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ITD District 6 updates US‑20 work, presses FHWA on I‑15/US‑20 connector and flags funding shortfalls
Summary
Idaho Transportation Department District 6 officials updated Bonneville County commissioners on active US‑20 and US‑26 pavement projects, a preferred I‑15/US‑20 connector alignment (H2) pending FHWA approval, and said recent legislative reductions have forced project delays and reordering of priorities.
Jeff Snedton, planning and project manager for Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) District 6, opened the District’s update by urging the county to circulate the draft seven‑year plan during July’s public comment period and attend an Aug. 19 board outreach workshop.
Brian Young, District 6 engineering manager, said two projects are active in Bonneville County: a US‑20 mill‑and‑inlay scheduled to finish by the end of July and silcote work beginning on US‑26 from Swan Valley to the Wyoming line that will last about a week, followed by work on State Highway 31. Young said the 20‑West widening is being advanced in segments; the first 10‑mile package is expected to be bid this fall with construction in late winter or spring, and funding is being pursued for the remaining 30 miles.
On the proposed I‑15/US‑20 connector, Young said District 6’s preferred alignment is the H2 option (just past the airport). He said FHWA has not yet approved a preferred option and the environmental impact statement evaluates multiple alternatives, including E3, to the same level. Young said another public comment period will occur once FHWA publishes its final materials.
Karen Hyatt, operations and traffic lead, reviewed crash data in the corridor. She reported the studied urban segment had 89 crashes and four fatalities, with a calculated crash rate of about 126.8 (compared with 99.3 for the rural segment). Hyatt proposed conducting a roadway safety audit to examine sight distance, geometry and striping and to identify short‑term fixes; she noted two signal projects at 45th and 55th on US‑26 are ready but currently lack funding.
A District presenter said ITD has seen significant personnel turnover and named Alberto Gonzales as the new director; the presenter said recent legislative actions reduced program funding — described in the meeting as an impact “about $160,000,000 a year” — forcing the state and District 6 to push out projects and re‑prioritize. The presenter said the board supported continuing environmental development and partial right‑of‑way acquisition for major projects so work can resume when funding is available.
District staff emphasized they are seeking additional, dedicated funding at the legislative level to stabilize project delivery and preserve momentum on high‑priority corridors. Commissioners asked about auxiliary‑lane projects and unfunded items; staff said nearly $1 billion in projects are under development in District 6 and some programs were paused for workload and funding reasons.
The District asked the county to share draft materials online for public comment and to consider the Aug. 19 outreach workshop.
The next procedural step for the I‑15/US‑20 connector will be FHWA’s approval of a preferred option and publication of related documents that will trigger another public comment opportunity.
