BOX ELDER, S.D. – Drivers in Box Elder may have noticed traffic counters recently removed from several busy intersections, but city officials say major transportation improvements are still in the planning stages.
The city collected traffic data earlier this month at four intersections along Radar Hill Road, Cheyenne Boulevard, Elk Vale Road and Highway 14-16. The information will help guide future roadway designs as Box Elder prepares for continued growth tied to Ellsworth Air Force Base and the surrounding region.
City Engineer Scott Lange says federal funding has been secured to design improvements for Highway 14-16, Radar Hill Road to the airport, and a new east-west arterial along Cheyenne Boulevard. However, the design process alone could take up to two years because of environmental reviews, FEMA requirements, and floodplain challenges along Box Elder Creek.
Lange says transportation is now the city’s biggest infrastructure priority, while water and wastewater systems are already in good shape. Plans call for sidewalks and multi-use trails along all three corridors.
In the meantime, new traffic signals near Exit 67 and at Elk Vale Road and Mall Drive are expected to begin construction next year. Officials say progress may seem slow, but projects are moving forward as funding becomes available.
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