Big changes could come to McCall streets. ‘This is what people would want’

Big changes could come to McCall streets. ‘This is what people would want’

The Idaho 55 corridor through downtown McCall would be overhauled with sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and center turn lanes under plans aired last week to the McCall City Council.

If built, the plans would establish nearly three miles of continuous sidewalk and pathway along the highway through city limits, including segments that are already in place.

The plans are being developed by the City of McCall and the Idaho Transportation Department amid an effort to create a highway bypass of the city’s downtown.

Deinhard Lane and Boydstun Street – two existing city streets – would become the official Idaho 55 route if an agreement is reached between the city and ITD. In exchange, the city would take ownership of Third Street and Lake Street, which make up the existing Idaho 55 route through downtown McCall.

The agencies are currently creating preliminary designs for improvements needed along each corridor. Most of the improvements identified are along Third Street and Lake Street, which are currently owned by ITD.

It has not been determined which improvements – if any – would be required for the agencies to swap ownership of the corridors and designate the highway bypass, said Jill Youmans, an ITD spokesperson.

The preliminary designs were developed based on right-of-way constraints and more than 100 comments collected during a public meeting last August.

“It’s kind of aspirational,” Youmans said. “This is what people would want. We heard very loud and clear, both us and the City of McCall, in our public meetings.”

The preliminary designs that were presented to city council will be presented during a public meeting on Oct. 20 at the McCall Public Library from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. A recording of the presentation given to the council is available here.

Final designs are expected by 2028, but construction timelines depend on funding. There is not currently an estimated cost of construction.

The main purpose of the proposed improvements is to reduce traffic and congestion in downtown McCall while also improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety, said Heidi Carter of Horrocks Engineers, the firm hired to complete the preliminary designs.

Third Street improvements

Most of the improvements outlined in the study involve adding sidewalks, curb and gutter, bicycle lanes, and parallel parking on Third Street and Lake Street.

The conceptual plans show a continuous center turn lane from Deinhard Lane to Colorado Street, with bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and a curb and gutter added on each side of Third Street.

Between Floyde Street and Colorado Street, parallel parking would be added on the east side of Third Street.

Sidewalks and bicycle lanes between Colorado Street and First Street would likely remain mostly the same as they are today, though McCall Public Works Director Nathan Stewart said some changes could be made as designs are further developed.

One change that is being studied is removing parallel parking in some places to improve sightlines for turning drivers.

“If any of you have traveled these intersections, you realize if a delivery truck parks in that one parking spot that’s right closest to the intersection, it’s really hard to see,” Stewart said. “We have to start addressing those safety concerns.”

Lake Street improvements

On Lake Street, sidewalks would be built on the south side of the highway from near Albertsons, where the sidewalk currently ends, to Mather Road. At some points, the sidewalk would tie into existing pathways along Lake Street, including one across from Rotary Park.

A center turn lane would be added from Second Street to Mission Street, but could end between Mission Street and Mather Road to allow space for stormwater drainage, according to the plans.

Across Lardo Bridge, sidewalks would continue on both sides of the road. Diagonal parking currently in front of Shore Lodge would be converted to on-street parallel parking.

At Warren Wagon Road, a crosswalk across Lake Street would be added to consolidate the sidewalks on the north side of the highway. The sidewalk would end at Boydstun Street.

New stoplight among bypass improvements

Designs are also being developed for improvements sought by ITD for Deinhard Lane and Boydstun Street. That work, however, is mostly limited to intersection improvements on each end of the route.

A stoplight would be installed at the intersection of Boydstun Street and Lake Street, along with turn lanes from each direction.

Initial analysis by the city and ITD also determined stoplights could be warranted at other intersections in the city, including Third Street’s intersections with Railroad Avenue, Colorado Street and Park Street.

However, Stewart said a more in-depth study is needed to determine if adding stoplights would really improve traffic flows and congestion.

“It’s easy to get the data that says there’s enough vehicular traffic that could warrant a traffic signal,” he said. “The bigger question is, ‘what are the negative consequences of that signal.’”

The intersection of Deinhard Lane and Idaho 55 would stay mostly the same, but with a sweeping, separated turn lane for vehicles turning right onto southbound Idaho 55.

Sidewalks would also be built along part of the proposed bypass route, including from West Valley Road to Mission Street.

Deinhard S-curve expected to remain

No changes are proposed to an S-curve in Deinhard Lane at the southern boundary of the McCall Municipal Airport’s runway, with the exception of wider shoulders.

ITD previously sought to straighten the curve out to allow for a higher speed limit, but the Federal Aviation Administration showed little appetite for any changes to the road alignment, as Valley Lookout reported.

Youmans said the agency’s preferred plan was refined in alignment with the FAA’s interests and that ITD continues to work with the federal agency on what improvements could be allowed within the airport’s Runway Protection Zone.

“ITD desires a higher speed route (45mph) but is willing to allow a 25mph segment near the fire station, which will allow the fire station to remain fully intact,” she said. “Minor improvements will be made to the existing curve that will help with winter run-offs and off tracking of oversized loads.”

The bypass concept has been under study by ITD and the city since 2020. An initial study of the project was completed in 2021, and since 2023, the agencies have been working to complete a more detailed study funded by a $2.9 million federal grant.

The number of vehicles passing through downtown McCall on Idaho 55 increased over the last 20 years from about 8,800 per day to 11,000 per day, according to data in the 2021 bypass study.