ACHD's Road Wizard Sunday, September 22, 2019

Yes, both lanes are permitted to turn right on red, assuming there is an adequate gap in traffic on Meridian Road. Initially, the interchange only allowed the rightmost lane to turn right on red and the leftmost lane was restricted. However, after observations of sight distance, it was determined that both lanes were able to make right turns on the red signal and the restriction was removed.

This also applies to the westbound off-ramp to turn northbound onto Meridian Road.

To answer this question, we have to take a trip down the old memory lane to the tubular 80's. In 1982, the Idaho Stop Law was created. This law makes it legal for cyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield and a red light as a stop sign.

While this may not seem safe to a motorist, two studies have been conducted on the Idaho Stop Law; one of which found that the Idaho Stop Law resulted in 14 percent fewer crashes.

The Idaho Stop law seems foreign to many new residents because, frankly it is. Idaho is the longest practitioner of the stop-as-yield, and the only place where a red light can be treated as a stop sign for cyclists.

The Cole Road and Victory Road intersection is currently in the utility phase of work. Utility work, which is typically done in advance of the start of a project, will be done during the day. Motorists can expect to see flaggers on site to assist traffic with the lane restrictions that are present.

ACHD expects their work to start mid-November.

The new intersection will come with a new ThrU-Turn, similar to what is present at the intersection of State Street, Veterans Memorial Parkway, and 36th Street.

The ThrU-Turn will take into consideration the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Intersections with a ThrU-Turn are designed to increase the flow of traffic at the major intersection.

ACHD has an informative video here.