Cascade road, bridge work scheduled to begin in July
Starting at about the same time in mid-July, a one-year project is planned that will eventually will replace the old (built in 1933), narrow, width-restricted bridge with one more than twice as wide. The existing bridge is 24 feet wide. Its successor will be 60 feet wide, 393 feet long, and have three spans. The new bridge will have two 12-foot lanes, two 11-foot shoulders and a 14-foot median. A paved extension also will be constructed to the shared-use dirt path under the bridge on the north side of the river that provides access from both sides to the new riverside park. In the first stage, two-thirds of the new bridge will be built to the west of the existing structure. Traffic will be maintained on the existing bridge through this first stage of bridge work, and then will be shifted to the new section for the remaining work as the old bridge is demolished. Traffic interruptions are expected when the new highway section leading to the new bridge is built. Flaggers will be used if lane restrictions are required. From Monday through Thursday, work that limits drivers to one lane in each direction is only allowed between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Two lanes will be maintained between noon on Fridays and noon on Mondays. A river safety and navigation plan will be in place for recreationalists who use this section of the river. Wadsworth Brothers Construction Co. Inc., of Draper, Utah, is the apparent low bidder on this $4.83 million bridge project. |
A replacement of the North Fork Payette River Bridge in downtown Cascade and two miles of pavement resurfacing on Idaho 55 in town will begin in mid-July. The highway project is expected to finish in late August, and the bridge work will extend into the summer 2013.
"There may be significant impacts to drivers, both those in town and those just passing through," said project engineer Jayme Coonce. "We'll make every effort to keep delays and inconveniences at a minimum, but with work of this magnitude, some level of interruption is unavoidable."
The existing roadway is in very poor condition, with cracks and potholes. The resurfacing will repair those deficiencies and extend the life of the highway.
The project extends from milepost 114 to 116 (from south of the bridge to the north end). A CRABS (Cement Recycled Asphalt Base Stabilization) resurfacing method will be used on the section north and south. CRABS involves grinding the existing roadway to the gravel base, then adding cement to the old asphalt creating a new, stronger base.
The process extends the life of the highway and supports ITD’s Strategic Plan goal to achieve greater efficiency through innovative practices. A complete reconstruction will be done on the section through downtown Cascade.
Click here for a photo of the downtown section that will be resurfaced in this project.
The section of gravel road was first paved in 1937. It was reconstructed in 1955, followed by an overlay in 1975. Sealcoats were added in 1989 and 1993. Minor widening was done in 1996.
Pedestrian ramps also will be upgraded to meet ADA standards as part of the resurfacing project.
The city of Cascade will take advantage of the project to replace some pipes in the right-of-way.
In town, the three through lanes will be reduced to one during the highway portion of this project. Flaggers will guide traffic through the work zone, and speed limits could be reduced for the safety of motorists and construction workers.
While crews are rebuilding intersections, detours on the local roads and side streets leading to the open intersection will be required. The accessible intersection will change as the project progresses. Traffic control will be coordinated with emergency services.
No parking will be allowed on Idaho 55 within the active work zone, but alternate parking will be available on side streets.
Reasonable access to businesses will be maintained during working hours and no work is expected on nights or weekends, although it is not prohibited if the need arises.
One lane of traffic in each direction will remain open from noon on Fridays to 7 a.m. on Mondays.
In addition, no work will take place north of Patterson Street until after July 28 to accommodate the Four Summit Bike Challenge, and no work will interfere with traffic flow during the Valley County Fair (Aug. 6-11).
C & A Paving, of Boise, is the contractor on this $1.86 million project.
Published 6-22-2012