Eastern Idaho project garners ARTBA Globe award for Environmental considerations

The US 30 Corridor Improvement project from McCammon to Lava Hot Springs in Eastern Idaho recently won the ARTBA (American Road & Transportation Builder’s Association) Globe award for Environmental Protection & Mitigation. It is the second ARTBA award won by ITD projects this spring, following the community relations award won by the Sand Creek Byway project for the level of public involvement in the project. Both awards are being presented in Washington, DC on May 30.

“Protecting the environment has been a fundamental commitment during the planning, design and construction of the projects in this corridor,” said GARVEE program manager Amy Schroeder. Planning on the project started in the late 1990’s.

The environmental consideration included:

  • U.S. 30 is a major transportation link to Wyoming and points east. The 9.5-mile segment in question transverses along the scenic and sensitive Portneuf River, serving local and regional agricultural, commercial and recreational traffic.
  • Replacing two existing culverts that had fill with new bridges across the Portneuf River, which allowed for proper stream function and floodplain values. The four new bridges (two others were constructed to replace aging structures at the same locations) also improved wildlife migration, allowing wildlife to follow the riparian corridor without having to cross the highway and come into conflict with vehicles.

To mitigate for 11.7 acres of unavoidable wetland impacts by the project, an 18-acre mitigation site was established adjacent to the river. Selected because it had the best chance to duplicate the disturbed wetlands due to the soils and hydrology, the new site is already developing successfully.

The project team was “successful in preserving the sensitive environment in the corridor, and environmental values such as reestablishing proper stream function of the Portneuf River and improving wildlife migration routes have also been realized,” Schroeder said in a letter in the award entry packet sent to ARTBA in March.

U.S. 30 McCammon to Lava Hot Springs Corridor Improvement Project (Ariel showing wetland mitigation site).

Portneuf River Bridge -- New bridge replacing a pipe culvert through a fill to open up the Portneuf River channel.

Published 4-27-2012