Downtown Idaho Falls street lighting and sidewalks get a summer makeover

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Drivers in Idaho Falls should prepare for lane closures beginning Monday, July 27th as the City of Idaho Falls and the Idaho Transportation Department launch a project to improve street lighting and sidewalks along two of the city's busiest roadways.

The project will span the rest of the summer, starting Monday, July 27, and includes work along the U.S. 26 Business Loop (Yellowstone Highway) from Sunnyside Road to the Yellowstone Underpass, as well as Broadway Street from the intersection with U.S. 26 to the Broadway Bridge.

Construction crews will install new streetlight poles, luminaires, underground electrical utilities, and foundations. Sidewalk improvements are also planned as part of the project.

Motorists can expect single-lane closures or traffic shifts where work is taking place between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, with some work also scheduled on Saturdays. Crews will perform nighttime work when erecting and installing the new streetlight poles.

City officials say the lighting upgrades are designed to improve safety for both drivers and pedestrians while enhancing visibility along the corridor. The project is the result of a partnership between the City of Idaho Falls and the Idaho Transportation Department.

Construction is expected to continue through late October. A nearby road work delay, the installation of the Birch St & S Blvd Roundabout, is also causing drivers near downtown to make alternate routes until the fall. To see an interactive app of Idaho Falls road work and construction updates, click here.

Officials are asking drivers to slow down, remain alert in work zones, and watch for changing traffic patterns throughout the project.

For the latest traffic updates and road conditions in Eastern Idaho, drivers can check the Idaho 511 app or visit the Idaho 511 official website here.