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State of 208: I-84 danger zone

Posted at 10:53 PM, Sep 03, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-04 00:53:41-04

Anyone who has driven Interstate 84 westbound through Nampa knows how dangerous that section of highway can be. The highway goes from essentially four lanes to two lanes in just two miles, and that is a problem.

Idaho State Trooper Cpl. Kirill Fomin has seen it first-hand: "This specific stretch of highway, near exit 36, is notorious for getting crashes -- specifically rear-end collisions." So how bad is it? According to Idaho State Police, their troopers have responded to 127 crashes this year. If you do the math, that is roughly one crash every other day. "The growth is so fast that the lanes on Interstate 84 aren't able to expand fast enough," Cpl. Fomin adds. "Not enough troopers or law enforcement to keep up with the demand of crashes."

But there is hope on the horizon, in the form of a $90 million federal grant that will go toward widening Interstate 84 to three lanes in each direction from the Franklin exit to the Karcher interchange. The project will also replace and expand two interstate bridges that cross over the Union Pacific Railroad and the East Lateral Canal. Construction will begin in October and finish up in 2020.

In the meantime pay attention, drive wisely, and be nice. Corporal Fomin reminds all drivers that being patient and courteous will go a long way toward making the highway safer.