TRANSPORTATION – Repeals and adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding laying out of highways.

This Idaho bill (S 1144) updates highway improvement rules for county highway commissions. It requires that road widening, straightening, or new highway projects primarily benefit motorists (not pedestrians or cyclists), sets a minimum 50-foot right-of-way width, and prohibits reducing the width of major roads unless federal law requires it. The bill also limits pedestrian and bike facility improvements to secondary benefits or safety needs near schools/parks, and outlines procedures for acquiring private property for highway projects. It replaces an older law and takes effect July 1, 2025.