ITD presents SH‑69 corridor vision calling for seven‑lane widening, raised medians and multiuse paths

The Idaho Transportation Department outlined a long‑range vision for State Highway 69 on Tuesday, presenting traffic forecasts, crash history and conceptual cross sections that include widening portions of the corridor to seven lanes with continuous raised medians and separated 10‑foot multiuse pathways.

The presentation to the Kuna City Planning and Zoning Commission was led by Mark Wostel of the Idaho Transportation Department and Megan Romanescu of DKS Associates. Wostel summarized the project history and schedule, saying, “We started our project in 2019,” and that the team is “expecting to probably finalize the traffic study next month.” Romanescu presented volumes and crash data, noting existing north‑south volumes near 37,000 vehicles per day and a 2050 forecast that “are expected to more than double and be about 77,000” vehicles per day on the highest‑volume segment.

The study team described two broad corridor cross‑sections. For the north‑south segment, the proposed concept would widen from five to seven travel lanes with a continuous raised median (about 18 feet in the concept shown), three 12‑foot lanes in each direction, 8‑foot shoulders and right‑turn lanes at intersections. The plan also…