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Idaho Transportation details US‑91 corridor study; projects likely to be programmed years out
Summary
Idaho Transportation Department presented a US‑91 corridor plan to the Preston City Council, describing intersection counts, near‑miss data and a multi‑year programming timeline; ITD said capacity and safety fixes will be prioritized but could appear in the 2033 program unless accelerated.
Chris Pearsall of the Idaho Transportation Department told the Preston City Council the agency is conducting a corridor plan for US‑91 (State Street) from the Utah border to Preston’s north limits and solicited local input on capacity, safety and programming.
"What we are doing is, we are conducting a US 91 corridor plan," Pearsall said, explaining the study will evaluate current conditions and identify improvements the department could program. Consultant Nathan Cleaver (Keller & Associates) said counters were placed at seven intersections, that near‑miss metrics and turning‑movement data were captured, and that the study will recommend alternatives after a six‑month existing‑conditions analysis.
Council members and residents raised pedestrian‑safety and turning‑lane concerns. One councilor suggested restoring a center turning lane downtown by narrowing sidewalks; ITD staff said signal re‑timing (a permissive/delayed left phase) and lower‑cost safety projects can sometimes be advanced, but major construction typically follows multi‑year programming cycles.
Cleaver said the last corridor plan in the area dated to about 2003 and that the office is looking at opportunities to "piggyback" safety improvements onto scheduled pavement projects. Pearsall cautioned that projects programmed now could be funded for construction as late as 2033 without additional funding or re‑scoping, but staff agreed to share count data with the city for local review.
Why it matters: State highway conditions shape downtown access, school crossings and freight routing through Preston. The ITD study will inform which intersections are prioritized and how safety work might be phased into Idaho’s statewide programming.
