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There is no published standing detour for the SH-44 widening between SH-16 and Star Road. Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) expects the highway to stay open with traffic shifts and, during daytime work, at least one lane in each direction. Overnight lane closures or flagging may occur. Plan each trip from the live conditions for your travel date and direction: check Idaho 511, read the latest SH-44 project updates, follow work-zone signs and flaggers, and allow extra time.
What is being built on SH-44?
The project widens State Highway 44 between State Highway 16 and Star Road to five lanes. The scope includes a new center turn lane, replacement of the roadway surface, connections to pedestrian pathways on the south side, and utility relocation. ITD says construction is expected to begin in fall 2026 and finish in fall or winter 2027; those are estimated project dates, not a promise that every stage will follow the same traffic pattern throughout the period. See the official SH-44 Widening: SH-16 to Star Road page for current notices and maps.
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| Item | What ITD currently states |
|---|---|
| Project limits | SH-16 to Star Road |
| Finished roadway | Five lanes, including a center turn lane |
| Other work | Roadway resurfacing, south-side pedestrian-path connections and utility relocation |
| Estimated schedule | Fall 2026 start; completion in fall or winter 2027 |
| General closure expectation | No full closures of SH-44 are anticipated for this project |
The schedule and traffic arrangement can change as crews move between stages. Treat the project page and Idaho 511 as the controlling sources for a particular trip rather than relying on a map or a previous drive.
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Is SH-44 closed between SH-16 and Star Road?
ITD does not anticipate a full closure of SH-44 for this widening project. During expected daytime work, at least one lane in each direction should remain open. That does not mean the normal lane, turn movement or intersection layout will remain available. Traffic can be shifted, narrowed or controlled by flaggers, and some nighttime work may require an overnight lane closure.
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What “one lane in each direction” means in practice
- You should generally be able to continue through the work zone in both directions during daytime operations.
- The open lane may be moved to the opposite side of the roadway while crews work on the other side.
- Turns, merge points, signal timing and sight lines can differ from the usual arrangement.
- A night closure or short-duration control can apply even when daytime traffic normally passes.
- Local business access is expected to remain open, but the available entrance or turning movement can vary by stage.
ITD describes four traffic shifts when work occurs on one side of the road, with traffic moved to the opposite side of the active work area. This is an operational expectation for the project, not a guarantee that every shift will use the same limits or dates. Read the signs at the site and obey the person directing traffic.
Build a trip-specific plan before you leave
A useful detour plan starts with the exact date, time, direction and destination of your trip. Because the project page does not name a permanent alternate route, do not copy a route from an old social-media post, a printed map or a previous closure notice without checking that it still applies.
- Set the travel window. Note whether you will pass between SH-16 and Star Road during daytime construction, overnight work or a weekend. Night work is the period most likely to involve a lane closure or flagging.
- Check live restrictions. Open the Idaho 511 website or the 511 mobile app immediately before departure. Look for incidents, work-zone restrictions, lane closures, delays and the direction affected.
- Read the project notice. Review the latest information on the SH-44 project page. Match the notice to your travel date; a notice describing one stage should not be treated as a year-long condition.
- Check for alerts. ITD lists project email or text updates and the text keyword
44WIDENING. The project phone number listed by ITD is208-261-2443. Use these channels for project information, while using 511 for conditions affecting the immediate trip. - Allow a time margin. Add time for reduced speeds, a queue at a flagger, a changed signal or a missed turn. The amount depends on the live delay, so use 511 rather than a made-up fixed allowance.
- Choose an alternate only when it is current. If 511 or a current ITD notice identifies a closure and an alternate, compare that option with the work-zone route for your direction and time. If no official alternate is posted, continue on the signed route unless conditions or a local official direct you elsewhere.
How to use Idaho 511 for this project
511 is the place to verify conditions that can change after a project page is published. Check it on the day of travel and again before leaving if your trip begins several hours later.
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What to verify
- Location: confirm that the alert is on SH-44 between SH-16 and Star Road, rather than on another nearby segment.
- Direction: determine whether the restriction affects your direction, the opposite direction or both.
- Timing: note start and end times, including whether an overnight closure crosses midnight.
- Control type: distinguish a lane shift, flagging operation, full short-term closure or an advisory delay.
- Access: check any note about intersections, driveways or business entrances if your destination lies inside the work area.
Use the map and notice together. A colored line or delay icon can show where a problem is reported, while the text supplies the time window and restrictions. If the map and a roadside sign appear to conflict, slow down and follow the sign or flagger; report the discrepancy through the official ITD channel rather than improvising a movement.
When an alternate route is actually justified
With one daytime lane expected in each direction, the signed SH-44 route may be the simplest option for many trips. An alternate becomes more attractive when an official notice shows a closure during your travel window, 511 reports a queue that threatens an appointment, your vehicle or load cannot safely negotiate the temporary alignment, or you need an entrance that is temporarily inaccessible.
Compare alternatives using the same five questions
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Does it match your direction? | A route suitable for one direction may not be signed or practical in the other. |
| Does it fit the time window? | A route based on a night closure is unnecessary if the closure ends before you arrive. |
| Which intersections are affected? | An alternate can still feed into the same controlled intersection or work zone. |
| Can you reach the needed destination access? | Businesses are expected to remain accessible, but the usable driveway or turn can change. |
| What does 511 show now? | Live delay information is more reliable for the trip than an old estimate. |
Only an active ITD or 511 notice can establish a project-specific alternate. The SH-44 widening page does not provide a general detour route, so listing a named road as the default detour would be misleading.
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Account for separate SH-16 construction
Work on SH-16 is a separate project with its own occasional closures, delays, nighttime work and flagging. A trip that approaches the SH-44 work through the SH-16 intersection can be affected by both projects. Check the SH-16 Construction page as well as the SH-44 page and 511.
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ITD has issued time-limited detours for individual SH-16 closures. Those routes apply only to the dates, locations and directions stated in the specific notice. They are not a standing detour for the SH-44 widening. When two notices overlap, compare each notice’s limits and timing before choosing a route; do not assume that an SH-16 detour bypasses the SH-44 work.
Do not rely on the May 2026 traffic-shift notice
An ITD notice dated May 21, 2026 described a traffic shift between Short Road and Moyle Avenue beginning May 26 and said the resulting layout was expected to remain through late summer. That notice is historical. It should not be used to describe the lane arrangement on a later trip.
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The notice is still useful as a planning lesson: a traffic shift can take several days to install, and signals, barriers and striping may be changed in sequence. For current conditions, use the date-specific information on 511, the project page and roadside signs. ITD also published a separate August 10, 2026 notice about a major shift at the SH-16/SH-44 intersection; read that notice for its own dates and limits rather than treating its wording as a permanent configuration.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Driving through an active traffic shift
Before entering the work zone
- Reduce speed early enough to avoid hard braking behind a queue.
- Move into the lane indicated by signs and pavement markings; do not wait until a taper ends.
- Have your destination and any needed business entrance identified before you reach the work area.
- Leave extra following distance because vehicles may stop for a flagger or merge.
At a flagger or temporary signal
- Stop at the marked location when directed, even if the road appears clear.
- Proceed only when the flagger or signal gives you the right of way.
- Do not pass a stopped vehicle, barrier or line of traffic to reach a turn.
- Expect the opposite direction to use the same pavement during a shift.
At a changed turn or driveway
A center turn lane is part of the finished design, but construction-stage access can differ before that work is complete. If a sign closes a turn, continue to the next signed opening rather than crossing a barrier or entering the active work area. For a business visit, call the business if you need confirmation of the currently usable entrance; do not assume that an unchanged-looking driveway is open.
Planning by trip type
Daily commuters
Check 511 before the first trip of the day and again before the return trip. A daytime lane shift may be manageable in the morning but a nighttime closure or a separate SH-16 incident can affect the evening. Keep the current ITD alert page available so you can verify a change without relying on memory from the previous day.
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Business deliveries and service calls
Confirm the delivery window and the entrance that the customer expects you to use. The project expectation is that local business access remains open, but the practical approach can change with each stage. Allow time to reach a legal turnaround or the next open entrance; never unload from a live lane or inside a signed work area.
Appointments with a fixed arrival time
Use 511 to check delay information before leaving and build a buffer based on the current queue. If a closure notice covers your appointment window, use only the alternate route identified by that current notice or ask the destination for a route that matches the posted conditions. A route that worked during a prior shift may not work during the next one.
Walking or bicycling near the project
The project includes connections to pedestrian pathways on the south side, but construction can temporarily change how those connections are reached. Follow temporary pedestrian signs and barriers rather than entering the vehicle work area. Check the current project notice for any stated pathway restriction before starting a trip.
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- Do not stop in a travel lane to re-plan. Continue to a safe, legal place outside the work zone before checking 511.
- Follow the immediate control. A flagger, temporary signal or closure sign governs the movement at that location.
- Recheck the destination approach. A delay on SH-44 may be separate from a closure at SH-16, so identify which project is causing the problem.
- Use an official alternate. If 511 or an ITD notice gives one, follow its direction, timing and limits. If none is provided, remain on the signed route or postpone the trip rather than choosing an unverified neighborhood cut-through.
- Allow for the return trip. Conditions can differ by direction and by time of day; check again before heading back.
A reusable checklist
- Travel date, departure time and direction written down.
- Destination entrance or turn identified.
- Idaho 511 checked immediately before departure.
- Latest SH-44 project update read.
- SH-16 project information checked if your trip uses that intersection.
- Any closure or alternate matched to the exact date, time and direction.
- Extra time allowed for a queue, flagger or temporary signal.
- Current signs and flaggers treated as the final instruction at the roadway.
What to remember
Plan around the conditions that apply when you will actually drive. The SH-44 widening is expected to keep one daytime lane open in each direction and does not currently have a published permanent detour, but traffic shifts, nighttime closures and changing turns are possible. Verify the route on 511, read the current ITD notices for both SH-44 and nearby SH-16 work, and follow the work-zone control in front of you.
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