SOUTHEAST BOISE, Idaho — The Ada County Highway District has officially closed the Eckert Bridge in southeast Boise as work begins on a major replacement project expected to last about two years.
The project will replace the aging bridge with a wider structure and add a roundabout at Eckert Road and Boise Avenue, changes officials said are designed to improve safety and traffic flow in one of the area's growing corridors.
"I think it'll make a significant improvement over having the bridge collapse," said longtime southeast Boise resident Steve Dunlap with a chuckle.
Dunlap has lived in the neighborhood for 47 years and said he has crossed the bridge more times than he could count over the decades.
"It's gotten more and more congested, more and more dangerous making that intersection," Dunlap said.
WATCH | Hear from neighbors about the closures and the bridge replacement project—
Dunlap is among the neighbors looking forward to the upgrades for the added safety and better access.
"I mean, I think it had to happen," said Mindy Gibb, who lives near the now-closed intersection.
Gibb and her husband, John, said they are also looking forward to the upgrades but weren't quite excited about the two-year timeline.
"I mean, two years seems like a really long time. But it's good. We need it, it needs better. Especially with the park over here going in. It was a tight bridge, it was dangerous — big trucks coming over, you could barely squeeze through there," the couple said.
The Gibbs spend lots of time on the greenbelt and explained their access to Barber Park across the river would be cut off.
"No, we can't get to Barber because it's shut down. Unless you're on that side of the river, you can come across the canal, but for us, we'll just always be on this side of the river," John Gibb said.
RELATED | Eckert Road Bridge in Boise to close next week for two-year replacement project
On the first day of the closure, several drivers were seen passing road closure signs before turning around and taking detours. A drive from the east side of the Boise River to Barber Park using the detour route along ParkCenter Boulevard took about eight minutes.
While some residents expressed frustration with the detours, Dunlap said it's worth all the trouble.
"It's a natural part of development and improvement," Dunlap added.
ACHD plans to build a temporary road to Barber Park later in the project while crews work on the new roundabout at Boise Avenue and Eckert Road, with the goal of making sure floaters and neighbors have easy access to the park.
