CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — A busy intersection in South Nampa may soon get a major upgrade—and the City of Nampa is asking for the community’s input to help shape the final design.
In partnership with the Nampa Highway District, the city is proposing a new overpass that would carry Robinson Road over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.
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The goal: ease traffic congestion and improve safety in one of the fastest-growing parts of the city.
WATCH: Canyon County Neighborhood Reporter, Victoria Rodriguez, talks to transportation officials about the proposed overpass
“Along that corridor, we looked at the intersection at Greenhurst and Robinson—we knew we needed improvements, but any fixes are limited due to the railroad crossing,” said Nick Lehman, Director of the Nampa Highway District.
Currently, traffic backs up anytime a train passes through. And by 2050, city officials expect the number of cars on Robinson Road to triple—exceeding 16,000 vehicles per day.
“By doing an overpass in that location, it would eliminate backups caused by trains,” Lehman added. “Right now, there aren’t any crossings on the east side of Nampa, so this would really help.”
The intersection isn’t just congested—it’s also dangerous. City data shows 19 crashes have occurred there in the last five years.
“It’s also only about 75 feet south of the railroad tracks, which makes visibility very difficult for drivers,” said Crystal Craig, Director of Transportation for the City of Nampa.
Two design options are being considered. One would realign the intersection farther away from the tracks, which is projected to reduce crashes by up to 61%.
The other, while more cost-effective, is expected to cut crashes by about 50%. Both options would add safer routes for pedestrians and cyclists.
“Anyone using that corridor—especially vulnerable users—will be much safer,” Craig noted.
A $1.5 million federal grant is helping cover the design work, allowing the city to move forward without shifting costs to local taxpayers.
“One of the great things about advancing this now instead of waiting 10 or 25 years is that we can acquire land while it’s still undeveloped—impacting fewer property owners,” Craig said.
Officials say they’ve made it a priority to keep local property owners in the loop. “We personally went door to door,” Craig added. “We want the community and property owners to be partners in this project.”
The city is currently in the early planning phase and is encouraging the public to weigh in on the proposed changes. Residents who use the intersection regularly are invited to share their feedback online.
The deadline to comment is August 4.
For more information and to leave your feedback, visit the City of Nampa’s project website or attend the upcoming community meetings.
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