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SH-55: Farmway Road to Middleton Road

The Idaho Transportation Department is finalizing plans to improve State Highway 55 (SH-55) between Farmway and Middleton roads in Nampa.

This area of Canyon County has grown rapidly in recent years and traffic is projected to double by 2045. The improvements will add capacity by widening lanes to save drivers time and increase safety. A new multi-use pathway will make it safer for bicyclists and pedestrians.

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Design Plans

Project Update

The Idaho Transportation Department is modifying the design plans for SH-55 Farmway to Middleton project. RCUTs and loons will be removed. Once the plans have been finalized, ITD will make them available to the public for review. A public meeting is planned for Summer 2023.

Design Plans

The SH-55 Farmway to Middleton Project design plans are complete and construction will begin in late 2023/early 2024.

Improvements include:

  • Widening the highway to four 12 ft. wide lanes and dedicated left turn lanes at major intersections.
  • Widening shoulders to 8 feet.
  • Adding a raised median and right-in-right-out turns to allow access at designated locations between the signalized intersections.
  • Adding a 10-foot bicycle and pedestrian pathway on the north and south sides of SH-55.
  • Upgrading equipment at existing signalized intersections.
  • Adding sound walls in locations where approved
  • Adding a frontage road near 10th Ave on the north side of the highway to provide safe access to homes with closely spaced driveways. The new frontage road will be named Karcher View Street.

To see improvements, click here.

A Phased Approach

In early 2022, ITD completed an environmental analysis and preliminary design plans for SH-55 from Pear Lane to Middleton Road. The project highlighted the need for a “phased approach” to improvements on this corridor.

The Farmway to Middleton Road section has the most crashes and highest traffic counts in the corridor. It has the highest need for immediate improvements within this phased approach.

Click here to learn more about the Pear Lane to Middleton Road Project.

2022 Public Input

ITD thanks the public for the valuable input over the past years that has helped identify how best to improve SH-55. ITD will continue to involve the public as work continues.

Several hundred people have participated in meetings about this corridor over the past several years.

To sign up for meeting notifications, email: [email protected]

Funding

The SH-55 final design is being funded with Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds as part of Governor Little’s Leading Idaho TECM Program. The program allows ITD to accelerate project timelines to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure today that would otherwise take many years to fund and build.

SH-55 is a primary transportation and freight corridor through Idaho.

For more information on TECM funding, visit itd.idaho.gov/funding

2013
A multiyear study was completed that determined the need for a more extensive analysis of the section of SH-55 between Pear Lane and Middleton Road.
2019-2022
SH-55 Pear Lane to Middleton Road Corridor study phase completed
Early 2022
Environmental analysis approved; final design of SH-55 Farmway to Middleton roads begins
Summer 2022
Developed design plans and gathered public input on improvements to SH-55 from Farmway Road to Middleton Road.
2023
Right-of-way acquisition expected to begin.
Summer 2023
Present revised design plans to the public for review.
Early 2024
Finish purchasing right-of-way.
2024
Construction anticipated to begin on SH-55 Farmway to Middleton Project
Frequently Asked Questions
You've got questions, we've got answers! Here are some of the most common questions we've received about this project.
General
What is this project all about?
What is this project all about?

The SH-55 Farmway Road to Middleton Road Project will widen the road to two through lanes in each direction with center turn and U-turn opportunities. These improvements will increase safety and mobility for users of the corridor. In order to reach the final design, many steps have to be completed, including:

  • Community involvement
  • Traffic analysis
  • Survey and utility work
  • Geotechnical work
  • Property surveying
  • Irrigation and storm water analysis
  • Road and sound wall design
  • ROW acquisition plans to appraise property and make offers based on fair market value
  • Finalizing construction plans
General
Will the plans for SH-55 address future growth in this area?
Will the plans for SH-55 address future growth in this area?

Yes. 2045 traffic projections were used to determine the project needs. ITD closely examines future growth when determining design plans. The improvements included in the project are designed to take into account the rapid growth and congestion in the project area.

General
What is the difference between preliminary and final design?
What is the difference between preliminary and final design?
  • A preliminary design involves analyzing the needs of an area to develop initial improvements that will benefit the community. Environmental impacts are identified and addressed in preliminary design. Preliminary design plans for this project are complete.
  • Final design begins when the environmental document and preliminary design plans are approved. Final design is the formal engineering process of determining exact plans and engineering specifications. When this process is complete, the resulting document can be used for construction bidding. This process is now underway on SH-55 between Farmway and Middleton roads.
General
Could there be changes to the improvements developed in preliminary design?
Could there be changes to the improvements developed in preliminary design?

Most likely. In preliminary design, some innovative improvements were identified to help improve safety and efficiency in the long-term, such as ThrU-turns. ITD is not including the ThrU-turns in final design currently underway. These improvements are planned to be implemented when the traffic counts reach a higher number, which could be 10-20 years from now. More traditional signalized intersections are being included in the final design plans for now.

General
Why is ITD only designing improvements between Farmway and Middleton?
Why is ITD only designing improvements between Farmway and Middleton?

ITD is using a phased approach to address improvements to SH-55 based on the most urgent needs and available funding. ITD will address improvements to the remainder of the SH-55 corridor in Canyon County when funding is available.

General
Will ITD need right-of-way for the project?
Will ITD need right-of-way for the project?

Yes. ITD has begun the process of identifying needed right-of-way and engaging impacted property owners based on preliminary design plans.

Downloads & Resources

Informational Materials
Project Fact Sheet Background video
2022 Open House
2022 Open house invitation2022 Online open house meeting
Idaho.gov Accessibility Cybersecurity Privacy Legal Notices Security
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