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Home My WebLink AboutReconnect7thSouthStreet-6Emergency Reconnection of 7th South St. in Rexburg! (also known as 1000 South in the county) The only east and west route that goes all the way through Rexburg. 09/19/2023 jws The Challenge of Rexburg’s Growth The city long expected growth to be on the east side of town, toward Sugar City. The Challenge of Rexburg’s Growth So, they started planning for more traffic on the east side. The Challenge of Rexburg’s Growth The plan was called the “East Parkway Corridor.” The Challenge of Rexburg’s Growth But the corridor went right through the Crest Haven residential neighborhood. The Challenge of Rexburg’s Growth The “Crest Haven Neighborhood” objected! The Challenge of Rexburg’s Growth Never-the-less, the city focused on engineering and grant funding for that project. City Transportation Plan City Transportation Plan $2,350,000 $2,500,000 $6,000,000 The Challenge of Rexburg’s Growth But city growth went west, not east. The Challenge of Rexburg’s Growth While the city focused on getting an access route to the “East Corridor”... The Challenge of Rexburg’s Growth 12th West Corridor …they ignored blocked access routes to the “West Corridor.” US Highway 20 blocks access routes into growth areas along the 12th West Corridor! 12th West Corridor The Challenge of Rexburg’s Growth 12th West Area of most concern 12th West The Burma Road 12th West 1000 South Street 7th South Street Summerfield Planned Community Under Construction The Burma Road Looking West New Burton Elementary School Looking East Looking West down 7th South 12th West 1000 South Street 7th South Street To the Temple: 2 Miles 3 Miles 4 miles BUT ! Looking East Temple US Highway 20 US 20 construction cut 7th South Street, blocking east/west traffic. 1000 South Street 7th South Street 12th West Main Street University Boulevard Blockage denies city traffic an alternate route into and out of the growth area. Rapid residential growth on the west side of Rexburg requires more traffic options. (e.g. Summerfield development) Summerfield Planned Community is under relentless construction! (Dark gray lots are yet empty) Home construction on the west side of Rexburg The sound of hammers and nail guns constantly ring through our neighborhood. Rexburg Idaho Married Student 4th Stake (11 Wards meet in this large building) 454 S 12th W, Rexburg Plus, there are major public facilities now on the west side of Rexburg Rexburg Idaho West Stake Center (3 Wards) 210 S 12th W, Rexburg New Burton Elementary School Madison Senior High School Campus Stadium Field House Performing Arts Center Madison Senior High School Campus 1000 South Street 7th South Street 12th West Main Street University Boulevard For all that traffic growth, there are only two ways across the freeway Solution to this urgent problem? Build a simple overpass on US 20 so 7th South can be reconnected. No on/off ramps needed! No on/off ramps! Taking US 20 traffic over 7th South protects its design for tall loads. Protects streets and driveways that open onto 7th South Street. 1000 South Street 7th South Street Benefit: A needed alternate route for east/west traffic in Rexburg 1000 South Street 7th South Street Benefit: Reduced traffic on the 12th West Corridor 1000 South Street 7th South Street 12th West University Boulevard Benefit: Reduced traffic on Main Street and University Boulevard Main Street 1000 South Street 7th South Street Benefit: A direct connection to the future East Parkway Corridor 1000 South Street 7th South Street Benefit: Reduced conflict with the Crest Haven Neighborhood 1000 South Street 7th South Street 12th West Main Street University Boulevard BUT what if those freeway interchanges were blocked or closed? Remember the coming “Diverging Diamond” Interchange Construction? Closed! (Main Street) 1000 South Street 7th South Street 12th West Main Street University Boulevard First close University Boulevard, sending all traffic to Main Street. Closed!(Main Street) 1000 South Street 7th South Street 12th West Main Street University Boulevard …then close Main Street, sending all traffic, plus Hwy 33 traffic to University Boulevard Hwy 33 1000 South Street 7th South Street 12th West Main Street University Boulevard BUT putting that whole volume of traffic through a single route across the freeway is dangerous! Hwy 33 1000 South Street 7th South Street 12th West Main Street University Boulevard …and what happens if that single route gets blocked someway? (For example, a serious accident caused by confusion over how to navigate the new diverging diamond interchange.) 1000 South Street 7th South Street 12th West Main Street University Boulevard Then we are stranded with no access to the east side! 1000 South Street 7th South Street 12th West Main Street University Boulevard A “safety valve” is needed to prevent a possible disaster! 1000 South Street 7th South Street 12th West Main Street University Boulevard 7th South should be reconnected BEFORE construction of the “Diverging Diamond” Interchanges! Reconnecting 7th South Street Now becomes an emergency for the safety of people stranded on the west side of the freeway! It would be worth another year’s delay of the diverging diamond interchanges to get the safety valve of a reconnected 7th South Street and prevent a possible traffic disaster. Where can we find the will and the emergency funding to reconnect 7th South Street in a year? “The [East Parkway] project [is] at least a decade out and would only begin when population and traffic demands dictated it.” Transportation Plan Budget for East Parkway Corridor Postponed East Parkway Corridor $10,850,000 + August 16, 2023: The Idaho Transportation Department announced an unrestricted, no-match- required, $2 million grant opportunity to help Rexburg solve its traffic problems. $2,000,000 Grant just received: Get started now by reallocating money in the existing budget to Reconnect 7th South Street: IDOT Unrestricted Grant $ 2,000,000 Postponed East Parkway Corridor budget $10,850,000 TOTAL $12,850,000 Then get other funding such as: “Potential funding sources include grants, donations, general fund, impact fees and revenue allocation funds.” Federal Grants: “Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program” https://www.transportation.gov/grants/rcnprogram “Reconnecting communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development.” “Potential funding sources include grants, donations, general fund, impact fees and revenue allocation funds.” Federal Grants: “Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program” https://www.transportation.gov/grants/rcnprogram “Reconnecting communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development.” State Grants: (ITD assess available funds to handle emergency construction) “Potential funding sources include grants, donations, general fund, impact fees and revenue allocation funds.” Federal Grants: “Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program” https://www.transportation.gov/grants/rcnprogram “Reconnecting communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development.” State Grants: (IDT assess available funds to handle emergency construction) City General Funds: City Impact Fees: City Revenue Allocation Funds: The University Boulevard-South 12th West Urban Renewal District Reconnect 7th South Project East Parkway Corridor Project Both projects are in the same Rexburg Urban Renewal District, (The University Boulevard-South 12th West District) No on/off ramps! We need to find the will and the emergency funding to avoid a disaster ! No on/off ramps! Reconnect 7th South BEFORE Building the Converging Diamond Interchanges! END