UPDATE: SH-53 Pleasant View Interchange now to fully open Monday

HAUSER - UPDATE: There has been a change in plans for the opening of the new Pleasant View Interchange on State Highway 53. The interchange will now fully open Monday, Sept. 28, with all associated traffic changes taking effect the same day. There will be no traffic pattern changes Friday as previously announced.

Following additional coordination, the Idaho Transportation Department determined the safest and most efficient way to transition traffic into the new configuration is to make all major changes at the same time rather than phase them over several weeks.

The previously announced overnight closure of SH-53 will still take place starting at 8 p.m. tonight through early Friday morning, Sept. 25, as crews paint final roadway markings. Traffic will be detoured overnight via McGuire Road and Prairie Avenue.

Starting Monday, Sept. 28, the following changes will take effect: (Photo)

• The new Pleasant View Interchange will fully open to traffic.
• Access between Prairie Avenue and SH-53 will permanently close.
• Access between McGuire Road and SH-53 will permanently close.
• The temporary traffic signal at Prairie Avenue and SH-53 will be removed.
• All traffic in the area will use the new interchange to access SH-53 or cross the highway and adjacent BNSF railroad tracks.

Also starting Monday, crews will begin realigning the Prairie Avenue and Beck Road intersection into a smooth curve to connect the two as a single, continuous road. This section will be closed for up to a week as work is completed, with traffic detoured to Seltice Way.

Drivers should expect crews, traffic control and flaggers throughout the area Monday as the transition takes place and should pay close attention to roadside signs and digital message boards.

"We're excited to reach this major milestone and fully open the new interchange to traffic," Project Manager James Dorman said. "While there is still work to be done, we appreciate the community's continued patience and commitment to driving safely."

Construction began in late 2024, and the completed improvements will provide safer, more consistent travel through the area by allowing for safer merging, eliminating cross traffic at several locations and eliminating wait times at railroad crossings through use of the new overpass bridge.

For some drivers, the new configuration will mean traveling farther than they do today to reach the new interchange. While those trips may be less direct, consolidating traffic at the new interchange eliminates several conflict points and provides a safer, more predictable route through the area.

The permanent closure of the Prairie Avenue and McGuire Road crossings is part of the Federal Railroad Administration grant awarded to ITD in 2023. The grant program was created to improve safety at rail crossings and reduce conflicts between trains and vehicles. Closing these crossings will eliminate locations where vehicles and trains currently cross paths.

Once these key construction activities are complete, crews will continue finishing drainage and landscaping work into spring 2027, when the project is scheduled for full completion. Most of this work will take place along the shoulders and away from through traffic, resulting in only minor impacts for drivers and the surrounding community.

ITD appreciates drivers' patience and encourages motorists to slow down and use caution when traveling through all work zones.

Visit the SH-53 Pleasant View interchange project page for more information. For statewide traffic information, visit , dial 511 or download the Idaho 511 app to any smart device.