NAMPA, Idaho — A massive new project aims to help better connect Ada and Canyon counties.
On Tuesday, crews broke ground on a $10 million project to improve Ustick Road in Nampa, to help handle traffic from growth and the expansion of Highway 16.
"Ustick is a critical corridor in the connection to Highway 16, connection Caldwell, Nampa, Meridian, all the way into Boise," Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling said.
The Ustick Improvement Project will expand Ustick Road from two lanes to four lanes between Phyllis Canal next to Can Ada Road - and Owyhee Storm Ave. just east of Star Road.
The project will also add space for U-turns, build pathways for pedestrians and cyclists and add a stop light to the intersection of Star Road and Ustick Road. Those changes are meant to speed up traffic, and provide a connection to the extension of State Highway 16.
"It's really important as we build out our highway system that we're not only building the state highways, but we're really thinking intelligently about how we incorporate and connect the local highway system as well," ITD Transportation Program Manager Vincent Trimboli said. "This will widen Ustick Road and create a great regional connection to the new State Highway 16."
It's projected that by 2045, about 31,000 cars will use Ustick every day, a 500% increase from what it currently sees.
Funding for the $10 million project came from a strategic initiative grant from the state legislature meant to help communities deal with the impacts of expanded highway systems.
"An important thing is that when we build out State Highway 16, then people have more choices," Trimboli said. "It will be interesting to see what traffic does when we build this new artery right through the center of the valley."
Construction on the project is set to begin in late spring 2025, and is expected to last about 18 months.