These are the busiest intersections in Ada County. Will No. 1 come as a surprise?
The intersection at Eagle Road and Fairview Avenue has maintained its place as the busiest in Ada County, according to data collected by the Ada County Highway District.
The highway district updates its numbers every three years, and the most recent information is from 2020. The Eagle/Fairview intersection took the top spot in 2005, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting, and has held on to it ever since.
“The intersection draws a lot of traffic mainly because it connects a major north-south arterial with a major east-west arterial,” Ada County Highway District public information officer Rachel Bjornestad told the Idaho Statesman via email.
“Its central location means many drivers pass through, both for the nearby attractions and amenities (such as The Village at Meridian) and as a way to get from one side of the Treasure Valley to the other.”
In the report on 2020 traffic, Eagle Road and Fairview Avenue saw 7,015 vehicles pass through the intersection during peak travel times, which is considered 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The most recent 24-hour count for the intersection saw 52,183 vehicles pass.
The Interstate 84-Meridian Road interchange took second place in the rankings, with 6,772 vehicles during peak hours. The intersection at Overland and Meridian roads, just south of that, saw 5,938 vehicles during peak hours, making it the third-busiest.
All of the numbers were collected via manual traffic counts during peak hours, according to Bjornestad.
Think those numbers don’t seem too bad? In a 2021 report by Fleet Logging, a trucking-industry website, Boise somehow ranked as the fifth-worst rush hour in the world, which seems a bit of a stretch.
As for the busiest road in Ada County? Steering clear of Eagle Road during rush hour might not be a bad idea.
Top 20 busiest intersections in Ada County in 2020, with rush-hour traffic in parentheses:
Eagle Road and Fairview Avenue (7,015)
I-84 and Meridian Road (6,772)
Meridian and Overland roads (5,938)
Chinden Boulevard and Eagle Road (5,837)
Eagle Road and I-84 westbound ramps (5,814)
Eagle and Ustick roads (5,764)
Eagle and Franklin roads (5,760)
Franklin Road, Interstate 184 and Milwaukee Street (5,590)
Gary Lane, Glenwood and State streets (5,580)
Eagle Road and Pine Avenue (5,442)
Chinden Boulevard and Glenwood Street (5,335)
Eagle Road and McMillan Road (5,271)
Eagle and Overland roads (5,222)
Eagle Road and St Lukes Street (5,166)
Cloverdale Road and Fairview Avenue (5,135)
Eagle Road and Idaho Highway 44 (5,117)
Cole and Overland roads (4,982)
Chinden Boulevard, Curtis Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway (4,944)
36th and State Streets, Veterans Memorial Parkway (4,906)
Eagle Road and I-84 eastbound ramps (4,858)
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This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 10:49 AM.
