One of the Most Confusing Idaho Highway Interchanges Now Comes With a Warning

It’s one thing to be confused by construction zones but when the construction is done and drivers still have issues, maybe the change is to blame.

That seems to be the case with a recent highway change in Idaho: drivers either don’t understand what they are supposed to do or they don’t care because the change seems dumb.

Idaho Drivers Do Not Like This New Idaho Highway Change

A specific section of US95 near Lewiston and the Washington State border is causing issues for drivers and has become a safety concern for police. The driver confusion (or disregard) does make sense since the change doesn’t allow left-hand turns in locations that might seem correct if there wasn’t signage stating otherwise.

Even writing that sentence was confusing.

The issue happens in front of the Clearwater River Casino and Lodge and Nez Perce Express gas station. Drivers heading East have to pass the gas station to get to the safe bridge crossing and then head back in the opposite direction to get to the gas station or the Casino. Then to get back on the highway they can’t use the gas station exit because it doesn’t allow left turns onto the highway.

The ISP report states the following about the issue:

Since the interchange was opened at the eastern entrance and access at the western entrance was modified, all agencies have observed unsafe behavior. Eastbound drivers on US-95 have been seen illegally crossing the unpaved median to turn left into the access near the Nez Perce Express gas station, rather than traveling a half mile further to use the interchange. Some have even waited in oncoming traffic to make the prohibited turn, risking head-on crashes.

The western access to Aht’Wy Plaza near the gas station is one way and does not allow left turns of any kind. Drivers looking to turn left into the plaza or to exit the gas station should use the interchange.

What a normal driver wants to do (and they are doing which is the safety issue) is just cross the Westbound lanes of travel and through an unpaved median to get into the gas station or out to the Eastbound lanes without driving the extra half mile to the safe interchange and bridge crossing.

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The updated interchange will take some time for motorists to get used to, but it was ‘carefully designed to improve traffic flow and reduce the potential for severe crashes’ according to an ITD engineer.