MERIDIAN, Idaho — Drivers traveling along Ustick Road in Meridian and Nampa are navigating ongoing construction that has brought lane closures, detours, and longer commute times.
For some motorists, the project has become a daily frustration, while for at least one nearby business, the work has produced unexpected benefits.
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Roger’s Tire Pros and Auto Care, located near Ustick Road and Ten Mile Road, sits just feet from the construction zone. Service Advisor Adam Peterson said when work first began, he worried about how the disruptions would affect business.
“Instead, it’s turned out to be a great positive for our business here," said Peterson.
Business has remained steady despite closures and detours tied to the multi-year construction project. In some cases, demand has increased as road crews and drivers seek repairs.
“At least they were very close to a repair facility, and we were able to get them back on the road within the same day,” Peterson said.
Drivers navigating lanes narrowed by cones, fresh asphalt, and shifting traffic patterns have also become customers. Peterson said damage from curbs, bumps, and unexpected changes in traffic flow often leads motorists straight into his shop.
“Then there’s curbs and bumps, and then they hit them when they don’t know that the traffic flow has changed, damages tires and wheels, and then they come straight into here, and we get them fixed up and back out on the road,” Peterson explained.
The Ustick Road project includes widening the roadway to two lanes in each direction, adding center turn lanes or medians at key locations, and constructing curbs and gutters.
Crews are also building a 10-foot-wide multi-use pathway with a safety buffer on both sides of the road to improve access for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Additional improvements include installing a new traffic signal at Naomi Avenue, creating an enhanced pedestrian crossing at the Nine Mile Pathway, and upgrading stormwater facilities and irrigation pipes.
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Just east of the current work zone, part of Ustick Road is closed near Ten Mile Road as crews continue adding travel lanes and making safety improvements.
The closure has pushed traffic onto nearby routes, including McMillan and Cherry lanes, contributing to longer wait times for drivers.
“They can’t get through there anymore, so all the traffic has had to funnel to McMillan and to Cherry, and it’s created a bit more wait times in traffic,” Peterson said.
Peterson said he frequently drives through the construction zone himself and encourages motorists to slow down to reduce the risk of vehicle damage.
Construction on the current phase is expected to be completed later this year. Additional closures and detours are expected along Ustick Road between Meridian and Nampa in the coming weeks.
With the City of Meridian completing sewer and water line upgrades along Ustick Road between Ten Mile and Black Cat roads, officials say that stretch is expected to reopen before summer.
