Funding falls short amid escalating traffic challenges in Idaho

Lack of funding remains a major hurdle in addressing traffic challenges in the Treasure Valley.

Idaho, and the Treasure Valley in particular, are grappling with the challenges of rapid growth. According to COMPASS, the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho, which comprises local governments collaboratively planning for the future of the Treasure Valley, the population surged by over 34% from 2010 to 2022. The growth has placed additional strain on the region’s transportation system, contributing significantly to congestion.

Recent COMPASS data revealed the top 10 most congested segments in Ada County for the year 2022:

At the forefront is Exit 44 (Meridian Road) off Interstate 84, where eastbound commuters face a travel time index (TTI) of 2.35 during the morning peak period, resulting in a delay of 38 seconds at speeds of 25 mph. Following closely is Exit 0 off I-84 (Interstate 184) at the Wye Interchange (I-184/Franklin Boulevard), with a westbound TTI of 2.28 during the evening peak period, leading to a 37-second delay at speeds of 36 mph. Other heavily congested areas include I-84 Exit 42 (Ten Mile Road), Cole, Franklin, East Yamhill, Meridian, Star and Ustick roads and I-184 Exit 1A (Franklin Road in Boise).

According to Toni Tisdale, resource development team lead at COMPASS Idaho, the primary reliance on gas taxes, especially for highways, falls short in meeting the demands of the expanding region, despite increased financial inflows.

“There is a lot more money coming into the area, but unfortunately, with us growing as quickly as we are, it’s just not meeting all the needs that we have,” she said. “One of the things we don’t have in our area is a dedicated funding source to maintain our public transportation.”

In its early stages, COMPASS primarily concentrated on maintenance rather than building new projects. Now, both the organization and its member agencies, such as Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and Ada County Highway District, are actively engaged in the expansion of the transportation system. 

“The Idaho legislature is also providing additional funding that we’ve never had, so opportunities are definitely there, and we’re making progress,” Tisdale said.

Ongoing ITD highway projects cover the state, including work on eastbound I-84 (Meridian Road to Eagle Road), State Highway 55 (Farmway to Middleton roads in Nampa), various enhancements to Interstate 15 in Bannock County, and additional projects.

Megan Jahns, senior public information officer at ITD, highlighted the ongoing challenges posed by growth to the transportation network. According to Jahns, Governor Little’s Leading Idaho initiative provided further enhancements to the quality of life in Idaho by making record investments in transportation infrastructure in 2023.

According to Jahns, these investments are increasing the department’s ability to build new projects focused on modernizing major corridors across the state. 

“These are high-impact, major corridor projects that will improve travel commute times and enhance overall safety and mobility for all road users,” she said. 

In the new year, ITD plans to address the strain on ITD’s maintenance crews and project delivery teams due to recent traffic growth.

“We’re taking a proactive approach by initiating a multi-year, phased proposal to add new positions in order to meet current needs of project delivery, maintenance capacity and support services,” Jahns said.

Exploring the potential of a regional rail system

Elaine Clegg, CEO of Valley Regional Transit, emphasized the potential impact of introducing a regional rail system in Idaho as a more efficient and cost-effective solution, offering a substantial improvement over freeway expansion.

“We think that this corridor could be a game changer in this region, and allow people the choice not to have to get in a car and drive on the freeway to get wherever their job is during the day,” she said at Idaho Business Review’s Forum on the Future event Dec. 7.

The proposed regional rail, which utilizes existing tracks with heavy rail vehicles, could potentially run from Caldwell to Mountain Home. Currently, a planning and environmental linkages study is underway to determine if the rail corridor is the best option for high-speed, high-capacity transit in the region.

From Caldwell to Micron, 320,000 people live within two miles of those stops that Valley Regional Transit has identified. An estimated 190,000 jobs are located within two miles of those stops, according to Clegg. 

“A good rail system can move 10,000 people an hour pretty easily,” she said. “We think that we can move more people on that rail corridor for much less money than we’d ever move by continuing to build extra lanes on the freeway.”

Jahns stated that the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) believes offering additional transportation options for travelers in the region could help reduce traffic congestion and improve overall road safety.

“ITD anticipates putting in for future grant opportunities and will be meeting with the rest of the coalition soon to discuss other possible steps,” she said.