Hiline Road Intersection to see traffic signal complete by the end of the month
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – As the weather turns colder, several major projects in Pocatello are expected to finish by the end of October. One is the new traffic signal at the intersection of Hiline Road and Pearl Street/El Rancho Boulevard. Since July, crews have been working to transform the cumbersome four-way stop into a stoplight interchange with dedicated turn lanes and ADA-approved pedestrian accomodations.
The signalization improvement project is thanks to a $2 million Strategic Initiatives Grant through the Idaho Transportation Department. The City of Pocatello fronted the cost of the design, while the grant covers the construction with no city match. This project aligns with other Pocatello construction updates to improve walkability, accessibility and ease of transportation throughout the city limits.
With this project, vehicle traffic will move easier on Hiline Rd with designated turn lanes while pedestrian traffic will enjoy fully functional sidewalks and landings.
"We're signalizing the intersection as well as putting in turn lanes, sidewalks, curbs and gutters," explained Tom Kirkman, City of Pocatello Public Works Director. "We'll have ADA curb ramps on all four corners and the whole intersection is getting repaved and reformatted."
The curbing on all four corners will mimic the ones put in earlier this summer by Pocatello High School. They slow down traffic and give pedestians a larger space to stand before crossing the road.
Kirkman said the City conducted studies and analysis before deciding to begin construction. According to their findings, the area near Hiline and El Rancho's intersection has always been problematic.
"It was very congested and the biggest part there is there's no pedestrian facilities at all," Kirkman said. "It's adjacent to a school, so we want to get that intersection a lot more safe for everybody."
The construction site lies between Tendoy and Syringa Elementary Schools, as well as several neighborhoods that Kirkman said the crews are working to disturb as little as possible.
"We're trying not to disturb them, it's a very residential area," he said. "We're trying to make it as painless as possible for not only the traveling public, but the people that live in that neighborhood."
On Wednesday, September 30, crews shifted to working on the south side of Hiline Road. The north side is reopen to traffic. Kirkman said crews will work simultaneously on Pearl Street.
There are detour signs to be aware of in the area as the project progresses. Kirkman said they will likely be dynamic and could change daily. As of October 1, the detour from the south side through the neighborhood to Pearl Street took 90 seconds. Speeds have also been reduced to 20mph in the detour zones.
"I think it's overall going to be really beneficial to that part of town, we've seen a lot of cars getting backed up at that four-way stop," Kirkman said. "It'll help with that congestion and pedestrian movements immensely."
The project is set to complete by the end of October, contingent on a smooth construction with little to no weather delays in its last month of progress. Kirkman said a 3-4 month construction period for a traffic light is pushing the crews and is set to be a major accomplishment.
"Anytime you do something like this, you find stuff on the ground that you didn't know was there and so a lot of times you have to adapt on the fly and make some decisions," he explained. "It's been a really good project with just a few hiccups along the way."
