Proposed overpass in South Nampa aims to improve safety and ease traffic delays

Idaho’s Canyon County The City of Nampa is seeking community input to help define the final design for a planned significant renovation to a popular crossroads in South Nampa.

The city is proposing a new overpass that would span Robinson Road over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks in collaboration with the Nampa Highway District.

RELATED: Nampa City is looking for input on the Northside corridor.

Reducing traffic and enhancing safety in one of the city’s fastest-growing neighborhoods are the objectives.

WATCH: Canyon County Neighborhood Reporter, Victoria Rodriguez, talks to transportation officials about the proposed overpass

According to Nick Lehman, Director of the Nampa Highway District, “We looked at the intersection at Greenhurst and Robinson and knew we needed improvements, but any fixes are limited due to the railroad crossing.”

Now, whenever a train goes through, traffic backs up. Additionally, city authorities anticipate that Robinson Road will have three times as many cars by 2050, with daily traffic reaching 16,000 vehicles.

Lehman noted that the construction of an overpass there will remove train-related bottlenecks. This would be quite beneficial as there are now no crossings on the east side of Nampa.

In addition to being clogged, the crossing is hazardous. According to city records, there have been 19 crashes there in the last five years.

Additionally, it is only roughly 75 feet south of the train lines, which makes it extremely difficult for drivers to see, according to Crystal Craig, the City of Nampa’s Director of Transportation.

There are two possible designs under consideration. It is estimated that realigning the intersection away from the rails might minimize collisions by as much as 61%.

Although more economical, the alternative is anticipated to reduce crashes by almost half. Bicyclists and pedestrians would have safer pathways thanks to both options.

Craig pointed out that everyone using that corridor, especially those who are more vulnerable, will feel considerably safer.

The design work is being partially funded by a $1.5 million federal grant, which enables the city to proceed without passing on costs to local taxpayers.

According to Craig, one of the best things about moving forward with this now rather than in ten or twenty-five years is that we can buy land while it’s still undeveloped, which will affect fewer property owners.

Keeping nearby property owners informed has become a top responsibility, according to officials. Craig continued, “We personally went door to door.” We hope that property owners and the community will work together on this initiative.

The city is urging the public to comment on the suggested adjustments as it is still in the early stages of development. Residents who use the intersection regularly are invited to share their feedback online.

Comments must be sent by August 4.

For more information and to leave your feedback, visit theCity of Nampa s project websiteor attend the upcoming community meetings.

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