S11152025 Regular Session

Adds to existing law to provide for studies regarding efficient and safe highway linkages.

TRANSPORTATION -- Adds to existing law to provide for studies regarding efficient and safe highway linkages.

IntroducedIn CommitteeFloor VoteEnacted

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

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The purpose of this act is to prioritize and advance current Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) studies designed to assess and guide improvements to Idaho’s highway infrastructure. This legislation directs the Idaho Department of Transportation to undertake and complete a study of the traffic corridors of existing State Highway 55, existing State Highway 16, and existing State Highway 95, a bypass route for I-84 linking the communities of Nampa and Caldwell south to Kuna, eastward to I-84 near Blacks Creek and of potential alternativeroutesforsafevehiculartravelbetweencentralIdahoandtheTreasureValley. Theactalsodirectsthe department to incorporate completed and on-going studies of these corridors, and to have the studies completed by July 1, 2027.

FISCAL NOTE

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This legislation requires no additional or new general fund appropriation but will require the Department to reprioritize its existing long range planning budget. There is significant interest in the private sector and among other public entities to prioritize these studies, and authorization is granted for the Department to accept private funding to offset the costs. It is anticipated that approximately 25% of the cost of the studies would be offset by the private sector.