SHOSHONE STREET ARCHWAY
Stretching banners above Shoshone Street to publicize local events was a long-time Twin Falls tradition. In the quiet of midnight, on-duty Twin Falls firefighters would close the street long enough to raise the banners overhead. Non-profits such as Magic Valley Symphony and service clubs enjoyed priceless exposure at no charge.
When the City discontinued hanging the banners, local organizations needed a new method for messaging. At the same time, City leaders dreamed of building a welcoming gateway structure for downtown.
So the City Council enlisted an ad hoc Archway Committee of community representatives.
Community Involvement
From the start, the Archway was a community-wide project. The Committee first developed a design from the artists’ concepts received in a public contest. It would suggest the structure of the Perrine Bridge and Snake River Canyon walls in rock and steel. Digital reader boards would be mounted on both sides of the span across Shoshone Street.
The committee submitted a basic drawing to the city's engineers to draft the detailed construction specs needed for estimates. Lytle Signs, the local expert in sign construction, donated invaluable expertise. Lytle's designers recommended replacing the towers' rock facing with randomly shaped steel plates. The shapes would suggest rock, but would be harder to climb.
Twin Falls County commissioners supported the archway project by deeding county land for the structure's west end. Their design for a new courthouse building would accommodate the Archway as
well. Construction brought challenges. The price of steel increased dramatically. Anchoring the towers required many yards of expensive concrete. But when the viability of the project seemed shaky, the community redoubled its support, contributing labor and materials. In the end, a city appropriation covered the last of the unexpected costs.
TFCF Involvement
Early in the process, the Committee had applied for TFCF services and launched the needed fundraising. TFCF's IRS 501(c)(3) tax status provided tax deductions for donors, along with certainty that their gifts would be directed to the Archway project.
Twin Falls Archway Today
The Archway bears a welcome message from the city and county, while symbolically linking City Park with the county's courthouse complex. Alert drivers will notice the city and county logos. Its readerboards announce events, registration deadlines, city service reminders, and other non-profit messaging. City staff posts the notices at no charge-- just like the banners of old.
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