STATE HIGHWAY 16 FREEWAY PROJECT
CONNECTING IDAHO
The purpose of this project is to upgrade state highway 16 by upgrading it to a 4 lane expressway or freeway From State St to Freezout Hill. Additionally to build an expressway/freeway South of State St to Interstate 84 on a new alignment currently proposed along McDermott Rd.
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PROJECT BACKGROUND
State Highway 16 (Emmett Highway) is the main route from Gem County to the Treasure Valley. The Emmett Highway corridor has been included in the “Connecting Idaho Program” which had included a new highway connecting to US 95 at the north end of Indian Valley and a connection to a possible southern extension to the South Valley Corridor along Kuna-Mora Rd. The corridor has high regional significance as a major commercial corridor for the greater Boise area, and an important link in statewide transportation.
PROJECT DETAILS
The corridor will follow McDermott Rd from I-84 north to US 20/26 then northward to connect with the current SH-16 alignment at State St (SH-44). From there the highway will follow its current alignment northward to the top of Freezout Hill in Gem County. Interchanges will potentially be built at I-84, Ustick Rd, US 20/26 Chinden Blvd, SH-44 State St, Beacon Light Rd, Chapparral Rd, with others possible as well.
HIGHWAY 16 EXTENSION - SH-44 to US 20/26
Extension of Highway 16 southward across the Boise River to US 20/26 (Chinden Blvd). This highway is planned to be a full limited access freeway, including a new interchange at Highway 44. (Source: ITD)
HIGHWAY 16 EXTENSION - US 20/26 to I-84
Extension of Highway 16 southward to I-84 including flyover ramps connecting to the interstate. Interchange locations along this strech would be at Franklin Road, Ustick Road and US 20/26 (Source: ITD)
HIGHWAY 16 WIDENING - EMMETT to SH-44
Widening of the highway to a four lane expressway or freeway. This project is currently in the study/conceptual phase, but is not planned at this time.
VISIONS FOR IDAHO 16
This roadway should be constructed as a limited access freeway. Exit locations north of highway 44 would include Beacon Light Rd, Deep Canyon, Fireebird/Chaparral Road and Jack Ass Gulch Road. The Southbound Offramp for highway 44 shouldbe constructed with 2 exiting lanes instead of one.
The freeway should be constructed with one-way continuous frontage roads on either side whereever possible and whereever possible all entrances and exits should connect directly to the frontage roads and then Frontage roads will provide access to all other Roads. This type of freeway design is most common in Texas where it has been sucessfully been used for years, and provides flexible access to and from the freeway, while also providing excellent access for local traffic and to adjacent properties, not to mention the compact design.
Also whereever possible right-of-way planning should be done to reduce the impact to residential and commercial structures. and environmental impacts should be minimized or abated whithout causing ultimate harm to the outcome of the project.
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Updated 12/30/2010