BOISE, Idaho — Two serious car wrecks occurred on State Highway 16 near Emmett in back-to-back days.
Wednesday's wreck killed a 40-year-old man, while Thursday's wreck sent one person to the hospital. Highway 16 is largely a one-lane highway with a few exceptions for passing lanes, according to Idaho Transportation Department Public Information Officer, Jillian Garrigues.
ITD's seven-year plan aims to address concerns on Highway 16, according to Garrigues. ITD said projects typically have a three-step phase. This includes an environmental study, followed by a design phase and lastly road construction.
The Idaho Transportation Department aims to conduct the environmental study on State Highway 16 sooner rather than later.
"Already it’s on our plan. Our seven-year plan for 2026, but this summer, we’re looking at accelerating that to 2023, because we have seen such a high amount of growth," Garrigues said. "The proposed development along highway 16 had really pushed it up our priority list."
Freezeout Hill, headed into Emmett, is known as one of the more-dangerous highways in and around the Treasure Valley. As for what ITD plans to to change specifically about this portion of Highway 16, and other stretches of the single-lane road, it's too early to tell.
"That’s exactly what this environmental study would do. It would look at the area, the community impacts, the noise levels, air quality issues, and actual environmental impacts as well," Garrigues said. "So, that’s what this would do. It would research and look into the options that we could make."
ITD plans to expand Highway 16 out to Interstate 84. Construction on this project begins this month, according to Garrigues.
The expansion project with have two lanes running both directions. A concrete median will separate traffic.
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