Lawmakers, ITD spar over $9.6 million proposal to move District 4 headquarters from Shoshone to Twin Falls

The Idaho Transportation Department asked the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee to reconsider a $9.6 million proposal to relocate District 4 headquarters from Shoshone to Twin Falls, renewing a debate the committee and governor rejected last year.

The proposal matters because it would move a state facility and alter where ITD delivers services; lawmakers pressed agency leaders on whether the move is justified given building repair needs and commute data presented to the committee.

Director Scott Stokes, director of the Idaho Transportation Department, told the committee the Transportation Board and department staff recommended a move “to be closer to the growing community of Twin Falls” and to improve long‑term service delivery from the District 4 area. Stokes said the recommendation is driven by where the department believes long‑term service should be delivered.

Senator Cook questioned the need for a new building and said last year the “JFAC budget working group, the JFAC committee, the Idaho House of Representatives, the Idaho Senate, and Governor Brad Little all voted to reject the relocation.” Cook said his own on‑site review found employees who told him “we don't need a new building. We just need some maintenance money,” and he pressed whether the committee should approve the same request this year.

Cook cited details the committee reviewed: the District 4 workforce of 71 employees, a small change in average commute times (he cited a 2‑minute difference in a sample, and a median one‑way commute of 37 minutes to the current headquarters vs. 25 minutes to the proposed site) and argued that those travel differences did not justify the $9.6 million request.

Stokes said staff conversations with employees and an expectation of future growth near Twin Falls informed the department’s preference. He acknowledged the committee makes the decision and said ITD “would like to be closer to the growing community of Twin Falls.”

Representative Price asked whether the $1 million minimum reported to be set aside for Shoshone repairs had been spent; Stokes said the department is “in progress” on repairs primarily consisting of roofing and window replacement and is preparing bid documents for construction this summer.

Several lawmakers noted the working‑group review of 2019 and January 2024 assessment reports and reiterated that the committee previously denied the relocation. No formal motion or vote on the relocation appeared in the hearing record; the discussion focused on clarifying costs, employee commute patterns, and planned Shoshone repairs.

Looking ahead, lawmakers asked the department to provide updated cost breakdowns and evidence that relocation would yield sustained operational benefits beyond shorter travel times for some staff. Director Stokes said the department would continue to answer those questions and that the final decision rests with the committee.