US-95 Ring Road Public Meetings Set; Troy Hwy 8 Gets Separate, Smaller Study

MOSCOW – Two public meetings, one online and one an in-person open house, will be held this month to present alternatives and receive feedback concerning a US-95 ring road to divert heavy north-south traffic around Moscow.

The online meeting will be March 19 and will be available to view live and through April 9. It can be accessed at https://www.us95sh8.com/

The open house will be 4-7 p.m. March 26 at the Best Western Plus University Inn, 1516 Pullman Rd., in Moscow. 

The US-95 Palouse Region Study (https://itd.idaho.gov/project/us-95-palouse-region-study/) by the Idaho Department of Transportation (ITD) originally included US-95 between Snow Road to the south and the Latah County/Benewah County line to the north, as well as SH-8 from Snow Road to the west and the town of Troy to the east. 

However, the first 3½ years of the study determined that the Moscow to Troy highway issues can be addressed via a less-robust traffic study, rather than via a federal Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL, see https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/env_initiatives/pel.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1) study required for the US-95 route. 

A technical report outlining potential SH-8 solutions is expected this spring, followed by another comment opportunity. A copy of that report will be shared with community members via email and the project website at https://itd.idaho.gov/project/sh-8-traffic-study/.

Solutions are expected to include smaller-scale improvements like passing lanes, turn lanes and previously presented realignments. Separating the two projects will shorten the SH-8 timeline. 

ITD will continue to follow the PEL process for U.S. Highway 95, where traffic needs are greater and potential solutions more significant. The project was discussed briefly at Thursday’s Moscow Transportation Commission meeting by Vice Chair Tanya Denison, who attended a recent ITD workshop, and by Nichoel Baird Spencer, Moscow deputy city administrator in charge of community development.

Among the things they noted:

* Earlier routes discussed for the ring road are being moved farther out, since Moscow growth and development would soon place some of those routes – Palouse River Drive, for example – within residential areas and city limits.

* Yet, the bypass cannot be so large that it takes longer for through traffic to use it than to just continue coming through town. If it takes too long, travelers won’t use the ring road.

* When considering the area around Moscow in four quadrants, the least heavily traveled is the northeast quadrant, in the area of north Mountain View Road, and the most heavily traveled is the northwest quadrant. 

* Under- and overpasses likely will be needed to situate the bypass amid already existing roadways.

* Many more studies must be done and much more data collected for a project of this scope. With a state budget deficit and federal funds unlikely, work won’t begin or be done for decades – perhaps not by the projected completion of 2050 and likely “not in my lifetime,” said Baird Spencer.