Hayden advances temporary signals, intersection projects and road maintenance

HAYDEN, Idaho — Two busy Hayden intersections are expected to receive temporary traffic signals as the city advances a larger group of road, intersection and maintenance projects.

Public Works Director Alan Soderling updated the Hayden City Council on seven projects Aug. 25, ranging from the delayed Ramsey Road–Honeysuckle Avenue roundabout to nearly 20 lane miles of completed chip seal. City officials also discussed the longer-term schedule for improvements at Government Way and Wyoming and Dakota avenues.

WATCH: Full Aug. 25 Public Works project update (21:24)

The interim signals planned at Ramsey Road and Hayden Avenue and at Atlas Road and Hayden Avenue are intended to improve traffic control while the city acquires right of way and seeks funding for permanent roundabouts already designed for both intersections.

City officials said completing right-of-way acquisition also makes projects more competitive for state grants because most outside funding programs do not pay for land acquisition. Funding from the Hayden Urban Renewal Agency can further strengthen the city’s applications by providing a local contribution.

“Anything you can do to be ahead of somebody else” helps when grants become available, Soderling told the council, noting that the funds are highly competitive.

Construction of a temporary traffic signal at Ramsey Road and Hayden Avenue is scheduled to begin in early October. The $142,925 construction contract was awarded to Thorco Inc., and the agreement was being executed at the time of Soderling’s update. A separate contract of up to $2,000 covers construction staking.

Although described as temporary, the signal is expected to remain for approximately eight to 10 years while the city secures the right of way and funding needed to construct the planned roundabout.

At Hayden Avenue and Atlas Road, the city plans to widen the intersection before installing another temporary signal.

The widening will add three left-turn lanes: one on each approach of Hayden Avenue and one on the south approach of Atlas Road. The project was out to bid, with staff anticipating bringing a contract to the council for consideration at its next meeting.

The city hopes to complete the widening before winter weather closes local asphalt plants. If bids are acceptable and the widening proceeds, the temporary signal could be installed during the winter and operating before next summer’s busier traffic season.

A permanent roundabout has been designed for the intersection, but the city has not secured the money to build it. Soderling said the city had reached agreements on nearly all of the properties needed for the future project, with one or two still unresolved.

During the presentation, Mayor Alan Davis described Hayden–Atlas as one of the city’s most dangerous intersections. Soderling also noted that a crash had occurred there the previous week.

Plans for improvements at Government Way and Miles Avenue are undergoing final revisions. The city already has the legal descriptions and exhibits needed to begin acquiring right of way, and money for that work is included in the fiscal year 2027 budget.

The current funding is primarily for land acquisition, but Soderling did not rule out beginning physical improvements if the city can complete the acquisitions and identify additional funding with HURA’s assistance.

Officials said having the right of way in hand would place the project in a stronger position for state funding or other grant opportunities without requiring the city to draw as heavily from its reserves.

The Government Way–Honeysuckle Avenue intersection project is approximately 60% designed and is included in HURA’s fiscal year 2027 planning.

After the design is completed, the city will prepare right-of-way documents and begin acquisition. Soderling said the amount of land involved is small but presents challenges.

The contractor’s schedule lists Oct. 5 as the anticipated reopening date for the Ramsey Road–Honeysuckle Avenue roundabout, more than a month after the project’s Aug. 29 contractual substantial-completion date.

Soderling said the city was working through the contract implications of the delay. Underground water and sewer-force-main work was expected to be completed during the week of the council meeting, with curb work and construction of the center island expected to follow.

The project was originally estimated at approximately $2.4 million. It was bid at approximately $1.7 million, with the city’s share now approximately $1.5 million. The broader contract also includes Hayden Area Regional Sewer Board force-main work and Hayden Lake Irrigation District water infrastructure.

Soderling told the council that the contractor had contacted the school district that afternoon to coordinate bus routes through or around the construction area.

Hayden Reporter examined the Ramsey–Honeysuckle delay, contract deadline and potential added costs in a separate report.

The city’s 2026 chip seal project is in final closeout after treating 19.7 lane miles — slightly more than 10% of Hayden’s approximately 188 lane miles.

The work was budgeted at $774,000 and is expected to close at approximately $654,000. Most of the roads treated were in the northwest portion of the city, north of Hayden Avenue and west of U.S. Highway 95.

Soderling said a seven-year chip-seal cycle is ideal for many streets, while lower-volume subdivision roads may be able to go approximately 10 years between treatments. Final sweeping and work-zone cleanup were expected to be completed by the end of the week.

Public Works also is preparing a repair plan for the silo at Stoddard Park so the city can move quickly if grant funding becomes available.

The work is estimated to cost between $80,000 and $100,000. Testing identified lead-based paint that must be abated. The anticipated work also includes repairs to the silo’s staves and metal bands, joint sealing, repainting and roof replacement.

In response to a council question, city staff said right-of-way acquisition for future intersection work at Government Way and Wyoming and Dakota avenues is anticipated to begin in fiscal year 2028 and continue into fiscal year 2029.

The city’s five-year capital improvement plan schedules construction at Government Way and Wyoming Avenue in fiscal year 2029 and at Government Way and Dakota Avenue in fiscal year 2030. The timing will depend on how quickly the needed right of way can be acquired.

Council members praised Public Works staff for moving an unusually large number of road projects forward and acknowledged the traffic disruptions residents are experiencing during construction.