Idaho
Eagle Road’s long-awaited variable speed signs one step closer to operation
MERIDIAN, Idaho — After months of delays, the Idaho Transportation Department says the final obstacle preventing the activation of new variable speed limit signs has been cleared, putting the long-awaited safety project one step closer to going live.
The electronic signs, installed along one of Idaho’s busiest roadways, will lower the speed limit from 55 mph to 45 mph during weekday rush hours — from 7 to 9 a.m. and again from 4 to 6 p.m. Officials say the safety project’s goal is to reduce crashes while improving traffic flow during the busiest times of day.
WATCH | Why these variable speed signs haven’t turned on months after installation
Eagle Road’s long-awaited variable speed signs one step closer to operation
The signs have remained inactive for months, prompting questions from Idaho News 6 viewers about why they had yet to be turned on.
According to ITD, the delay stemmed from the need to provide electrical service to the signs. Idaho Power first had to obtain easements from nearby property owners before power could be extended to the new infrastructure — a process that took longer than originally anticipated.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Meridian business owner recounts scary crash, welcoming lower speed limits on Eagle Rd
Idaho Power confirmed this week that the easement work and power installation portion of the project is now complete.
With electricity now connected, ITD says the remaining steps include final system testing before the signs are activated. The agency expects the variable speed limits could begin operating as soon as next week.
The project has been years in the making. Meridian Police have long advocated for reduced speeds during peak commuting hours along Eagle Road, citing the corridor’s growing traffic volumes and history of crashes.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | New road signs are coming to a stretch of Eagle Rd in Meridian
“I like it at 55, you get places faster, but it might help with accidents,” said Maddie Romine is a manager at Chicken Delite Mediterranean near Ustick and Eagle. She said she often avoids driving the corridor during afternoon rush hour because of heavy congestion and crashes she and her coworkers have witnessed.
“I don’t like to drive it anytime after 3 p.m. because it’s pretty congested,” Romine said.
Jim Howell, who drives Eagle Road nearly every day for work, said the corridor has changed dramatically over the past two decades.
“Lately, to travel 7½ miles takes 45 minutes,” Howell said. “Traffic doesn’t move because there are a lot of stoplights, so timing of the stoplights is key.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Meridian business owner weighs in on Eagle Road turn closures
Meridian Police and the City of Meridian said they were disappointed the project did not launch as originally expected earlier this year but are looking forward to the additional safety benefits once the system becomes operational.
Once activated, the electronic signs will automatically display the lower 45 mph speed limit during weekday morning and evening commutes before returning to 55 mph during off-peak hours.
Idaho News 6 will continue following the project and provide updates once the signs officially go live.
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NORTHWEST BOISE, Idaho — The Boise River is considered the heart of the city for many folks — floating, fishing and the gorgeous scenery on the greenbelt all rely on the waterway.
That’s why the City of Boise closely monitors the river’s water quality and the treated wastewater returned to the river from its water renewal facilities.
“The biggest question we get from people who are pedestrians and bicyclists is what are you trying to catch?,” said Bryan Dufosse, Senior Environmental Specialist with the City of Boise.
He and his team are often seen on the bridges over the Boise River with a unique crane looking contraption that they use to collect a series of water samples across the river.
WATCH | See how the city’s enviromental team tests the water quality of the Boise River
How the City of Boise tests water samples to ensure the Boise River runs clean
The city collects samples from locations upstream and downstream from Boise’s water renewal plants to ensure their treatment systems are working properly.
“We’re from the beginning of the pipe to the end of the pipe, making sure that we’re not putting anything into the river that takes away from the river’s water quality,” Dufosse said.
He says the majority of the time their samples come back nice and clean.
“We don’t see heavy pollutants fortunately here. Normally the Boise river is pretty clean, it’s pretty clean because the city citizens and the City Of Boise care about the River,” Dufosse said.
The city still conducts extensive testing to monitor for pollutants and other contaminants like heavy metals or nutrients. Samples collected from the river are brought to a portable water testing lab they built inside a camper before they’re taken to the city’s full size lab.
“Now we are splitting the samples so we can take them back to the water quality lab and then Alex and the rest of the team will test them for heavy metals and pH and all that kind of stuff,” said Corrine Smith, Water Quality Environmental Technician with the City of Boise.
If unusually high levels of metals or pollutants are detected, the city reports the findings to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and works to identify the source.
The city’s water quality team tests the Boise River 52 weeks a year to ensure the water remains clean and healthy.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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