Interstate 184 Idaho

Overview

US 20/26 - Downtown Boise, ID — Three of the five westbound lanes along U.S. 20-26 (West Front Street) transitions onto the freeway viaduct leading out of Downtown Boise to Interstate 184 at Garden City. Photo by David Stybr (06/04/06).

Interstate 184 is the Boise Connector, a freeway spur east from I-84/U.S. 30 to the Boise city center. With as many as eight overall lanes, I-184 connects with a retail strip anchored by Boise Towne Square mall at Franklin Road and with U.S. 20/26 at the south end of Garden City. U.S. 20/26 extends the freeway 1.1 miles east from I-184 across the Boise River to the arterial couplet of Front and Myrtle Streets through Downtown Boise.

Mileage by State

Idaho

3.62 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

History

Boise, ID - 1976 — 1976 Idaho Official State Map showing Interstate 180N and previous alignments of U.S. 30 and State Highway 55.

The Boise Connector appeared on planning maps since the 1960s. The freeway opened east from Interstate 80N in December 1968.¹ It was approved as Interstate 180 by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) on June 30, 1970. Idaho Official Maps and various state maps printed in the 1970s showed I-180 as Interstate 180N in the 1970s, referencing Interstate 80N, the designation of I-84 prior to 1980. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved the renumbering of I-180 to Interstate 184 on October 13, 1979. The conversion of I-80N to I-84 was completed by July 1980. During this time period, Interstate 184 in Boise was also briefly signed as Business Loop I-84. Running along side U.S. 20 and U.S. 26 for a portion of its length, the business route was ultimately eliminated to reduce duplicative designations.

The viaduct system along the Boise Connector east from U.S. 20/26 (Chinden Boulevard) and the Boise River to Downtown was completed in August 1992. A $86 million project redesigned the interchange, "The Flying Wye" at the western end of I-184 between February 1999 and September 2004. Construction replaced a three-wye interchange with left side ramps with a multi level exchange. A three lane flyover was built from I-84 east to I-184 and separate ramps were added to and from Franklin Street to remove weaving traffic.^1,2

East End ‐ Boise, ID

East at

Interstate 184 drops below grade ahead of Orchard Street and the half diamond interchange (Exit 3) with Fairview Avenue. Fairview Avenue parallels along the north side of the six lane freeway. 08/09/16

West at

Overheads precede the U.S. 20/26 separation with Front Street at 13th Street and the freeway viaduct leading west to Interstate 184. 08/09/16

West End ‐ Boise, ID

West at

Two miles ahead of the directional T interchange (Exit 0) with I-84/U.S. 30 on I-184 westbound approaching Exit 1 B to Cole Road and Boise Town Square mall. 08/09/16

East at

I-84/U.S. 30 enter the city of Boise from Merdian two miles ahead of Exit 49 / Interstate 184. 08/09/16

West at

I-84/U.S. 30 bee line northwest from Boise Airport (BOI) toward Interstate 184 east to Downtown. ITD recorded 89,500 vehicles per day (vpd) on this stretch of eight lane freeway in 2017. 08/09/16

West End – Past Views

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

West at

Previous guide signs at the west end of I-184 used Ontario and Twin Falls for Interstate 84. 08/31/06

References

"Rebuilding the WYE interchange." Idaho Statesman (Boise), February 7, 1999.
"Speeds will return to normal near Wye." Idaho Statesman(Boise), September 5, 2004.

Updated August 28, 2019