ISP: Drivers Illegally Crossing I-84 to Avoid Detour Near Declo

DECLO, Idaho (KLIX)-Idaho State Police say drivers have been illegally using emergency cross-overs to avoid a detour at the Interstate 84/86 interchange project.

On Monday ISP issued a statement saying troopers had seen some drivers use the emergency cross-over to turn around and skip the detour for those headed towards east Idaho on Interstate 86, putting people traveling on the interstate at risk. The median cross-overs are intended for emergency and approved vehicles only.

ISP says some drivers have cut into traffic moving at 80 mph from a stop or very slow speed, or some would quickly move from the outer right lane to the left to get to the cross-over, cutting off drivers in the left lane. "At 80 miles an hour, a driver doesn't realize how fast other drivers are approaching them. On and off-ramps are designed to give drivers time to safely increase or slow their speed. Cutting across traffic to enter an emergency cross-over, or cutting back into traffic from the median is a huge risk to every driver in the area," said Sgt. Julie Donahue of ISP District 4 in a prepared statement, "That driving behavior is dangerous, it's illegal, and that's why we're warning drivers not to even try it."

The Idaho Transportation Department has set up the detour as contractors tear down an old overpass as part of the project. Drivers are being detoured south towards Utah, but then guided onto the Yale Exit and back onto northbound I-84 to double back to I-86 (see map below; the detour is expected to last a week. ISP said they will increase patrols in the area to catch people using the cross-over to turn around.