"Based on the current project status and ACHD's review of the contractor's most recent schedule, construction is anticipated to continue into Spring 2027." The Ada County Highway District posted that line on October 9 in its project updates for the Ustick Road widening between Ten Mile and Linder. For anyone who drives that stretch of north Meridian, it means another winter of construction.
The Ustick delay fits a pattern across Meridian this year. The projects that finished in 2026 were small and self-contained: a pathway, a playground, a set of trailhead restrooms. The larger buildings and road work, the ones that take more time, more crews and more parties to coordinate, now land in 2027. For this winter, that tells you where the new things are.
Why the November Deadline Won't Hold on Ustick
The contract sets November 12, 2026 as the substantial completion date for the project. ACHD says it can fine the contractor for each day past that date, and that it has been and will keep pushing the contractor to finish as quickly as possible. That date falls two weeks from now, and ACHD's own estimate puts the end of work months later.
When it's done, the corridor will look quite different from the two-lane road most residents know. ACHD's plan calls for:
- Two travel lanes each way with a continuous center turn lane
- Raised medians where they don't block access from public streets or driveways
- A 10-foot multi-use pathway on both the north and south sides
- A new traffic signal at Ustick Road and Towerbridge Way
- A pedestrian bridge over Five Mile Creek tying into the pathway
- Bike lanes and attached sidewalks where the pathway meets Ten Mile
According to ACHD's October 16 update, traffic stays at one lane each way from Ten Mile to Linder while crews move to the southwest section of the project. The bottom layer of pavement for the second phase went down October 1. Utility relocation for this phase is finished. Island curbs and a concrete moment slab along the retaining wall are still in progress. Crews generally work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the project page warns of road closures and lane restrictions with flaggers along the way.
One piece is already done. The sidewalk and multi-use pathway on the east end of the project is finished, and crews are still pouring concrete pathway in other spots along the corridor. The walking and biking parts of this project are arriving before the extra car lanes, which matches what happened across the rest of the city this year.
What Finished Is the Stuff You Can Walk To
In its August 31 parks update, the City of Meridian listed three finished projects. All three are small, all three are open, and none needed a new building.
The Union Pacific rail pathway. Parks staff opened a new pathway along the Union Pacific line that connects Meridian Road and Linder Road. It gives walkers and cyclists a link between two of the city's main north-south roads.
The Tammy Street Park playground. The new playground has modern play equipment and climbing features, and the city says neighbors helped shape the design.
New restrooms at the Fivemile Creek Trailhub. The trailhead at 3430 N. Tenmile Road is a 1.5-acre starting point for the Five Mile Pathway, just north of Ustick Road, and it now has restrooms. The location matters. It sits at the west end of the Ustick construction zone, and the planned pedestrian bridge over Five Mile Creek is meant to connect the new Ustick pathway to this network.
So if Ustick is a slow drive this winter, the trailhead next to it is one of the better-equipped places in north Meridian to park and get on a path.
The Buildings Run on a Longer Clock
The projects still underway are the ones with walls and roofs. Each one needs a full building finished before anyone can use any part of it, which is the main difference from a pathway that opens as each section is poured.
| Project | Location | Current target | In the meantime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ustick Road widening | Ten Mile to Linder | Spring 2027, per ACHD's October 9 update | One lane each way; east-end pathway finished |
| Cherry Lane Library renovation | 1326 W. Cherry Lane | Winter 2026/2027 | Holds at any MLD branch; returns at any MLD or Lynx Library location |
| Community Center and Settlers Park expansion | Settlers Park | 2027 | Under construction |
| Over Easy at The Village | Former Blaze Pizza space | First quarter of 2027 | Ten Mile location planned afterward |
The library has been closed the longest. The Meridian Library District shut the Cherry Lane branch on August 9, 2025. Its project page lists new HVAC and other critical systems, expanded program areas and reservable rooms, more parking, an updated entry plaza, outdoor space, and a 24-hour holds room. The holds room will be the change regular patrons notice most, because picking up a reserved book will no longer depend on open hours. Until the branch reopens, holds and returns at Cherry Lane are paused, so patrons pick up holds at any other MLD branch.
The Settlers Park project is the biggest of the group. The city's August update describes a 26,000-square-foot Community Center, a new dog park, and better parking near the baseball fields. A March 2026 post on the mayor's blog adds meeting and class rooms, expanded recreation programs, a kiln, a stage, and a fire-safety education center, all on an 11-acre expansion with open greenspace. All of that arrives together when the building opens in 2027.
On the Restaurant Side, Some Doors Are Open and Some Are Only Announced
Meridian's new businesses split the same way. Some are open now, and others have announced locations without dates.
These are open:
- Habit Burger & Grill at 445 S. Innovation Lane in Ten Mile Crossing. The Idaho Statesman reported a grand opening set for Monday, September 14.
- Neighbor Tim's BBQ at 1410 W. McMillan Road, which the Statesman covered as newly opened.
- ALO, Tecovas, Kendra Scott and Gorjana at The Village at Meridian. According to the Village's announcement, these four stores are the first in its 80,000-square-foot expansion. ALO opened September 25, and the other three on October 9.
These are announced, with no opening day yet:
- Konala Protein Bowls & Salads, preparing a second Treasure Valley location at 3275 N. Eagle Road, per BoiseDev Eats.
- Fat Guy's Express Coffee and Deli from Fat Guy's Fresh Deli, at 4300 E. Fairview Ave., per BoiseDev.
- Over Easy, which BoiseDev reported is aiming for the first quarter of 2027 at The Village, with a Ten Mile location after that.
Konala's Eagle Road spot sits north of Ustick, so whenever it opens, getting there from the west side of town may still mean driving through the construction zone, depending on how far ACHD's work has gotten.
Two December Dates That Haven't Moved
The city's holiday events have fixed dates.
- Winter Lights Parade and Tree Lighting, Friday, December 4. Pre-parade activities start downtown at 5:30 p.m., and the parade steps off at 7 p.m., according to the city.
- Children's Winterland Festival, Saturday, December 12. The free festival runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Meridian Homecourt, 936 Taylor Ave.
Neither one is on the Ustick corridor. By the time the Winterland Festival wraps up, ACHD will be about a month past the contract date, and the city will be counting down to a Community Center and a library reopening that both land after the new year.
If you live in north Meridian and you're weighing how a longer Ustick timeline or the 2027 openings fit your own plans, Heather Ferguson Realty Group follows these projects closely and is happy to talk through what's happening near your street. You can find more on the area on our Meridian neighborhood page, or reach out through Contact Us.
