17th street and Hitt Rd. construction project officially begins
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IDAHO FALLS — The reconstruction of the 17th Street and 25th East (Hitt Road) intersection is officially underway.
Leaders with the city of Idaho Falls and Ammon hosted a groundbreaking ceremony at the site Monday morning.
The main focus of the three-month reconstruction project is widening the intersection to add a second left-turn lane at all four approaching lanes and a dedicated right-turn lane on the northbound, southbound and eastbound approaches.
The intersection has relied on 12 lanes to manage traffic but that will be expanded to 19 lanes.
“If the May 16 community college vote is successful, this new intersection may see some more activity,” Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper said during the groundbreaking. “It will happen as the parking lot (at EITC) fills with students and their vehicles.”
The City of Idaho Falls is funding 65 percent of the 1.6 million dollar project with the city of Ammon funding the rest.
An additional project, not included in the price, was relocating power poles in the area. Both cities will fund that 50/50. Rocky Mountain Power began relocating power poles in October in anticipation of the project and Idaho Falls Power relocated an additional eight power poles last month.
“Ammon is pleased to collaborate on this construction project with the city of Idaho Falls,” Ammon Mayor Dana Kirkham said. “This intersection is long overdue for a facelift. It is an important corridor to our community at large. It will improve traffic flow and safety at one of the most traveled intersections in Idaho Falls.”
The reconstruction plan also involves the installation of water, storm and sewer systems as well as curb, gutter, and sidewalks.
Those improvements will be followed by milling the existing pavement, installing a new traffic signal, lighting, landscaping and sprinkler systems. Final steps will include a plant mix overlay and seal coating.
In addition to the work jointly sponsored and funded by the two cities, the City of Idaho Falls will fund the extension of the milling and overlay work on 17th Street westward to Woodruff Av.
Officials say at least one lane of traffic will remain open in each direction on 17th Street and on Hitt Road throughout the duration of the project. There will also be full turn movements in every direction at the intersection.
All local businesses will be accessible during construction activities, though short-duration closures of individual accesses will be necessary and coordinated accordingly to accommodate the project schedule.