What’s the plan? Interchanges at Meridian Road, Broadway Avenue and Gowen Road will be improved starting in 2013 and 2014 under a decision Thursday by the Idaho Transportation Board to expedite $180 million in projects. I-84 from Five Mile to Meridian Road will be repaved, too.

How did that happen? The board said lower-than-anticipated construction costs, other cost savings and the sale of $80 million in bonds will let work begin sooner on eight projects statewide than previously thought.

Meridian project a priority: Highway contractors and local chambers of commerce have pushed to get the Meridian interchange rebuilt. The overpass was built in 1965 when I-84 was four lanes. It is now eight lanes from Boise to Nampa except at Meridian Road, where it narrows to six. The improvement will end the bottleneck.

Good for the economy: Renovating the interchanges will foster economic development, the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce says.

Bill Roberts: 377-6408