BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Changes are likely coming to Eagle Road.
The Idaho Transportation Department is proposing a pilot project that will include more safety signs, prohibiting left turns at intersections that do not have traffic signals, and the implementation of variable speed limits.
The variable speed limits in ITDs pilot project would alternate the speed limit from its current 55 mph threshold down to 45 mph during peak traffic times.
The project will go from State Highway 44 to Interstate 84, about an eight-mile stretch of road running north-south from Eagle to Meridian, with electronic variable speed limit signage from Franklin Road to Chinden Boulevard. The variable speed limits are similar to what has been used in various Idaho construction zones on Interstate 84.
"To ITD's knowledge, this would be the first variable speed limit corridor on a six mile long, signalized, urban highway corridor in the United States," ITD spokesperson Sophia Miraglio said.
Changes will begin as early as this fall, when ITD is planning on increasing safety signs along Eagle Road and closing off unsignalized left turns at various intersections. Eagle Road intersections at Meadowdale Street and Baldcypress Street will be effected by these changes, along with U-turns near Ustick Road and Lanark Street, Miraglio said.
By the spring, ITD is planning to install the variable speed limit system, which includes LED number panels, flashing beacon lights and speed feedback signs, Miraglio said.
The pilot will last for two years, after which ITD will collect data and determine whether or not the project was successful and should stay. As of now, ITD has not yet determined benchmarks for success for the pilot project, Miraglio said.
The Eagle Road speed limit has been a hot topic in recent years. Infamous for its congestion, Eagle Road is largely set at 55 mph and flanked by plenty of shopping centers and retail stores.
In 2021, a young woman died when her boyfriend made a left turn and collided with a vehicle at the intersection of Eagle Road and Baldcypress Street.
Driver volumes on Eagle Road have also doubled since 2000, now reaching up to 60,000 vehicles a day.
Meridian's elected officials have pushed for the speed limit to be reduced in recent years, with things getting contentious between city councilmembers and ITD officials during a September 2023 meeting.
"Our ongoing commitment is to enhance safety on Idaho's highways, distracted drivers among the 60,000 per day on State Highway 55 are a factor in the number of crashes each year that we see on Eagle Road," Miraglio said.
This project came after the city of Meridian asked the department to conduct an operational study of Eagle Road, which involved an audit of every signalized intersection, looking for safety improvements and group meetings with local cities and law enforcement. During the study, ITD also contracted a National Traffic Engineering expert consultant for review of signal timing on the road, Miraglio said.
"While it has taken a year to get here, I appreciate ITD bringing an innovative solution to safety concerns on Eagle Road to their Board for consideration," Mayor Robert Simison said in his State of the City address in June.
"This pilot project will lower the speed limit during times of congestion – a much-needed change to improve safety and allow for enforcement by our officers," Simison said. "Thank you for listening to our concerns and working with us, and sharing this solution with your Board."
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.