LOWMAN, Idaho — After a head-on collision east of Lowman claimed the life of a 32-year-old Caldwell woman Saturday, residents who live along Highway 21 say the tragedy highlights longtime concerns about speeding, dangerous passing and a lack of traffic enforcement in the area.
Neighbors contacted Idaho News 6 following the crash, saying they have worried for years that a deadly collision was inevitable on the heavily traveled mountain highway.
WATCH | Lowman neighbors push for Highway 21 safety changes after fatal crash:
Among those speaking out is Lowman resident Tammy Heintz, who said the crash brought back years of concerns shared by people throughout the small community.
"And all I could do is think of the stories everyone here has told me," Tammy said. "And I had to call you to see if you could help us to find a way to get the speed limit lowered and to get law enforcement out here."
Tammy, her husband Dale Heintz, and more than a dozen other residents told me that they believe drivers frequently speed through the area and illegally pass vehicles on double yellow lines.
"So we need help," Tammy said. "You can see this is a really close-knit community. This should never have happened."
Residents said they know it's a popular area, but they want transportation officials to consider lowering the speed limit on a roughly two- to three-mile stretch of Highway 21 that runs through the heart of their east Lowman community, which includes dozens of homes, campgrounds, the Sourdough Lodge and the Lowman Community Church.
The speed limit through the area is currently 55 mph.
Dale said a lower speed limit could help improve safety for both residents and drivers.
"If the speed limit was lowered, I'd like to see 35," he said. "I think that would change the game. It would give the people behind me a chance to slow down and me a chance to turn into my subdivision."
Dylan Stocker, another resident, said many drivers may not realize they are passing through an active community.
"They don't see there's a community here," he said. "They don't realize there are kids living right off that highway that are just trying to get off the street and go to the Sourdough [Lodge]."
Retired Idaho State Police trooper Fred Rice said traffic enforcement is rarely visible in the area and believes that contributes to unsafe driving behavior.
"People don't stay on the right side of the road on the corners, they pass on double yellow lines, and a speed limit means nothing to those people," Rice said. "They get behind a vehicle pulling a trailer and they're going to pass whether it's a double yellow line or not, and we don't have anybody up here to enforce the law."
Residents are also concerned about the amount of wildlife killed by drivers going too fast or not paying attention to the road.
Idaho News 6 shared residents' concerns with the Idaho Transportation Department.
ITD said it could revisit the speed limit through a new safety study if Boise County wants that. The agency also said there are talks about increased patrols in the area with law enforcement agencies.
For now, neighbors are asking drivers traveling through Lowman to slow down, obey posted speed limits and avoid passing on double yellow lines as the community continues to mourn the loss of a life and push for changes they hope will make Highway 21 safer.
