A summer of construction is ahead. Here’s what to expect on I-84 in Nampa
Orange signs going up and the smell of dust in the air signal a new season upon us: construction.
Nampa alone will see 22 road projects from now through fall, meaning there are few parts of the city that will be spared from the road crews.
The Idaho Transportation Department’s major project for the area will be widening Interstate 84 from Franklin Boulevard to Karcher Road. The $150 million project will add a third lane to each direction of the 2.8-mile strip.
In Nampa, the city will install new water mains near Centennial Elementary School and on Arrowhead Avenue, and it will build a $1.3 million irrigation well on Locust Lane near Lake Lowell. The city will also make its annual sewer repairs and will chipseal arterial roads around southwest Nampa, among other projects.
Last year’s road reconstruction left some residents feeling trapped in their homes as streets around downtown filled with congestion.
“While road construction can lead to an interruption in our routine, we are sensitive to the inconvenience it can present as we improve the city’s infrastructure,” wrote Mayor Debbie Kling in a news release.
Unlike Meridian and Boise, whose local streets are managed by the Ada County Highway District, Nampa maintains its own streets. This year, the City Council voted to increase Nampa’s impact fees, which are levied on new construction, to help pay for millions of dollars of street and other improvements needed to accommodate growth.
The city created an interactive map for residents to learn about this construction season’s projects, including ones from the Nampa Highway District and the Idaho Transportation Department. More information is available on the city website.
This story was originally published April 30, 2019 at 7:11 PM.
