The Ada County Highway District has officially begun work on the District's new Traffic Operations Center located on Franklin Road in west Boise.
ACHD staff and Commissioners joined staff from construction company McAlvain and community stakeholders on Friday to break ground on the project.
"This new facility represents a big step in the future of the Ada County Highway District," said ACHD Commission President, Alexis Pickering. "Ensuring that we have the most up-to-date equipment, in a central location, will help us continue to deliver the highest level of service to the people of Ada County."
The property will hold three buildings, including a 25,000 square-foot office building that will house ACHD's new Traffic Management Center. From the Traffic Management Center, staff members monitor more than 200 traffic cameras and over 400 traffic signals across Ada County, allowing for ACHD to adjust signal timings in real-time.
The main building will also house ACHD's new sign shop, material laboratory, and office space.
The property will include a separate warehouse that will store signs, paint, and other traffic supplies, as well as a separate shop with bays where ACHD's signal and paint crews will work when not in the field. The design provides needed storage areas for large equipment, including traffic poles and mast arms.
Once completed, approximately 55 employees will relocate to the facility, including staff from traffic operations, traffic engineering, congestion management, and material laboratory testing. Staff members are currently working at the Adams Maintenance Complex in Garden City, which ACHD plans to vacate in the coming years.
The new facility removes these essential services out of the flood plain, ensuring operations can continue during all kinds of emergency situations.
The Traffic Operations Center will be located at 12590 West Franklin Road in Boise. Construction on the new facility is expected to be complete in fall 2024.