The Idaho Transportation Department has resumed construction of the Pleasant View Road Interchange on State Highway 53 following the winter shutdown. The interchange and highway widening are on track to open for traffic later this summer.
As new connections to the north side of the interchange are completed this spring, drivers will experience changes in how they access SH-53 until the interchange opens for traffic later this summer. Minor detours and shifts in travel patterns can be expected during this phase.
By late summer, SH-53 will be reconstructed to two lanes in each direction with a center median throughout the project limits. One lane of traffic in each direction will generally be maintained during construction. However, drivers should anticipate traffic shifts and periodic lane restrictions as paving, roadway connections and striping are completed.
“We will reach significant milestones in 2026 as we complete the main components of the interchange and highway widening,” Project Manager James Dorman said. “We’re thankful for the continued patience and understanding from this community. At the end of construction, drivers in the area will no longer have to wait for trains at the crossings or hear the horn when trains pass. It will also be safer; instead of trying to turn left across high-speed, heavy traffic on SH-53, drivers will get to use the bridge and ramps to merge on to the highway.”
While the new interchange is set to open for traffic this summer, overall completion of the project is expected to be in spring of 2027. Final work extending into next year will focus on closing adjacent at-grade railroad crossings at McGuire Road and Prairie Avenue and instead directing local traffic onto the new interchange.
In mid-2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration awarded ITD a grant which made project construction possible now, rather than years in the future. The grant program was created to improve safety at rail crossings in communities across the country to save lives, time, and resources for American families.
ITD appreciates drivers’ patience and encourages motorists to slow down and use caution when traveling through work zones.