Here’s Some Thoughts on Coping with Idaho Construction Season

It Makes You Want to Scream!

Picture by Bill Colley.

I found a street that wasn’t under construction! It was a complete shock as this week, the word detour appeared on more signs around town than stop or street names. And it shifts daily. One afternoon, I’m going one way, and the next day, I’m forced to drive to Minidoka County, do a loop through Blaine and Lincoln Counties, then catch an old wooden ferry over the river. I wouldn’t mind, but I usually go to bed early.

Construction is a constant, and with all the growth we’re seeing and have seen, it’s not going to slow down. We need new water lines, sewer lines, and utilities.

It's Keeping Up with Mother Nature

We also have repairs from the colder months. Although, in the Magic Valley, winter was mild. We didn’t have roads collapse like some folks had to put up with in Adams County.

We had a conversation on Magic Valley This Morning on Newsradio 96.1 and 1310 KLIX with the Twin Falls Highway Commissioner. He broke the down the per mile costs of road work, and even with chip seal, which is a cheaper alternative to a new coat of asphalt, each mile can cost in excess of six figures. His district has 800 miles of roads!

We Can't Escape the Work

I understand the frustration we have with construction, but like the old line about death and taxes, it’s a fact of modern life.

Be nice to the people doing the work. It’s how they pay their bills and feed their kids. And think about what driving conditions would be like if we didn’t have yearly road rehabilitation.