The Long Delayed Third Crossing Approaches for Twin Falls

Your input Needed

I’m sure the hemp-skirt crowd will be there.  The Idaho Transportation Department is seeking public input on the construction of a third bridge over the Snake River Canyon.  There is an online presence, and you can attend a meeting on June 30th at the Herrett Center on the College of Southern Idaho campus.  For those of you tree-huggers from out of town, that’s located in Twin Falls.  The time is between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m.

There will also be additional meetings later this year.

The bridge is long overdue if you’re fed up with congestion, but if there’s a rare mosquito that could be endangered, you can be assured environmentalists will do everything they can to delay the project.  From courts, to sugar in fuel tanks, to chaining themselves to the canyon walls (a good start).

It Won't be Cheap

This is a project that could cost one billion dollars.  More, if the crunchies succeed in causing further delays.

The online forum will be open for two weeks.  You can leave comments by going to snakerivercrossing.com from June 30^th until July 14^th.

You can get a look at what ITD is calling ‘initial concepts'.

The Congestion is Legendary

The current Perrine Bridge is approaching 50 years of service, and when it was constructed, nobody anticipated 40,000 vehicle crossings a day.  The Hansen Bridge is narrow and may be nearing the end of its life.

One of the most common suggestions for the third crossing is from near Filer, across the canyon, and connecting with the Interstate.  Plans to run the bridge over the river at Eastland Drive in Twin Falls to Jerome County would appear to have been scrapped due to political pressure.  Translation:  There are more powerful property owners along the street than in Filer.

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