MERIDIAN, Idaho — It is no secret, Idaho's population is growing and the Gem State remains one of the fastest-growing states in the nation.
Canyon County has led population growth in the state for the last two years, according to U.S. Census Data.
"Since about the 2020 Census, we've added over 95,000 people to Ada and Canyon counties," Hunter Mulhall, a principal planner at Compass told KTVB. "So that puts us at around 820,000 people in the Treasure Valley."
Compass stands for Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho.
Mulhall added more people mean more drivers hitting the road and contributing to rising traffic volumes statewide.
"It's fair to say adding 95,000 people to the area is going to add more traffic to the roads," Mulhall said.
Interstate-84 has seen a 32% increase of drivers on the road from 2010 to 2023, according to U.S. Census Data.
However, when we look at the commute times on the interstate over the last five years, traffic has not changed much.
"We don't see a lot of the average travel time on the interstate fluctuating over the last few years," Mulhall said. "However, what we have seen is more days where there's an accident or an event that really slows down or slows a wrench in traffic."
Compass reports show traffic gets backed up on I-84 during peak morning hours of 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Then in the afternoon around 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
What are current commute times on I-84?
Caldwell to Boise:
- In Caldwell, the drive on I-84 from Centennial Way to Downtown Boise is about 34 minutes at 7 a.m.
- The drive home around 5 p.m. is about 37 minutes.
Nampa to Boise:
- The Nampa commute, from Northside Boulevard to Downtown Boise takes about 24.5 minutes.
- It takes about 29 minutes on the way back.
Meridian to Boise:
- The drive from the Meridian Road exit to Downtown Boise is about 11.5 minutes in the morning.
- On the way back it's about 17 minutes to commute home.
"Depending on how far away you live from the interstate and the on-ramps, your commute times may change depending on what route you're using too," Mulhall said. "We're talking about some of those areas that have experienced a lot of growth. There's going to be a lot more traffic."
Mulhall said time is also added when there are accidents on the Interstate, or big events in the area.
Traffic follows development, Compass says
"Where more people are living and we're building more homes, we're seeing more cars," Mulhall said. "Meridian is one of the fastest growing cities... Meridian has over 25,000 new people since 2020."
One of the fastest growing areas of Meridian is Ten Mile Road.
"What we're seeing is 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. is the highest volumes going to the interstate, southbound on Ten Mile," Mulhall said. "Then in the p.m. hour, four to six o'clock, heading northbound on Ten Mile, some of the heaviest traffic, and we're definitely starting to see more congestion build around the on ramp in the morning."
New shopping and retail district could add more traffic
The Ada County Highway District (ACHD) has deemed Ten Mile Road a "Level F" grade, meaning drivers already experience noticeable congestion on this road at different times of the day, according to Christy Little, development service manager for ACHD.
A large project, known as The District at Ten Mile, will bring 222 acres of dining, retail and housing to Ten Mile Road. It's being developed on the opposite side of the road as Scheels, that opened earlier this spring.
The property used to be Meridian farmland.
The District at Ten Mile project could create more congestion on Ten Mile Road, according to ACHD.
"It will generate a lot of traffic, and it is anticipated to impact 10 Mile Road,' Little said. "Ten Mile is built out to its ultimate configuration."
She added that ACHD, nor the city have any plans to widen the road.
"The developer designed their site to have internal roadways, so that if you're going from the east side of the site to the west side of the site, you do that internal, you don't have to go out on Ten Mile and around on Franklin... that will certainly help," she said.
Alquist Developments was not required to do a regional traffic study in order for the project to get approved.
"About 15 years ago, the city went through their planning area, The Ten Mile specific area plan, and a regional traffic analysis was done for that plan," Little said. "As the city has seen, development applications come in... if the applications conform to the land uses that were assumed in the Ten Mile specific area plan, then we haven't required a traffic impact study specific to that development, because that information was already captured."
Residents have shared traffic concerns and worries of overcrowding in schools with Meridian City Council. Despite concerns council approved the projects preliminary plat and rezoning back in October.
CEO of Alquist Developments, Tommy Alquist, said they chose this location, specifically because of the area's growth. Alquist could not share names of companies moving into the District at Ten Mile, but said announcements should be coming soon.
The District at Ten Mile project is twice as big as The Village at Meridian, which is a similar retail and dining concept off North Eagle Road. Alquist previously told KTVB that he had collaborated with the developers of The Village at Meridian, for ideas and advice.
"We know we can kind of compare it to the village, and we've seen those impacts," Little said. "There will be a lot of traffic generated by this development."
State Highway 16 extension
The Highway 16 extension is expected to be done around the end of 2026.
Little said with the extension, it will give north and south travelers another opportunity other than Ten Mile Road to travel.
Currently, Ten Mile Road has a lot of traffic signals and destinations. Once the Highway 16 extension is complete, traffic is likely to shift to the west of State Highway 16, potentially relieving some of the Ten Mile traffic.