Spring is here. The rain has slowed down some of our projects but we keep moving forward. The soccer field restroom is awaiting inspections on the electric work and plumbing so the inside can be finished and the drinking fountains put in place. The restrooms in the rest of the parks will be opened for the season this week. The street crew will also have the sweepers out this week picking up the remnants of the wind storms.
The Water Department will be working on hydrants over the next several weeks. They will be placing two new hydrants and checking some of the others. They will be working with the WWTP crew on locates on W. 9th Street in preparation to begin their work along the street before next year’s street and bridge replacement.
Last Friday, City representatives, including our Public Works Supervisor, Street Supervisor, Chief of Police, Fire Chief, City Clerk and myself met with representatives from the Idaho Transportation Department on our ongoing concern about the safety along Hwy 95. We are still hoping to find a solution that provides a safe way for traffic and pedestrians to get across Hwy 95 to the eastside of town. We all agree that it is a growing problem but the cost seems to be the hold up from the State’s perspective. We haven’t had enough crashes and no fatalities so we don’t qualify according to their statistics for State funding. As we said, our goal is to prevent crashes and fatalities before they happen.
We also discussed the upcoming construction on Hwy 95 south to Payette and the plan for traffic. According to what we were told the construction is expected to be completed before Memorial weekend. They will right after Easter weekend and work steadily for two weeks, five days a week, twenty-four hours a day. There will be a break and then another two weeks of concentrated work. One lane of traffic will be open with the use of a pilot car to move traffic through. Delays of at least 15 minutes are expected to occur during part of the construction.
If you live along this area, be cautious in your travel throughout the month of April and May. With the delays, there will be bunches of vehicles coming through town. Please be careful when trying to cross Hwy. 95. We also expect to see increased traffic coming from Hwy 201 and Spur 95 on Main, Commercial and Idaho Streets as people find alternative routes north and south. Watch for those drivers going the wrong way on our one ways. Be alert.
Reminder: if you or your kids are running or walking in the dark streets with daylight savings time, wear light clothes. Dark clothes and dark hair make for dangerous situation for a few more weeks.
Great news: the hanging baskets will be back for another year. V.I.B.E. representatives will be working with a volunteer who has stepped up to help keep the plants watered and dead-headed. Thank you to Sarah Imada for wanting to see this project continue and stepped up to help. You are appreciated. Maybe there are others out there who want to help share this responsibility.
Spring vacation begins this weekend watch for our kids as they enjoy a week off next week. Let’s help keep them safe.
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