EMMETT, IDAHO — The committee with several Emmett public officials met with ITD Wednesday afternoon to discuss possible solutions to local safety concerns.
- The group met on Wednesday afternoon to discuss possible next steps for solving safety concerns.
- Possible short-term solutions may be to reduce speeds and put signs up.
- The next meeting is October 17th.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Conversations continue in Emmett around the safety and speed at a busy intersection near Emmett High School. I'm your Emmett neighborhood reporter Alexander Huddleston, with more on a meeting between ITD and a newly formed committee calling for changes.
"I think this was one of our most productive meetings we've had. Sitting down with a group with a common goal," said Emmett School District Superintendent Craig Woods.
For the last few weeks, Woods has been creating a committee to solve safety concerns on a section of Highway 52 and 16 between Substation Rd and Mill Rd near Emmett High School. On Wednesday, the group of local officials sat down with ITD.
Woods continued, "Initial reaction was that it was great to have everyone sitting around the table to discuss not only what was best for the Emmett School District, but what's best for the community."
"We talked about how to address school zones and potentially reduce speed limits through town. We also talked about a few different intersections that in the future we would be hoping to signalize," explained ITD Chief Deputy Director Dan McElhinney.
As I've previously reported, the areas at the center of discussions include the intersection of Mill Road and Highway 52, as well as the section of Highway 16 that passes the Payette River Regional Technical Academy. A route taken by many students heading to and from school.
Woods added, "Idaho Transportation Department has some good ideas. Hopefully, they can fast-track some of it or move forward with some of it in the near future."
The potential long-term plan is to add a crosswalk and light out near Mill Road. However, ITD says that can take up to 3 years. The group came up with some short-term solutions to accommodate that timeline.
"The possibility of dropping the speed limits from mill road all the way possibly to substation. Signages that show what speed you are going," listed Woods.
McElhinney finished by saying, "We are going to regroup in a couple of weeks and present some of the traffic engineering, and get community input. Hopefully get some interim projects later this year, and a signal project potentially."
ITD will meet with the committee again on October 17th to discuss the next steps as they plan to agree on a solution to address safety concerns.
