BONNERS FERRY — It's fair to say there are as many ideas on how to improve safety on U.S. 95 as there are drivers using the roadway.

Residents, businesses, and travelers can learn more about safety along the highway corridor between Ponderay and the Canadian border at an open-house-style event on Friday.

The event will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. at Bonners Ferry High School, 6485 Tamarack Lane.

“This highway is essential to daily life in Boundary and Bonner counties,” District 1 Engineer Ryan Hawkins said. “People who drive it every day know where the challenges are. Hearing those perspectives helps us better understand local concerns and identify areas that may deserve closer attention as we plan and prioritize our work.”

The event is a partnership between the Idaho Transportation Department, Idaho State Police and the Office of Highway Safety to better understand local experiences on this stretch of roadway, said Heather McDaniel, ITD public information officer. The goal is to work with the community to provide education on ongoing safety efforts and initiatives, and to identify practical steps — whether through engineering improvements, driver education, or law enforcement support — that can reduce crashes and improve safety for everyone who uses the corridor.

The workshop will feature information on current and future projects, educational materials from ITD, ISP, and OHS, and large maps for attendees to identify areas of concern. Staff will be available for one-on-one conversations and to answer questions from the community. Families are welcome, with children’s activities available while parents participate in the event.

Attendees can expect an open-house-style format that highlights everything from crash data and traffic trends along the corridor to planned ITD projects currently under development. Information will also include insights from the ISP on enforcement efforts, needs, and priorities, as well as resources from the Idaho Office of Highway Safety.

With no formal presentation, area residents can drop in at their convenience during the workshop hours.

"We'll be on hand to answer questions and get feedback from folks," McDaniel said.

While the workshop offers a chance for state officials to provide updates on long-term plans and possible highway improvement projects, the pair said much of the workshop’s value comes from ideas and suggestions from those attending.

It often surprises attendees that high-level agency officials are not only present but actively engaged in talking with residents to learn how to make the state’s roadways as safe and drivable as possible.

"I think there's this perspective that how state agencies work is a mystery — what we do," McDaniel said. “So, taking that opportunity to educate on what those responsibilities are, how we approach eating an elephant, so to speak. There is also so much value in getting the perspective of the people who live in these communities and who are using the roads every day.”

Hawkins and McDaniel encouraged all residents to attend, learn from the information presented and take advantage of the opportunity to ask questions and share comments and concerns.

"The benefit to coming in person is that you get access to the people who are there to ask questions and do all that kind of stuff," McDaniel said. "So we really encourage people to come in person if they can, but we will do our best to make all the same information accessible online."

Community members who cannot attend in person can view identical information and share comments online through the workshop website. A public comment period will run from Jan. 30 to Feb. 13 to gather community feedback, which is shared among agencies and used to help shape ongoing regional safety strategies and corridor planning.

The impetus for the open house comes from conversations with Idaho Sen. Jim Woodward, who reached out to ITD after hearing from constituents about corridor safety issues.

Woodward's outreach allowed the agency to set up the workshop and connect area residents with agency experts.

"We really appreciate the opportunity to get involved and we appreciate the senator's involvement to help bring everyone to the table so we can do the work that we're out here with the goal to do," McDaniel said.

That collaboration allowed the department to set up an event targeting a “really comprehensive approach” on safety issues along the corridor from a holistic perspective, McDaniel and Hawkins said.

"It's very easy, it feels like in today's world, to just tell people what you're concerned about," McDaniel said. "It is really just a great opportunity to have a face-to-face conversation with the community, to hear their perspectives of what they're facing."

It also gives residents a chance to hear directly from experts and those in charge. Because it is an open-house style event, there won’t be any formal presentations, opening the door to conversations between residents and those in charge of highway safety — and giving officials a chance to learn from those who drive U.S. 95 daily about what is working, what could be improved and more.

An example is driver’s education — whether Idaho is properly preparing its young drivers and those new to the state. Another might be lighting at busy intersections, as well as long-term projects identified in the department’s long-range plans, McDaniel said.

"What would it cost to move some vegetation or some trees to kind of clear up an intersection?" she said. "I think that's part of what we're hoping to accomplish, just getting that perspective from people who are driving it every day."

For more information, visit bit.ly/4bqGkkp.