News and Press Releases Friday, April 17, 2020

The Ada County Highway District Commission will consider the postponement of the State Street and Pierce Park Intersection project at their weekly Commission meeting next Wednesday (April 22nd) at noon. This project involves widening State Street from Ellens Ferry Drive to North Hertford Way to three travel lanes in each direction; replacing a portion of the existing two-way left turn center lane with a center-lane median; and realigning the intersection of Pierce Park and State Street.

ACHD staff are recommending the Commission approve the postponement of the project in order to allow staff to work on a potential redesign of the project to mitigate the impacts of the project on adjacent property owners and utilize previously acquired right-of-way on the north side of State Street through ACHD's corridor preservation fund.

As COVID-19 has struck the Treasure Valley, ACHD is just one of many businesses not yet able to estimate the fiscal impacts of the pandemic on the 2020 and 2021 budgets. ACHD revenue largely comes from property taxes, fuel tax, registration fees and sales tax. ACHD anticipates a significant decline in revenue this fiscal year due to the impacts of COVID-19 on the economy, which will require reprogramming projects to address funding constraints. This large intersection project is just one piece of an even larger vision for the State Street Corridor (STTODP). The postponement will also allow ACHD to coordinate the design with the ongoing transit study being spearheaded by partner agencies throughout the county.

To these ends, ACHD staff believe it is in the best interest of the agency and all involved to postpone the project indefinitely until such time they can return to the Commission with a redesigned plan.