New US 12 interchange on US 95

[splashflash]

New Aht'wy Interchange set to open, enhancing safety at US95 and 12

" That little segment of highway on Highway 95 in Idaho was marked as the most dangerous segment of road in the state of Idaho," Nez Perce Tribe Transportation Manager Mary Beth Clark said.

"The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Highways Administration are also involved. In 2020, the tribe received the BUILD grant from the federal highways administration to help jump-start construction."

"The new four-lane interchange will allow drivers to make turns without crossing traffic or causing traffic behind to stop by using the bridge ramps to exit or enter the highway.

" There are on and off ramps, so it alleviates that left hand turn which most of those crashes that have happened have been left hand turns out of that area," Clark said.


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-aht-wy-interchange-set-to-open-enhancing-safety-at-us95-and-12/ar-AA1qmxMD

[NE2]

It's a new interchange on the 12/95 overlap...

[pderocco]

I happened to tank up there about a year ago, and it was a bit nerve wracking pulling back into eastbound traffic.

If there's a diamond only at the east end of Nez Perce, they're still going to be seeing accidents at the west end, or the middle by the casino. It makes me wonder why they didn't put the diamond by the casino.

[NE2]

If there's a diamond only at the east end of Nez Perce, they're still going to be seeing accidents at the west end, or the middle by the casino. It makes me wonder why they didn't put the diamond by the casino.

Presumably the median opening at the west end will be closed.

[JREwing78]

If there's a diamond only at the east end of Nez Perce, they're still going to be seeing accidents at the west end, or the middle by the casino. It makes me wonder why they didn't put the diamond by the casino.

Presumably the median opening at the west end will be closed.

That would make the most sense. There's not much room to work with on the west end; they would have to bring US-12/95 slightly inward away from the Clearwater River and overpass Nez Perce Rd to allow traffic to head eastbound on US-12/95. It would also invite a lot of weaving between the two ends.

There's sufficient room for J-turns to cover the left turns to and from the west end. Implementing more of them on the US-12/95 section east of Lewiston would be a good safety upgrade for the area. AADT is well under 20,000 vehicles per day, so the highway isn't overloaded. The lack of access control (and corresponding expectation of an open roadway) has much to do with the accident problems here.