AASHTO Journal - Idaho Modernizing Historic Highway Markers Statewide

A new initiative combining two projects across three state agencies will “refresh” historic highway markers across Idaho, with those modernized signs offering visitors a more “immersive experience” so as to foster a stronger connection to the communities they pass through.

[Above photo via ITD]

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and Idaho State Historical Society are partnering to update all highway markers with new historical research and signage.

In tandem with these efforts, Visit Idaho – the moniker for the Idaho Department of Commerce’s Division of Tourism Development – will deploy a web-based mobile application and QR codes at each marker location; digitally providing additional content about specific historic sites identified by the markers as well as listing nearby activities and amenities.

ITD owns and maintains the physical markers and is managing the installation and updated marker designs, which now feature state symbols like the mountain bluebird. Concurrently, the digital component of this project is funded in part by a $3.2 million federal economic development grant awarded to ITD in 2022.

The goal is to restore the historic markers to spark curiosity about the state’s expansive history and drive interaction with the app to encourage exploration of Idaho’s rural communities, helping increase overnight stays and drive economic impact across Idaho, explained Natalie Jushinski, tourism manager at Visit Idaho.

“This project aligns perfectly with many of the initiatives Visit Idaho is focused on,” she said in a statement. “Idaho’s diverse and often rural landscape is filled with communities that we know travelers will enjoy once they go beyond the destinations they already know. We’re excited to incorporate the QR codes as an easy, accessible tool to help travelers find more to explore in our beautiful state.”

All updated markers and QR codes in ITD’s District 1 in North Idaho are expected to be installed by the end of 2025, ITD said, with no impact on traffic. The remaining markers and QR codes will be installed in phases by district through 2027, the agency noted.