BOISE, Idaho — Ada County Highway District and other agencies have been making sure to stay on track to meet deadlines to avoid construction delays as much as possible when school begins.
Schools around the Treasure Valley are preparing to go back into session, and knowing how to avoid construction is important for parents to help their children get to class on time.
Boise construction
ACHD's Supervisor of Accessibility and Mobility Dave Rader said one major project is chip sealing, and they hope to get that done before school starts.
"It's for the safety of the kids. When the school bus stops there is going to be kids crossing the street," Rader said. "If you try to go around the school bus, there is a good chance that there is going to be a child popping out into the street. The last thing we want to see is a car running into someone crossing the street. "
Speed limits have also changed for some of these school zones, which include reducing it five miles per hour on the following streets:
- Amity Road: Eagle Road to Locust Grove – Change from 50 to 45 mph
- Mountain View Road: Glenwood Street to Cole Road - Changed from 30 to 25 mph
- Goddard Road: Glenwood Street to Maple Grove Road 25 mph - Changed from 30 to 25 mph
- Collister Drive: Hill Road to State Street - Changed from 30 to 25 mph
- Palmer Lane: State Street to Floating Feather Road - Changed from 45 to 40 mph
- Pierce Park Lane: Hill Road to State Street - Changed from 35 to 25 mph
- Castle Drive/Hill Road: Pierce Park Lane to Collister Drive - Changed from 20 to 25 mph
- Boise Avenue: Law Avenue to Eckert Road - Changed from 30 to 25 mph
- Fort Street: 16th Street to Avenue B - Changed from 30 to 25 mph
- Hill Road: 36th Street to Collister Drive – Change from 35 to 30 mph
Meridian construction
Rader wants to remind the community about the importance of road sign changes including during construction zones and school bus stops.
The City of Meridian has changed a couple school zone streets to help keep students safe, which this includes a 5 mph reduction at:
- Victory Road: Kentucky Way to Linder Road - Changed from 45 to 40 mph
- Amity Road: Meridian Road to Pratt Lane - Changed from 50 to 45 mph
You can find updates on ACHD's website.
Caldwell construction
There are four major construction projects that will impact Caldwell school traffic routes.
City of Caldwell's Public Work's Director Robb MacDonald says some of these projects were planned to finish by the time school started, but if they take longer than planned, the city appreciates the community's patience.
"Instead of staggering them instead of doing one every year and having that corridor blocked for four years, we felt like it was better to get it all done at once. Even those it is inconvenient to the public – we understand that," MacDonald said. "The first week of school, give yourself extra time, make sure you have a route figured out before school starts so you understand how to get to the school based on the detours we have now."
MacDonald said the city is always looking for residents' feedback. Anyone with comments or concerns can email the City of Caldwell directly.
Nampa construction
Nampa Highway District will be closing 11th Avenue between Cherry Lane and Ustick Road for a roadway rebuild. This closure should last about a month and students will be able to enjoy a smooth new driving surface when it's finished.
North Nampa has utility projects in the works, and Nampa Police Department's traffic sergeant Doug Harward said most of these projects are also to help with safety concerns.
He also said some of the schools that get the most traffic complaints are the Vallivue School District schools in Nampa and Birch Elementary School. Signs in that area have changed and you can stay updated about which ones on NHD's website.
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