WASHINGTON— Today, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson wrote an op-ed highlighting the importance of Community Project Funding and its role in providing critical support for Idaho’s Second Congressional District. One such priority is reconstructing Eagle Road to meet growing economic development needs and increase safety for the people in Fort Hall, Idaho. 

Reconstructing Eagle Road in Fort Hall is Essential 

By Rep. Mike Simpson  

The full op-ed is available below.   

I think we can all agree that a safe and efficient transportation system is the backbone of a community.  But this kind of infrastructure is expensive, and local governments often struggle to foot the bill of building the systems needed to create jobs, grow the economy, and build strong communities.  In these cases, communities need a state or federal partner to share the cost of a project that supports the viability of the entire community.  The Community Project Funding (CPF) program can provide the needed seed money to get these projects off the ground. One such project that I am proud to support is the Eagle Road Reconstruction Project on the Fort Hall Reservation.   

Eagle Road runs through a main area of economic development for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes on the Fort Hall Reservation and connects the tribal government offices to the people they serve.  It is the main access road for the only grocery store in Fort Hall, as well as the gas station and the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel.  Eagle Road also serves the traveling public as an alternate route when traffic is diverted from Interstate 15.  Yet this essential artery isinadequate to meet the needs of the community.  It cannot support current traffic, much less accommodate the growth anticipated by several economic development projects currently underway along Eagle Road.  The road surface is cracked and breaking up in patches and has deteriorated to the point that it needs only a little more bad weather and heavy vehicle traffic to break up completely. 

Eagle Road also connects a low-income neighborhood to the rest of the reservation.  Many in this community don’t own vehicles and get around on foot or bike, and students walk to catch the early-morning bus at the south end of Eagle Road.  But Eagle Road is not set up to safely accommodate pedestrian and bike traffic.  Without sidewalks, bike lanes, and adequate lighting, children and adults have no choice but to walk on the roadway. 

Improving this essential transportation corridor will significantly increase the quality of life for tribal residents and improve economic vitality on the reservation.  That is why I am pleased to have secured funding through the CPF program for the Eagle Road Reconstruction Project.  This project will rebuild a vital portion of the failing roadway.  It will widen the lanes and provide needed storm drainage.  It will also develop the sidewalks, bike lanes, bus stop shelters, and designated crosswalks needed to make the community safer and more accessible for residents and visitors as they walk or bike through the Fort Hall Reservation.  The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes have already set aside more than a third of the project’s cost, and I’m proud to partner with them as it moves forward. 

Community leaders throughout Idaho work tirelessly to improve the quality of life for their residents by investing in safer roads, improved sewer systems, and affordable housing.  Without cost-sharing, however, investments like the Eagle Road Reconstruction Project cost too much for these communities to afford on their own.  Throughout my career I have worked to partner with local leaders through the CPF program so they can make these projects a reality.   

I deeply value the opportunity to listen to tribal leaders share about the challenges they face as they work to improve the lives of their members.  I consider it a privilege to support the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes as they promote economic development and improve community safety for their people.   

It is my responsibility to make sure that important projects in Idaho are given due consideration within the budget process.  When members of Congress fail to advocate for the things that matter in their own districts, that funding just goes to projects in a different state or to a federal agency to spend at its discretion.  Given the opportunity, I will always choose to bring Idaho tax dollars home to Idaho.