Are the roads in Idaho ever closed because of weather? (Boise: home, to buy)

[goldpolkadots]

Hello
My family is still undecided as to what area of Idaho to move to, and we were wondering if there are certain areas where the roads are never well kept or plowed (because of snow). What towns? What roads?

[Torrie]

Not here in Boise-Metro. Of course if it's unsafe to drive it will get out into the media and they will recommend that you not go out unless you have to but it would be very unusual for them to close a rode.

[usafracer]

The interstates get shut down in eastern idaho and hwy 20 gets closed some times in the winter I am not sure about the northern part of the state but sw idaho rarely gets closed I have only seen it once in the 5 years that I have been here.

[Sage of Sagle]

Here in the north, they get on the roads early and often. County maintained roads (including dirt) are plowed at least 3x a day on school days (we don't do "snow days" here....you just get to the bus stop and go to school period).

So if you want to buy a really rural parcel, you'll likely be off a plowed road and you'll find yourself wanting for a tractor with back blade or skip loader.

[goldpolkadots]

thanks for all your comments

[Lacerta]

The freeway going across southern Idaho (I-84 / I-86) does get closed occasionally. Less so in recent years, since we haven't been getting as much snow overall, but it gets closed because the wind blows the snow across the road in drifts faster than it can be cleared away. I haven't needed to drive it much in the last few years, but in my college years in the late 90's, I did sometimes have to put off coming home from Utah in the winter, as the roads were closed.

Idaho has a lot of mountain roads, and they do get closed in the wintertime, some of them often, and a few are closed every winter. I don't make it into the outlying areas very often, so I can't tell you which ones. If you had any particular areas you were thinking of, I'm sure there is someone on here who can be more specific.

[FunkyPioneer]

It seems the roads are rarely closed but rarely plowed, at least in the towns smaller than the Boise area. In my town they plow two main roads and the highway, the rest of the roads are pretty much a sheet of ice all winter. makes for fun driving, LOL. Its not terrible if you get studded tires. I'm speaking of the South eastern portion of the state. ;0)

[fudderduds]

I would probably stay away from the mountain areas. McCall, Cascade, Sun Valley area, and Stanley which is the "coldest place in the lower 48" according to Associated Press.

Even here in the Rural section of the Boise Metro area (Middleton, Emmett, Star) the roads are VERY rarely closed. However here in Emmett, they are also rarely plowed on time....or sanded....or de-iced. Gem County Transportation kinda sucks...but the rest of Gem is nice.