ACHD's Road Wizard Sunday, January 13, 2019

The Idaho Transportation Department made changes to the 2018 version of the manual and it now states that, "when turning left, from a one-way street, onto a one-way street, you may proceed from a steady red light after stopping and yielding for cross traffic, unless otherwise posted." The ITD public information office said that meant, "left turns on a steady red light, onto a one-way street, from a two-way street, are not allowed."

But Idaho Code and local police go against that statement. It is indeed legal to make a left turn from a one-way or two-way street onto a one-way street when facing a circular red signal in the absence of a sign prohibiting the turn.

ITD now says the left-turning details in the driver's manual need to be updated. But the error will likely cause confusion and left-turning debates among in-laws for years to come. Thousands of copies have already been printed and distributed around the state.

The people who placed the signs are responsible for taking them down, and it is pretty easy to determine the offending "party." ACHD policy states election signs are supposed to be removed within 48 hours of Election Day.

While ACHD has policy-making authority, it isn't a law enforcement agency. So any signs still standing are gradually collected by ACHD crews. The signs are stored and people and their politicians are welcome to pick them up should they want them back.

Electrical gremlins do seem to be at work. Humans are busy trying to exorcize them.

Subdivisions are going in along Hubbard, and they need connections to utilities. That is the work going on under the road. But the pavement patches are only temporary because asphalt plants close during the cold-weather months. Additional patching work will be done.

But despite the new homes, there is no major widening planned or required with the development. However, ACHD's "Master Street Map" lists Hubbard as a way-off-in-the-future, three-lane arterial, and right of way is being preserved. A date has not been set for widening, but it is an important thing to note for those looking to have Hubbard as their new-home road.