Traffic signals on SH-54 near Athol will slow commutes next week

Drivers on SH-54 near Athol were warned to expect delays at two locations as temporary traffic signals and single-lane traffic narrowed the corridor. The Idaho Transportation Department said the backups were most likely during busy travel times, when commuters, freight and summer traffic move through northern Kootenai County.

The slowdown was tied to the broader SH-54 Reconstruction from Spirit Lake to Athol, a project that will fully rebuild the existing highway between the two towns. ITD says the work will add wider shoulders, new turn lanes and illumination across the corridor, changes meant to handle traffic better as the road is rebuilt in stages.

The Athol area has already been under steady construction pressure. ITD said in March 2025 that work was set to begin on the stretch from State Highway 41 to Greystone Road near Athol after tree removal and utility relocation were mostly complete. Earlier, on May 14, 2024, the department said it had started improving the ride on SH-54 east of Athol by adding a thin layer of pavement to the outside lanes to smooth driving.

The corridor also carried a long-term detour through Farragut State Park beginning in February 2026, with ITD saying that route would last until July. Taken together, the signal changes near Athol were part of the same multi-phase effort stretching from Spirit Lake through Athol and toward Farragut, not an isolated traffic adjustment.

ITD’s news index said temporary traffic signals and lane reductions were causing delays on SH-54 between Athol and Spirit Lake, underscoring that the slowdown came from active construction rather than a routine signal timing change. For drivers who use the route daily, the practical impact was straightforward: more stop-and-go travel, longer trip times and a stronger need to build in extra time on a highway that has been under repeated work for more than two years.