EAGLE, Idaho — Yes, the Downtown Eagle Mobility Project is still going on, but lately, ACHD has been having trouble with some pedestrians walking into the construction site and even moving some of the road closure signs.
See what ACHD says caused nearly $15,000 in damages and when this portion of the project looks to be over.
The Downtown Eagle mobility project has been going on for over a year now, making construction an everyday part of life for locals.
"Stuff like this is tough because obviously they have to do certain tasks on the road, and they do a pretty good job of streamlining it," shrugged local Andrew Swartley.
But now that the construction is so normalized, ACHD is running into issues.
A project manager with ACHD explained, "People are trying to take shortcuts, moving the traffic control and sneaking through. Last week, we had an incident. We poured a bunch of fresh new concrete on a crosswalk. The same day, that evening, people moved the traffic control and were driving over it, trying to save 30 seconds, but at the end of the day, they added 2 more days to the closure. It is against the law to move or manipulate traffic control."
On Friday, Idaho News 6 saw several people walking, riding bikes, and even driving through he construction site. Something that creates safety concerns for ACHD.
"Probably like once a day, I'll see at least one dude. They look mad, confused, they slowly try to get through, and then you see the reverse lights, and they start doing like a three-point turn," chuckled Omar Welsh, another local.
For drivers trying to go north or south on Eagle Road, they are forced to take Plaza Drive or Aikens Road to get past the construction, not a common route for such a high-traffic area.
Welsh continued, "Trying to get to my mom's the other day, but I couldn't because there are so many people."
"Usually, this drive would take me about 15 minutes. It's showing 25 right now," finished Swartley.
ACHD is confident that this portion of the project will be done before Eagle Fun Days. Now, once Eagle Fun Days is over, they will get right back to work on the intersection of Old State and Eagle Road.
