Seeing orange? – Why Idaho Falls is seemingly covered in road construction

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – It seems as though everywhere you look in Idaho Falls you see orange – Orange cones, orange vests, orange fencing, orange signs. Construction is clearly in full swing, but why so much all at once?

According to Idaho Falls Public Works, projects are planned in correlation with the Bonneville Metropolitan Planning Organization to determine how to best address the growth in the community. But, they say, the volume of growth we've seen over the last three years was much more than expected.

"There are many factors that play into construction projects and the timing in which they are accomplished, to include available funding, priority needs, contractor schedules, timing of bids, coordination with other projects planned within the City, etc.," IFPW Public Information Officer Kerry Hamon said.

So, they have to be flexible with the timing of when projects can begin.

Hamon says the Woodruff and 17th Intersection Project was supposed to happen last year, but they did not receive any bids. This project was first announced to the public back in 2018.

Another major project in the city is the 17th and Rollandet Improvement Project, which has since reopened. This project was necessary based off a result of a 2016 Road Safety Audit. IFPW says although traffic lanes have reopened, there will be intermittent single lanes clsoures to finish up stripping, sign installation and landscaping.

The good news is, all this orange will soon go away. IFPW says they are on schedule with all their projects.

The city has an interactive construction map on their website detailing each project and its' progress.