Yes, there is growth in Idaho and, yes, there is more traffic in the Treasure Valley. Sometimes there’s not a dang thing you can do about it… other times an alternative route or shortcut can make your trip a little more pleasant!
This time we’re going to bypass a ton of traffic on Garrity Blvd and soooo many STOP lights! (I say “STOP” because you will typically be stopping at more than have of them.) This shortcut is only one that a few locals know… and now you do too! Be sure to scroll down to the video at the bottom of this page for an eyes-on comparison of this shortcut versus the normal way.
Nampa Has Grown
For sure, Nampa growth is filling in the open spaces. Google says that Nampa’s population in 2020 was about 101,430 and estimates for 2024 a population about 117,350. Really, ever since the early 90’s our population has been growing at a considerable rate… but it was Covid and the dictatorial lockdowns in liberal areas that had people looking for a new home with more freedom.
That means for us today… it takes longer to get from old downtown Nampa out to the Ford Idaho Center or the nearby Walmart. But there is help!
What is the Garrity Bypass Shortcut?
In this example, let’s say you are coming from old downtown Nampa heading out to the Ford Idaho Center to the northeast… and on the other side of the freeway. The straight-shot would be to exit downtown with a right on 11th… and 11th then eases into Garrity Blvd. At the freeway, Garrity changes names to become the Ford Idaho Center Blvd… but it’s still the same road.
Going that route, you will encounter 9 or 10 stop lights (depending if you go to Walmart or go through one more light to the Ford Idaho Center). Chances are, unless it’s the middle of the night, you’re going to hit most of those stop lights red.
Alternatively, you can make your trip much more enjoyable by taking this secret shortcut! When you exit downtown, just like with the normal route, you’ll go northeast on 11th but before you get to the first stop light, hang a right, go over a couple of blocks, hang a left up to 7th, and turn right over to 16th (see the close-up of this route below). You’ll end up back on Garrity; turn right for about 100 feet and then an immediate left onto Sugar. Sugar runs back into 11th… but you bypassed a couple stop lights… one which takes forever to get through. Then up 11th through the golf courses and a right onto Ridgecrest. Keep going until you get to Ford Idaho Center Blvd and go to where you need to go.
So this shortcut will bypass a ton of stop lights… and the couple of lights you will encounter do have right turn lanes… so you may never even have to stop for those. Below is a close-up of the little jog around the stop light on 11th & 6th. If you’re coming up on that light and it’s green, then you can just keep going straight and then ease onto Garrity. Either way is good.
Why Am I So Keen on Shortcuts?
I’ve never been one to enjoy sitting in traffic… (could probably blame that on my time spent with a 396, 350, 400, and 289… I was going to say my 305, but not so much). And then I was a pizza delivery driver and I learned all the shortcuts in my California town so I could get good food to hungry people just that much quicker. Then I was a long-haul trucker and learned the shortcuts of the 11 western states. In both cases, wasted time was not helpful… so shortcuts became a way of life.
Treasure Valley Dave's Thoughts
Sometimes you have no option but to go with the flow… to do what “normal” people do and endure the consequences. But sometimes there is an alternative… others know about it and some even take the road less travelled.
Hold it… am I talking about shortcuts in Nampa… or am I talking about relocating to Idaho from where you live now? Either way, it’s good to take a moment and consider… would life be better if I went another way?
If you are thinking that moving to Idaho and living in the Treasure Valley might be that shortcut to happiness that you’ve been searching for, then you might need to talk with me and Mareen and make a fact-finding trip to the Treasure Valley to check things out! Let us know how we can help; Mareen and I would be super excited to answer your questions and be your Treasure Valley resource. So, just call, text, email or smash that Contact Us button and let’s get connected! Maybe we can do lunch too! 
