Idaho Gets Chance at $90M Grant for I-84 Improvements

BOISE, Idaho – Idaho may get $90 million in federal grant money to improve a portion of Interstate 84.

The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant would allow improvements on I-84 in the Treasure Valley in an effort to help ease congestion.

The area of focus, between the Karcher Interchange and Franklin Boulevard, has nearly 100,000 vehicle trips per day, according to the Idaho Transportation Department, with commercial trucks comprising a significant percentage of the traffic.

ITD says the improvements will include widening I-84 to three lanes in each direction in the 2.8-mile section, adding auxiliary lanes, replacing and widening an overpass and an under-sized canal structure, replacing and expanding two bridges over a railroad and canal, performing ramp improvements, reconstructing an interchange, and rebuilding a bridge over the freeway.

The grant offsets 60 percent of the project’s total estimated cost of $150 million. Other monies come from local and state matching funds, ITD says.

“Idaho is the fastest-growing state in the country, and receiving this grant shows the importance of the Interstate 84 corridor for moving freight, along with our own goods and services, across the west and the world,” ITD Director Brian Ness said in a prepared statement. “More importantly, the project is expected to Improve safety by significantly reducing crashes in the area.”