Intersection of Eagle Road, Idaho 44 will force drivers to learn a new way to maneuver

A busy Idaho intersection will be the first of its kind in the state after construction is completed, the Idaho Transportation Department said.

ITD will start construction Monday on a “half continuous flow intersection” at Eagle Road and Idaho 44, which is an extension of Boise’s State Street. The intersection could feel unnatural to Idaho drivers at first.

Continuous flow intersections have been used across the country and are known to make the road safer and more efficient, ITD said in a press release. Officials hope the new traffic pattern will reduce congestion at Eagle Road and ID-44.

Construction will begin Monday and happen primarily between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to ITD. The $8.9 million project is expected to be completed by the fall.

“The new design does require drivers to pay attention and think ahead, especially on Idaho Highway 44,” Tyler Coy, ITD project manager, said in the release. “When we’re done, there will be overhead signs guiding traffic to the right place. It’s really important people drive attentively.”

Most of the changes at the intersection will impact drivers traveling east or west, ITD said in a video. Left-turning traffic will be moved to the left side of the road before turning.

“At a traditional intersection, almost all traffic must stop to protect left-turning motorists,” ITD said. “At a CFI, the left turns are displaced, removing conflicts with oncoming traffic. Not only is this safer, it’s more efficient, because both left-turning and oncoming traffic can go through the intersection at the same time.”

Overhead signs will be posted on ID-44 to help drivers see where they can turn. Drivers will then cross over the oncoming traffic lanes when it is safe, signaled by a traffic light.

The drive for people on Eagle Road will look relatively normal, but drivers who turn off of the street will need to pay attention to new traffic patterns and lanes. More than 70,000 vehicles pass through the intersection each day.

This story was originally published February 16, 2021 at 3:15 PM.