IdahoLawmakersApplaud
'Ridge Route* for Road
NAMPA—Sen. Frank Church
and Idaho congressional representatives
Grade Pfost and
Hamer Budge toured the proposed
"ridge route" for the interstate
highway through the
Boise Valley Wednesday and
expressed enthusiasm lor the
proposed route at a luncheon at
the Homestead given for Boise
valley mayors and Chamber of
Commerce directors by the
Nampa Real Estate board.
Senator Church told luncheon
guests that "there always is the
possibility that the shortest distance
between two points will
be utilized in federal projects
unless genuine interest and concern
is manifested by the peoples
in the areas affected."
The senator termed the
"ridge route" proposal "a com
mendable one from a practical
standpoint" which he 'said included
such factors as land
values, farm values and economy.
Budge commended the Nanv
pa Shamber of Commerce committee
and the mayors and committee
members attending from
other towns saying, "This is another
example of America as
America should operate, at the
local level and not everything
stemming from Washington."
"Decisions should be made
where the people are going to
be affected by the decisions
made," Budge said.
Mrs. Pfost commented on the
scenic aspects of the "ridge
route." "The proposed route
would give tourists and others:
a view of the entire Boise val-
Jey from the Owyhees, the Boise
foothills to the Sawtooths.
Mrs. Pfost said, "I agree with
the other two congressional
representatives here today that
it is important that we should
personally view the route you
want across the Boise valley in
order that your views may be
carried back to Washington."
Ernest Schoen, president of
the Nampa Real Estate board
was master of ceremonies at
the luncheon. Schoen said that
Senator Dworshak had informed
him that a previous
commitment in the Rupert area
had made it impossible for him
to attend the luncheon.
John Brandt, spokesman for
the Nampa Chamber of Commerce
highways committee,
Chet Jamison, committee chairman,
and Harmon Ryan, chamber
director, told those attending
the luncheon that there
would be four points favoring
the ridge route through the
Boise valley.
(1) The center of population
is in this area of the valley and
the road could be used as a local
"travel road, (2) .The proposed
road would be best from an
economical standpoint requiring
-up' of .less good
farm land. (3) The scenic view
of the route would show off
the entire Boise valley and (4)
The high land would make a
good road bed.
Also present at the luncheon
were Nampa Mayor Thomas
Leupp, Caldwell Mayor Ed Sim-merman,
Mayor Don Storey of
Meridian, Rep. George L. Crook-ham,
Leo J. Mason, former
Caldwell mayor and former
Caldwell Mayor Mel Bettis,
chairman of the highway and
roads committee for the Caldwell
Chamber of Commerce.
At tlhe luncheon the following
tentative route for the pro
posed '"ridge route" was outlined:
The route will start either
north or south of the Boise
airport and follow a half section
line a half mile south of
Orchard avenue and then would
continue straight west until it
came up on high ground approximately
twcs miles west of
the Meridia.n-Kuna road This
would be a tall© south of the
present highway 30 coming into
Nampa, The road would follow
down the section line until it
reached a point about three-quarters
of a mile east of highway
30 then angle northwest
for two miles at a point a half
mile north of the Nampa state
school and a quarter mile north
of the Amalgamated Sugar factory
in Nampa. The road would
continue to follow down the
ridge at a northwest angle until
it reached a point at Caldwell
where it would join highway 20
approximately at the Silver Bell
hotel.
The road would not go
through Nampa but go north
land with the amount of build-of
the city through pasture
ings to be moved kept at a
minimum.
THURSDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 24, 1957 Page Thirteen
* - • • . -w • • -<wxr. - . >: - "• -. . •; .
NAMPA — Attending the Wednesday noon luncheon of the Nampa Real Estate board following
an inspection of the proposed "ridge route' fo the interstate highway through the
Boise, valley were left to right, Sen Frank Church; Ed Simmerman, Mayor of Cabiweli;
Rep, uraae I lost; Nampa Mayor Thomas Eenpp; Rep. Hamer Budge, and lion Storey,
_____ Mayor of Meridian.
