ITD to reveal final design for I-15 widening between Blackfoot and Fort Hall

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Transportation Department is moving forward with plans to widen Interstate 15 between Blackfoot and Fort Hall. Next week, the department will host a round of open houses to showcase the final design to improve the corridor.

The project covers the stretch between the South Blackfoot Interchange (Exit 89) and the US-26/Blackfoot Interchange (Exit 93). According to ITD, the stretch of roadway no longer meets the area's needs.

"This stretch of interstate is reaching the end of its service life, and growing travel volumes have made it necessary to increase the capacity and improve safety and operations," said ITD in a recent news release.

ITD is inviting members of the larger Blackfoot community to drop in and learn about the projects, ask questions, and provide feedback to the project team. The open houses will be available on the following dates:

• Tuesday, May 12, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Shoshone-Bannock Convention Center (777 Bannock Ave., Fort Hall)
• Wednesday, May 13, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Ridge Crest Elementary School (800 Airport Rd., Blackfoot)

Information about the widening and redesign of the Blackfoot Interchange, as well as plans to replace the Riverton Road Bridge, will be available.

Residents who cannot attend in person are invited to join online. The digital open house will feature identical information and will accept public comments from May 12 through May 26. For more information, click HERE.

Construction is slated to begin in 2028. However, ITD says the timeline may change depending on the availability of funding.

The expansion is supported by Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds as part of Governor Little’s Leading Idaho program, according to ITD. The program allows ITD to accelerate project timelines to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure today that would otherwise take many years to fund and build.

For more information on the project, click HERE.