POCATELLO — Nearly 10 years ago, Pocatello’s Center Street underpass was completely underwater.

The underpass flooded as the result of consistent heavy precipitation and a storm water drainage system that wasn’t functioning properly after being clogged by debris.

While the storm drainage system hasn’t caused the underpass to flood to that degree in recent years, Pocatello street department crews have consistently had to work to clear the drains to prevent it from happening.

Now, it appears those issues will be a thing of the past after the Pocatello Center Street Railroad Bridge Underpass Project received an earmarked amount of $5.7 million, which was included in the fiscal year 2023 omnibus package signed into law on Dec. 29, 2022.

According to a news release from U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, the project was included in the transportation, housing and urban development appropriations bill at his request.

“Congress undoubtedly has a spending problem, and as chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, I will continue to fight against excessive government spending. However, eliminating any one of the projects I requested through Community Project Funding would not have reduced federal spending by a single penny,” Simpson said in the news release. “That money would just have gone to another project in a different state or to a Biden-controlled federal agency. At the end of the day, I will always fight for Idahoans’ hard-earned tax dollars to come back to Idaho to make meaningful improvements to our wonderful state, as this project in Pocatello does.”

For the Pocatello Center Street Railroad Bridge Underpass Project, Congressman Simpson secured $5.7 million in funding to make needed repairs to modernize the Center Street underpass and ensure the safety of the city’s 10,000 drivers and pedestrians who use it every day.

The funds will be used to repair the abutments, sidewalk and retaining walls on the underpass’ pedestrian tunnel, upgrade the underpass’ roadway and pedestrian lighting, and, most importantly, modify the existing storm water system.

City spokesperson Marlise Irby said a timeline for the improvement project has not yet been determined, primarily because the omnibus package was only just signed into law last month and the city has not yet been notified as to when it will receive the earmarked money necessary to begin the work.

“The Center Street underpass is the primary entrance to the heart of downtown Pocatello,” Simpson said in the news release. “Modernizing this infrastructure is essential not only for the city’s transportation system, but also for its economic and community development. I’m proud to support a project that will improve the experience of thousands of residents in Pocatello.”

Though Simpson successfully advocated for the Center Street underpass project to be included in the Community Project Funding program, he didn’t actually vote in favor of the omnibus package including the needed funding signed into law last month.

When asked for a comment about his decision to not vote in favor of the omnibus bill, Simpson’s communications director Nikki Wallace said, “Unfortunately, the bill became too partisan and Democrats put too many things inside the bill that Congressman Simpson could not support. But his vote had nothing to do with his support for the Center Street project or the other projects he fought for.”

Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad is thankful Simpson advocated for the project.

“When we first met with Congressman Simpson about the need to modernize the Center Street underpass, his response was, ‘We’ve got to get this done for Pocatello,’” Blad stated in Simpson’s news release. “All of us who know Mike Simpson know that this is how he works. Every day he gets things done for the residents of Pocatello and across the 2nd Congressional District. We are all grateful for his work for our community.”

Pocatello Public Works Director and City Engineer Jeff Mansfield added, “The Center Street underpass is a vital component of our transportation infrastructure to provide connectivity and mobility across Pocatello. The rehabilitation of this critical asset has been in the works for several years and we are happy that this project was approved for congressional funding. We want to thank Congressman Simpson and his team for all their hard work and seeing this to fruition.”