Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
ITD presents US‑91 corridor study to Franklin County; options include roundabouts, signal changes and a five‑lane concept
Summary
Idaho Transportation Department consultants told the county US‑91 has rising traffic and crash rates and presented concepts — ranging from low-cost enhanced signs and lighting to roundabouts and a five-lane downtown conversion — for safety and capacity improvements; ITD urged local input for project prioritization.
Idaho Transportation Department staff and consultants presented a US‑91 corridor study showing steady traffic growth, a notable crash rate and options to improve safety and capacity through 2045 planning.
Consultants said traffic on the corridor has grown roughly 2.1% per year and that crash counts averaged about 40 per year in recent non‑COVID years; two fatalities were identified in the 2020–2024 review. The study found turning and angle crashes accounted for a substantial share of incidents and that several intersections approach or reach failing service levels in afternoon peak projections.
For problem intersections the consultants proposed a range of solutions: low‑cost countermeasures such as enhanced stop signage with beacons and targeted lighting; operational changes (closing some minor accesses); geometric changes such as adding a right‑turn lane or signalizing key intersections; and longer‑term options including roundabouts at select junctions or a five‑lane reconfiguration through town that would require utility adjustments and curb work.
Commissioners raised concerns about closing accesses that local agricultural users rely on and about the effect on private driveways; they asked ITD to coordinate site visits. An ITD representative said the project would follow federal and state programming processes, and that projects compete statewide for funding. ITD staff offered to return for on‑site visits and to refine options, including short‑term striping changes that could be implemented sooner.
The county did not take a vote on design direction; commissioners encouraged staff and ITD to continue outreach and to consider safety improvements that could be included in the next program year.
Next steps: ITD plans follow-up meetings, on‑site visits by maintenance and planning staff, and a public involvement process for options that move forward to federal programming.
