New Boise-area freeway, new developments, unique home — what you may have missed

From development around a new freeway and industrial expansion to a chef’s TV win and an eco-friendly home, the Treasure Valley is buzzing with news this June. Here’s a roundup of the latest developments:

• The Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission gave initial approval to two developments near the coming Idaho 16 and Ustick Road interchange, which by 2045 is expected to carry up to 110,000 cars a day. Hawkins Cos. plans a 4-acre commercial project called McUstick with a gas station, coffee kiosk and perhaps other auto-oriented businesses, while J&J Hess LLC proposes the 36-acre Durango subdivision with 127 homes and six office buildings.
• Kenworth Sales Co. has filed for permits for a $33 million truck dealership, warehouse and service center on the former Boise Outlet Mall site, spanning more than 17 acres at 6850 S. Eisenman Road.
• Boise chef Alex Cardoza, co-owner of Susina, won “Guy’s Grocery Games” on Food Network, taking home $14,950 after what he called “an insane day.”
• The Boise River float season remains on hold in part because the Bureau of Reclamation is releasing water at around 2,000 cubic feet per second to support salmon and steelhead migration, well above the ideal 1,300 cfs for floating.
• A straw bale home called Bitterbrush, built by EarthCraft Construction in the Boise Foothills, is priced at over $2.5 million at $600 per square foot and uses centuries-old techniques for energy efficiency.
• The ticks responsible for transmitting Lyme disease are not established in Idaho, and most of the 11 Lyme cases reported in the state in 2023 involved out-of-state exposure. Lyme disease became an issue in a lawsuit settled by the Boise School District.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.