American Falls Roundabout plans go to the public

The Idaho Transportation Department’s plans for a new roundabout at Interstate 86 and State Highway 39 will be up for community review Thursday. The drop-in open house is planned from 4 to 7 p.m. at the American Falls District Library at 308 Roosevelt Street.

ITD said it considered many alternatives for improving the safety of operations at the intersection. Each alternative was evaluated on factors including cost, traffic capacity, delays, safety, right-of-way requirements and community input.

Plans for the American Falls structure are similar in size to one already operating in Nampa. That roundabout handles 2,100 vehicles per hour and the average delay is 10 seconds, according to ITD statistics. It will provide a continuous flow of traffic without long delays for a light or stop sign.

Community members were invited to give their comments at a series of workshops in 2018. Construction is expected to begin in 2022.

“We would like to thank every person who participated in the design process,” said ITD Engineering Manager Dan Harelson. “We received valuable input that helped us ensure the new intersection will serve both commercial and local traffic.”