BOISE, Idaho — Travelers may not be feeling quite as welcome to Idaho, since the scenic Snake River View Welcome Center and rest area on Interstate 84 has been closed since Aug. 22 due to a sewage leak.
The usually busy and popular rest area, which greets motorists as they enter Idaho on I-84 from Oregon, is on a septic tank, and it’s right above the Snake River, raising concerns about potential contamination, according to an Idaho Press report.
Jake Melder, Idaho Transportation Department spokesman, said sewage has only been found seeping out on the hillside at the back of the rest area.
“At this point in time, we have not been able to find any evidence of the contamination reaching the river,” he said Tuesday. However, he acknowledged, “It’s very close.”
I-84 rest stop closed due to sewage leak
The closure of the rest area and welcome center, which stretched through the Labor Day weekend and other busy travel times, has brought ITD complaints both from the traveling public and from state legislators.
Rep. Ryan Kerby, R-New Plymouth, whose district includes the center, said, “It’s a real nice area — I’ve seen a lot of people stop there. I would like to see it open. At the same time, I appreciate that ITD’s being cautious from an environmental standpoint.”
Melder said, “We have closed the rest area down while we continue to investigate that and determine the reason behind the leak, and begin to form a plan to address that situation.”
Melder said ITD is consulting with the Southwest District Health department on the investigation.
ITD has contracted with Materials Testing & Inspections for $22,000 and Hummel Architects for $13,000 to investigate the sewage leak and possible fixes. “We expect a report from them by the end of the week,” Melder said.
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