More road construction ahead

The city of Idaho is in talks of a roadway project that will widen Grandview Drive between Skyline Drive and Saturn Avenue.

City Engineer Kent Fugal said the project would add two lanes of traffic in each direction, and build sidewalks.

“Pedestrians are forced to walk on the shoulder of the road and feel that they don’t have a good escape route if a car comes towards them if a car seeming to be out of control.”

Fugal said the first step is building a new water line.

“We will begin work on a new water line within the next month or two as the weather gets better, and that would be followed by construction of the federal aid project,” Fugal said.

Fugal said the project has to go into a bidding before getting started.

“We anticipate the construction would happen around June,” Fugal said.

Some of the funds would come from the Federal Gas tax said Fugal, and project is estimated to cost $2 million.

“Idaho Falls is paying a small share of the construction cost,” Fugal said.

As for the impact it will have on traffic,”We should be able to keep all traffic flowing but there maybe times when we have to slow down or close down moving traffic, but I don’t think people will see major impact with the construction work,” Fugal said.

Fugal said when all is said and done people can expect to see two lanes of traffic in each direction, a center turn lane, sidewalk on the north side and a multi-use path on the south side.

Currently, there are one eastbound lane of traffic and two westbound lanes, no center turn lane and no pedestrian facilities.

Fugal said this summer they will also be looking at Holmes Avenue between First Street and Ninth Street, replacing the water line and improve the pavement.