoshone versus 25 minutes to the Twin Falls site (a 12‑minute median difference).
Representative Price asked whether earlier budgeted maintenance money had been spent on Shoshone. Stokes replied the department was “in progress with that repair” and that work would “consist primarily of replacing the roofing materials and windows” with construction planned for installation in summer.
Officials also discussed project‑delivery considerations and staff work patterns. Stokes said some employees live closer to Twin Falls and that locating nearer to growth areas could reduce operational inefficiencies over the long term, but he acknowledged the final decision rests with the Legislature.
No formal motion or committee vote on the relocation was recorded during the hearing. The matter remains a funding question for future committee action and may return to JFAC for further review.
For now, ITD said it will proceed with prioritized maintenance work at Shoshone while continuing planning and design work required for any relocation proposal.
