MERIDIAN, Idaho — Variable speed signs along Eagle Road between Franklin Road and Chinden Boulevard in Meridian have been delayed since late last year. After months of waiting, we're getting an update from the Idaho Transportation Department.
ITD installed the variable speed signs last year, with an original target completion date of around December. After several delays, the signs remained off.
Bridger Hamm, a Meridian local who grew up in the area and drives Eagle Road frequently, said the corridor is known for heavy congestion.
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"It gets backed up pretty easily. Sometimes you're in the middle of an intersection backed all the way up, and you're debating if you're gonna cross it. And it's just so much traffic, and especially like at 2 to like pretty much 8 p.m. there's just always traffic on that road."
Hamm said he is reserving judgment on whether the signs will make a difference.
"I've never seen anything like them implemented. I've never seen them fail or succeed. I'm open to the possibility that they could or couldn't work, so I'm anxious to kind of see if they actually do anything."
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Jill Youmans, District 3 public information officer for ITD, said the signs will initially display a static speed limit when they activate.
"Everyone is going to see these turn on Thursday, August 6th in a static thing so it will still say 55 miles per hour. That will give us time for one, drivers to get used to them, and two, for us to take down the other speed signs."
Youmans said the project was prompted by concerns raised at the local level.
"Meridian City leadership brought to us a concern about the safety on this corridor."
Starting Aug. 17, the speed limit will drop to 45 miles per hour during rush hour, with specific times still to be determined, and remain at 55 miles per hour the rest of the day.
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