The Ada County Highway District has scheduled an open house on Thursday, January 25th for the big State Street/Veterans Memorial Parkway/36th Street intersection project.
Business owners are invited to attend between 4-5 p.m.; the general public is invited to attend between 5-7 p.m. The open house will be held at the Ada County Highway District, 3775 Adams St. in Garden City.
“Construction on improvements to this intersection begins early next month, although utility companies have been working in recent weeks,” said ACHD spokeswoman Nicole DuBois.
The open house will provide details regarding what the public can expect as construction progresses, a timeline, and ways to stay connected throughout the project. ACHD staff will be on hand to answer questions.
The $7.7 million project will widen the intersection, adding additional thru lanes, two-stage pedestrian crossings (three), four traditional pedestrian crossings, bike lanes, and sidewalks.
“The addition of thru-turns (otherwise known as the “Michigan left turn”) east and west of the intersection will restrict left-hand turns at the intersection. Instead, motorists will continue through the intersection to a signalized mini-intersection, where they will make a U-turn, return to the intersection, and turn right,” DuBois explained. “This design allows ACHD to safely and effectively funnel current and future traffic through the intersection.”
Traffic volumes at this intersection currently exceed capacity during morning and late-afternoon/early-evening peak commute times -- and this number is expected to increase by approximately 30 percent by 2035, according to the ACHD.
“Public feedback has also ranked improved pedestrian facilities as high priorities, and the new crossings will address the risky dashes being made currently by some pedestrians near the intersection,” DuBois said.
Since 2004, multiple agencies have been involved in the creation of a long-range vision for the State Street Corridor. These plans include widening State Street from five lanes to seven, with increased bus service and high-occupancy vehicle lanes to be dedicated for buses, multiple-occupant vehicles, and right-turning vehicles. Improvements at the State Street/Veterans Memorial Parkway/36th Street intersection will be the first of these projects to be built.
Construction is expected to be completed on the State Street/Veterans Memorial Parkway/36th Street intersection this fall.
