JEROME, Idaho — After nearly six years of continued construction, significant upgrades to Highway 93 are coming to an end and local businesses couldn't be happier with the news.
- Over the last six years, drivers heading north or south along Highway 93 in Jerome County have experienced several phases of endless road construction.
- This final phase focused on the intersection of Highway 93 and Fall City Road (or 300 South), encompassing the railroad tracks and many businesses in the surrounding area.
- ITD says that it will now begin the design process to improve the Highway 93 and Highway 25 intersection.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
"Today we are down to one lane to do some last-minute striping and some paving and things like that, but this project will officially be complete on Friday and we're so excited about it,” said Courtney Wagner, Idaho Transportation Department, Dist. 4 PIO.
"I think that is just the best news to hear that they'll be done here on Friday, I hadn't heard that, but I could see that they were very close," said Nina Hollifield, Owner of Mountain View Barn.
Over the last six years, drivers heading north or south along Highway 93 in Jerome County have experienced several phases of endless road construction.
Now, the final phase is getting the finishing touches and soon — Highway 93 will be in full form.
"Just finishing up all the stripping, making sure that the stripping is correct, so we'll have two lanes in each direction and a shoulder for people to pull out on," said Wagner.
This final phase focused on the intersection of Highway 93 and Fall City Road (or 300 south), encompassing the railroad tracks and many businesses in the surrounding area, which made for some tricky planning on behalf of state officials and local business owners.
“We’re constantly telling them updates and things like that on how it's going to impact their business and they've been great," said Wagner.
One business impacted is one of the most historic locations in all of Southern Idaho, The Mountain View Barn, which is now a premiere event center in Jerome County.
"I would have to say that the Idaho Department of Transportation and IMC both have just kept us informed, communicated, and really hasn't affected our business. I have nothing but praise for them and they've worked long nights, I've just been amazed for what they've done to get this done this year,” said Hollifield.
The completion of the Highway 93 project is just the tip of the iceberg. 93 is just one of the many major road construction projects to come to an end — with Interstate 84 and the new Jerome Interchange underway, as well as significant work in the Burley/Rupert area, there is still quite a bit of work to be done.
But once complete, it will be smooth sailing for Southern Idaho drivers.
"There is always construction in the works, we plan seven years out so don't expect no construction to happen, but it's going to be a whole lot smoother once we're done," said Wagner.
ITD says there are still about two more years of construction ahead on the South Jerome Interchange, and progress is moving forward as planned.
Now that all the lanes have been widened along Highway 93, ITD says that it will now begin the design process to improve the Highway 93 and Highway 25 intersection, with plans to install a permanent light signal and possibly add turn lanes onto Highway 93.
