Busy Intersections Have Drivers Steamed

A lot of good things happen because of Valley growth: more jobs, new restaurants, an espresso stand on every corner.

But the price commuters pay is increased traffic. Probably the most annoying manifestation of that is a busy intersection.

What are some of the Valley’s most troubled crossings? It didn’t take much to get commuters to share their gripes.

Repeat honors went to the Argonne Road and Trent Avenue intersection. “That’s probably the worst,” said Valley resident Ivan Beacham. “You always get stuck behind trains.”

Fortunately, that jam should be fixed in 1996 by the opening of the Argonne underpass. The completed underpass should thin congestion at the intersection.

According to county public works spokesman Chad Hutson, the excavation process is on schedule, and should be completed next March. The underpass should open next fall.

Rocky Lee said another long wait happens at Bowdish and Sprague. “That doggone light is as long as my grandmother’s arm,” Lee said.

John Ward said he doesn’t mind a wait. What he doesn’t like is having his bumper nearly grazed off by speeding cars. His vote for worst intersection goes to Highway 27 and 32nd Avenue.

There are stop signs on 32nd, but the highway has no lights or stop signs. Ward said drivers on 32nd don’t have a prayer crossing the highway.

“It’s pretty much uncontrolled, and they do 55,” he said.

Although he named it second to the aforementioned Trent and Argonne crossing, Adam Beer’s addition to the rogues gallery of intersections is Pines Road and Valleyway. Again, it’s a matter of a busy arterial with no signs or lights. Valleyway has a stop, but not Pines.

“There’s so much traffic there you can’t cross,” Beer said.

Donna Williams said her peeve is Bowdish and 16th. The problem there, she said, isn’t engineering. It’s the drivers.

“It’s a four-way stop, but nobody does,” Williams said.

One stop on Pines folks said is both busy and annoying is its Interstate 90 interchange. Tracy Tincup said she once had to get out of her car to help a stranded driver there. A lady was trying to get on the eastbound freeway on-ramp, but turned prematurely. She couldn’t get back onto Pines.

“It gets confusing,” Tincup said. “She was in the turn lane that wasn’t the freeway at all.”

Road work ahead

If your commute covers I-90 between Pines Road and the Idaho state line, expect delays starting next week.

Works crews will begin repaving lanes in both directions starting Aug. 14. Traffic lanes of the 10-mile stretch of freeway will be closed at varying times, so keep your eyes peeled for signs and road workers.

The work, which will cost $1.3 million, is scheduled to take 45 days to complete.

, DataTimes