NAMPA, Idaho — $38 million general obligations bond affecting high-traffic, high-congestion areas around Nampa including the Marketplace area, one-way streets around the Nampa Library, sidewalks around schools, and state highway 16.
- City leaders are looking for $38 million for five transportation projects around Nampa.
- Businesses and residents between 11th and 12th will be affected by this crossover.
- The vote for the general obligation bond is May 21, 2024, and more information can be found here.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Traffic, especially around the library in Downtown Nampa, can get a little backed up.
That's just one of the traffic congestion issues that the city of Nampa is looking to alleviate with a new general obligation bond. To do so, city leaders are looking for $38 million for five transportation projects around Nampa.
The first would be to return the city block around the library and parking structure back to two-way streets. The streets turned one-way around 10 years ago when the library was built. This created one large roundabout around the city block. I talked with businesses around the block like the Nampa Rollerdrome, who were glad to hear that the city was looking at returning to two-way streets because it would create easier access to the businesses.
"I was against it when we started it because it re-routed traffic away from us. It's hard for anybody on the other side of town to get to this side. They also cut off the left-hand lane at the library and that hurt our customer base too," said Rollerdrome owner Josh Lenty.
However, the move to two-way streets won't come without a cost.
"We found an alternate route which is what is different with this plan. We're looking at having an alternate route farther down to merge 11th to 12th," said Tom Points, Senior Public Works Director for Nampa.
Businesses and residents between 11th and 12th will be affected by this crossover. If passed, the bond will start the design phase which will determine where between 7th and 4th the crossover will be built. Homeowners and businesses will be paid market value for their property.
I visited with a couple of businesses down 12th Avenue but none of them had heard of the crossover until I brought it to them.
"Midland & Marketplace intersection which will upgrade the traffic signals there, add some turn lanes, and improve access in and out of Costco," said Director of Strategic Initiatives for the city Mark Steuer.
Schools will have expanded sidewalk access through the bond. Lone Star Middle, Endeavor Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, Skyview High, East Valley Middle, and Birch Elementary will have sidewalk gaps completed to make walking to school that much safer.
Idaho Transportation Department's connection from I-84 north to Highway 16 does not include a south connection. ITD and Nampa are coordinating together and the designs for connecting I-84 at McDermott into Nampa will cost $9 million.
The vote for the general obligation bond is May 21, 2024, and more information can be found here.
