Highway 54 delays near Athol as new traffic signals begin
Temporary signals at two Highway 54 pinch points near Athol will slow morning and evening traffic as crews widen the corridor for the final phase of work.
Drivers on Highway 54 near Athol will run into a new bottleneck as temporary traffic signals go up just west of St. Joe Drive and at Mountain View Cemetery. The signals will control one open lane at a time around the clock, a setup that is expected to slow the morning and evening commute most of all.
The Idaho Transportation Department said the lane reductions are part of the larger SH-54 reconstruction between State Highway 41 and Greystone Road, the long rebuild that is restoring the corridor between Spirit Lake and Athol. Crews are widening sections of roadway that are too narrow to safely keep two-way traffic moving through the work zone, and the short-term delays come as the project moves deeper into its second and final construction season.
The agency said the work area will include intermittent flagging, construction vehicles entering and leaving the highway, and work on driveway approaches, culverts and roadway lighting. Adjacent land remains closed to pedestrians and recreational users, including bicyclists, motorbikes and ATVs, a restriction that has already been in place in earlier phases of the project.
The broader rebuild has been underway since late 2024, after utility relocations and tree removal cleared the way for construction. ITD says the finished highway will have wider shoulders, turn lanes, updated signage, lighting and delineators throughout the corridor. The full project is still expected to be completed in late 2026.
For Athol-area commuters, the most practical change is simple: leave extra time and avoid treating Highway 54 like a fast connector during peak hours. Morning trips toward Coeur d’Alene and evening returns through Kootenai County are the most likely to back up, especially when construction vehicles are active or flaggers hold traffic at the signals. Shoppers, summer visitors and travelers heading toward Spirit Lake should also expect slower access while the single-lane pattern is in place.
Idaho Transportation Department project updates have described the corridor rebuild as a two-phase effort, with the west half completed last year and the east side now carrying the heaviest traffic impacts. Drivers can check Idaho 511 for real-time maps, incident details, travel times and traffic cameras before they head out, a useful step for anyone trying to avoid getting stuck near Athol.
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