8/17/2007
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Aug. 17 - Aug. 24
ADA COUNTY
Interstate 84 Eagle westbound off-ramp rebuilding
Construction started March 29 to improve and widen the I-84 westbound off-ramp at Eagle Road. Improvements include a new off-ramp lane that will lengthen the ramp 1,600 feet. The ramp will divide into dual left and dual right turn lanes for turning south and north onto Eagle Road. Westbound Interstate 84 was reopened to four lanes in the construction area after being closed since July 6. On July 27, crews started paving the new lane of the off-ramp. However, the ramp won't open to traffic until overhead signage is installed. The installation is scheduled for the week of Aug. 20. Once completed, the widened off-ramp will improve traffic flow at the intersection with Eagle Road, and reduce the amount of traffic that backs up while exiting I-84. Crews are working an aggressive schedule, including some nighttime work, to minimize impacts to motorists. The westbound off-ramp will remain open to motorists, but the transportation department urges commuters to plan extra time while traveling in the project area or use an alternate route. Updates will be available through the department's 511 service (call 5-1-1, or visit 511.Idaho.gov). The project is scheduled to be finished toward the end of August 2007.
Locust Grove Overpass construction
Work started in December 2006 on a new overpass that will connect Locust Grove Road and offer an extended route over Interstate 84 between Eagle Road and Meridian Road. Currently, Locust Grove Road south of Interstate 84 ends near the interstate. The north side of Locust Grove Road also ends near Interstate 84. The inside lane of the eastbound and westbound sections near the construction site closed in March and will remain closed into October. The closure allows for construction of the center overpass pier and new median barrier. Eastbound traffic normally goes from two lanes to four lanes at the Meridian Interchange. With the closure, eastbound traffic is reduced from two lanes to three lanes at Meridian, then broadens to four lanes after the work zone at Locust Grove. Westbound traffic normally goes from four lanes to two lanes at the Meridian Interchange. With the closure, westbound traffic is reduced to three lanes prior to the work zone at Locust Grove, then to the usual two lanes at Meridian. There is temporary concrete guardrail around the lane closures to protect the work zone, and the speed limit is reduced from 65 miles per hour to 55 miles per hour. The new overpass, scheduled to be finished in the winter of 2007, will consist of two lanes in each direction, sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides of the overpass. Concrete Placing Co. of Boise is the contractor on the $5,845,000 project.
U.S. 20/26 (Chinden Boulevard), Cloverdale Road to Hewlett-Packard widening
Crews are working on the north side of Chinden Boulevard as part of a project to widen the roadway between Cloverdale Road and Hewlett-Packard. The intersection of Chinden and Cloverdale Road will close Monday, Aug. 20, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for paving. Chinden will remain open with one lane in each direction, but turns will not be allowed from Chinden onto Cloverdale or from Cloverdale onto Chinden. Also on Monday, the main entrance to Hewlett-Packard on Chinden will close until mid-day Wednesday, Aug. 22. The closure will allow crews to apply a base layer of pavement on the Chinden eastbound lanes. Motorists can access the HP campus from either the Five Mile or Cloverdale entrances. Throughout the construction work zone, one lane of traffic on Chinden is maintained in each direction during daytime hours. Periodic nighttime lane closures can be expected between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Flaggers will guide motorists through the work zone. Access to businesses and residences will be maintained. Night and weekend traffic is required to use the Cloverdale entrance on the west side of the HP campus. Joplin Road is closed from the Chinden/Cloverdale intersection to Ancell Lane. Motorists can access Joplin at its eastern intersection with Chinden (near Mountain View Drive). Following completion of drainage work and pipe installation, the City of Boise will install underground sewer lines in the same area. After sewer work is complete, the Ada County Highway District plans to resurface Joplin Road. The Chinden project will add bicycle lanes to both sides of the roadway. Curb, gutter and sidewalk will be installed along the south side of the road. By the project's completion, pedestrian and bicycle facilities will extend from Eagle Road to the Joplin Road/Mountain View Drive intersection. In addition, a new half-mile-long frontage road will provide access to homes on the north side of Chinden between the west end of Joplin and HP. As a result, the Chinden/Joplin intersection will be reconfigured. To expedite the project, crews will work an aggressive schedule, including some night and weekend hours. Central Paving Inc. of Boise is the contractor on this $5.5 million project. This is the third phase of work to widen Chinden Boulevard. When completed, Chinden Boulevard will be five lanes from Eagle Road through Garden City. The entire project is expected to be finished in late 2007.
BOISE COUNTY
Dunnigan Creek Bridge
Construction started in June to replace the Dunnigan Creek Bridge over Mores Creek. The bridge is located 14 miles south of Idaho City and seven miles north of High Bridge. Dunnigan Creek Bridge will be torn down and replaced with a taller, wider structure. The bridge is at least 70 years old. The new bridge will include new guardrail to improve safety. Slope stabilization will also be done along Idaho 21 before and after the bridge. There will be a temporary crossing over Mores Creek while the new bridge is built. The temporary crossing will maintain one lane in each direction for motorists. The speed limit in the construction area will be reduced to 25 miles per hour from 45 miles per hour, and signs will be posted informing motorists of the speed reduction. There will be occasional traffic stops at approximately 15-minute intervals at the construction site. There may be some construction activity on weekends. The work is scheduled to be finished late this year. McAlvain Excavation is the contractor on the $2.3 million project.
CANYON COUNTY
Interstate 84, Exit 29/Franklin Interchange rebuilding
The Exit 29/Franklin Road Interchange is being rebuilt to improve access to Caldwell from I-84, improve traffic flow and ease congestion. Specht and 21st avenues will be closed and traffic detoured between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 23, for paving work on Franklin Road. Traffic on 21st Avenue will be detoured via Chicago Avenue to Franklin Road. Traffic on Franklin Road will be routed to 21st via Chicago Avenue. Traffic on Specht Avenue will be detoured to Commercial Way. Also, east and westbound Interstate 84 near the Franklin Road Interchange (Exit 29) will be closed and traffic delayed briefly between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26, for blasting work. Warning signs will be posted for eastbound traffic on I-84 before the Exit 27 off-ramp and for westbound traffic before Exit 33. Muller Lane and Franklin Road also will be closed and traffic delayed for about 15 minutes between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. due to the proximity of the blasting work. The blasting, which is expected to last five to 10 minutes, will be done on the Franklin Interchange westbound on-ramp to allow the ramp to be reconstructed to grade. The interchange rebuilding project, which started in early December 2006, will enhance several aspects of the interchange. The current two-lane Franklin Overpass will be replaced with a six-lane bridge. The new overpass will have two through lanes in each direction and dual left turn lanes in each direction. The interchange ramps are being lengthened and widened to two lanes at their intersection with Franklin. Work on this part of the project started April 10. Eastbound on-ramp traffic from Franklin Road onto Interstate 84 is using a temporary ramp. Westbound off-ramp traffic from Interstate 84 onto Franklin Road also is using a temporary ramp, just west of the current ramp. Both temporary ramps are a single lane each. Those ramps, scheduled to be in place for several months, will allow crews to rebuild the closed ramps. Once finished, the new ramps will offer two lanes each. The eastbound off-ramp and westbound on-ramp will have traffic shifted to temporary ramps at a later time. The project also involves widening Franklin Road from two to five lanes between the overpass and Specht Avenue. The new road will have a curb, gutter, sidewalk, bicycle lanes and shoulder. Aviation Way will be widened at the intersection with Franklin Road. A new traffic signal also will be added. Lanes may be reduced temporarily on Franklin Road and Aviation Way during the widening. Both roads will remain open during construction. One or both lanes of I-84 may be closed between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. for safety while crews replace the overpass. Traffic will be detoured. A new bridge and three new lanes will be constructed before the old overpass is torn down and traffic will use the new three lanes while crews replace the old bridge. At the project's completion, all six new lanes will be opened. Traffic updates will be posted to the transportation department's 511 service (511.Idaho.gov, or dial 5-1-1). Concrete Placing Co. is the contractor for the $25 million project. Construction is scheduled to be finished in the fall of 2008.
I-84B Blaine Street/Cleveland Boulevard repaving
Work is progressing on a project to replace curb and gutter on Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard, from 10th Avenue to 22nd Avenue in Caldwell. Some construction activities are performed on both streets simultaneously. Curb and gutter work is scheduled for completion in mid-August. During construction, traffic is periodically reduced to one lane. Some street parking will be temporarily eliminated as the project progresses. The $1.8 million project also will improve drainage and eliminate dips at side street intersections. Braun-Jensen Incorporated is the project contractor. Following completion of curb and gutter replacement, work will begin on a companion project on Blaine and Cleveland, from 10th Avenue South to just east of South Florida Avenue. The project will reconstruct the roadway and pave to the edge of the new curb and gutter. Central Paving Company Inc. is the contractor for the $2.8 million project. During the roadway rebuild, parking and lane restrictions also will be necessary. To expedite the project, crews are working an aggressive schedule, which may include some night and weekend work. Completion is scheduled for late 2007. Both projects will result in improved sidewalk access. Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant pedestrian ramps will be installed at sidewalk street corners and ramps will be aligned to the center of crosswalks for easier access. Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard (Interstate 84 Business Route) are the two major east/west corridors that move traffic through a residential area to a commercial area farther east. These streets also are collectors for side streets and have large numbers of traffic, particularly during rush hours.
I-84B Nampa/Caldwell Boulevard resurfacing
The Idaho Transportation Department is reconstructing two miles of Nampa/Caldwell Boulevard (I-84B) between Karcher Road and Northside Boulevard. Paving work on the Nampa/Caldwell Boulevard shifted to the area between Midland Boulevard and Canyon Street on Aug. 4. When paving is complete, traffic will return to two lanes in each direction during daytime hours. One lane will be closed at night while work continues between Midland Boulevard and Canyon Street. The project will improve the road surface for commuters and local traffic entering downtown Nampa. In a partnership with the city of Nampa, the transportation department will add sidewalks, curb and gutter to the north side of the roadway. The city and its local improvement district will cover the cost of the additions. The majority of road work will occur at night. Two lanes in both directions will be open during certain times of the day, and there will be intermittent lane reductions to one lane of travel in each direction. At night and during some early-summer utility work, one lane may be closed in each direction. Access to businesses will remain open. The resurfacing is a companion project to the I-84 Karcher Interchange, which opened at the end of the 2006 construction season. The transportation department scheduled the boulevard resurfacing after the interchange project to give commuters another route during peak travel times. The boulevard surface has long outlived its 20-year lifespan and is badly deteriorated. Central Paving Co. of Boise is the contractor for the $5 million project.
Interstate 84, Notus Interchange to Sand Hollow Interchange repaving
Work started May 7 to rebuild a deteriorated section of Interstate 84 between the Sand Hollow and Notus interchanges. It will repair rutting and deterioration, and extend the life of the roadway. Pavement in the project area was originally built with the interstate in the 1960s, and received minor maintenance in 1985 and 1997. In May, equipment was moved into the project area where two crossovers were built to shift interstate traffic and a portion of the detour area was paved. On Wednesday, Aug. 22, traffic will be shifted to the Interstate 84 westbound lanes. Those lanes will be one lane in each direction for eastbound and westbound vehicles. The shift will allow crews to start repaving the eastbound section of Interstate 84 in that area. The westbound Exit 26 (Notus) on-ramp, the westbound Exit 25 (Middleton) on- and off-ramps and the westbound Exit 17 (Sand Hollow) off-ramp will be open. The eastbound Exit 17 on-ramp, the eastbound Exit 25 on- and off-ramps and the eastbound Exit 26 off-ramp will close. The detour for the ramp traffic will be Old Highway 30. The speed limit is reduced to 55 miles per hour through the construction area. Idaho Sand & Gravel is the contractor on the $14 million project, scheduled to be finished this fall.
VALLEY COUNTY
Idaho 55 Rainbow Bridge rebuilding
Improvements to the historic Idaho 55 Rainbow Bridge north of Smiths Ferry resumed April 23. Traffic crossing the bridge will be restricted to one lane on weekdays from noon Mondays through noon Fridays. From noon on Fridays to noon on Mondays, both lanes of Rainbow Bridge will be open for weekend traffic. Both lanes also will be open during holidays, and for community events. Combined tractor and trailer loads over 78 feet long or 12 feet wide should use U.S. 95 as an alternate route starting April 30. The speed limit through the work zone will be reduced to 25 mph.
Idaho 55 repaving work in west McCall
Repaving work started Aug. 7 on a section of Idaho 55 on the west side of McCall. A little over half of a mile of Idaho 55 will be repaved. The section is from milepost 144.43 to milepost 145, between Mission Street and Mather Street. This section of the highway also is known as Lake Street. On Monday through Thursday, work will be done from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. On Fridays, work will take place from 7:30 a.m. to noon. There will not be construction on weekends. Valley Paving & Asphalt, Inc. of Cottonwood is the contractor on the $634,557 project. Access to homes and businesses along Idaho 55 will be maintained. A local traffic control company, Coulter & Company Construction, has been hired to manage traffic. Flaggers will be assigned to certain sections to ensure access to homes and businesses is maintained. The section of Idaho 55 also will remain open to vehicles traveling through the area. The repaving is scheduled to be finished toward the end of the week of Aug. 20.
Dial 5-1-1 for current Idaho highway driving conditions or visit the Idaho Transportation Department's Internet site at 511.idaho.gov.
Interstate 84 Eagle westbound off-ramp rebuilding
Construction started March 29 to improve and widen the I-84 westbound off-ramp at Eagle Road. Improvements include a new off-ramp lane that will lengthen the ramp 1,600 feet. The ramp will divide into dual left and dual right turn lanes for turning south and north onto Eagle Road. Westbound Interstate 84 was reopened to four lanes in the construction area after being closed since July 6. On July 27, crews started paving the new lane of the off-ramp. However, the ramp won't open to traffic until overhead signage is installed. The installation is scheduled for the week of Aug. 20. Once completed, the widened off-ramp will improve traffic flow at the intersection with Eagle Road, and reduce the amount of traffic that backs up while exiting I-84. Crews are working an aggressive schedule, including some nighttime work, to minimize impacts to motorists. The westbound off-ramp will remain open to motorists, but the transportation department urges commuters to plan extra time while traveling in the project area or use an alternate route. Updates will be available through the department's 511 service (call 5-1-1, or visit 511.Idaho.gov). The project is scheduled to be finished toward the end of August 2007.
Locust Grove Overpass construction
Work started in December 2006 on a new overpass that will connect Locust Grove Road and offer an extended route over Interstate 84 between Eagle Road and Meridian Road. Currently, Locust Grove Road south of Interstate 84 ends near the interstate. The north side of Locust Grove Road also ends near Interstate 84. The inside lane of the eastbound and westbound sections near the construction site closed in March and will remain closed into October. The closure allows for construction of the center overpass pier and new median barrier. Eastbound traffic normally goes from two lanes to four lanes at the Meridian Interchange. With the closure, eastbound traffic is reduced from two lanes to three lanes at Meridian, then broadens to four lanes after the work zone at Locust Grove. Westbound traffic normally goes from four lanes to two lanes at the Meridian Interchange. With the closure, westbound traffic is reduced to three lanes prior to the work zone at Locust Grove, then to the usual two lanes at Meridian. There is temporary concrete guardrail around the lane closures to protect the work zone, and the speed limit is reduced from 65 miles per hour to 55 miles per hour. The new overpass, scheduled to be finished in the winter of 2007, will consist of two lanes in each direction, sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides of the overpass. Concrete Placing Co. of Boise is the contractor on the $5,845,000 project.
U.S. 20/26 (Chinden Boulevard), Cloverdale Road to Hewlett-Packard widening
Crews are working on the north side of Chinden Boulevard as part of a project to widen the roadway between Cloverdale Road and Hewlett-Packard. The intersection of Chinden and Cloverdale Road will close Monday, Aug. 20, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for paving. Chinden will remain open with one lane in each direction, but turns will not be allowed from Chinden onto Cloverdale or from Cloverdale onto Chinden. Also on Monday, the main entrance to Hewlett-Packard on Chinden will close until mid-day Wednesday, Aug. 22. The closure will allow crews to apply a base layer of pavement on the Chinden eastbound lanes. Motorists can access the HP campus from either the Five Mile or Cloverdale entrances. Throughout the construction work zone, one lane of traffic on Chinden is maintained in each direction during daytime hours. Periodic nighttime lane closures can be expected between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Flaggers will guide motorists through the work zone. Access to businesses and residences will be maintained. Night and weekend traffic is required to use the Cloverdale entrance on the west side of the HP campus. Joplin Road is closed from the Chinden/Cloverdale intersection to Ancell Lane. Motorists can access Joplin at its eastern intersection with Chinden (near Mountain View Drive). Following completion of drainage work and pipe installation, the City of Boise will install underground sewer lines in the same area. After sewer work is complete, the Ada County Highway District plans to resurface Joplin Road. The Chinden project will add bicycle lanes to both sides of the roadway. Curb, gutter and sidewalk will be installed along the south side of the road. By the project's completion, pedestrian and bicycle facilities will extend from Eagle Road to the Joplin Road/Mountain View Drive intersection. In addition, a new half-mile-long frontage road will provide access to homes on the north side of Chinden between the west end of Joplin and HP. As a result, the Chinden/Joplin intersection will be reconfigured. To expedite the project, crews will work an aggressive schedule, including some night and weekend hours. Central Paving Inc. of Boise is the contractor on this $5.5 million project. This is the third phase of work to widen Chinden Boulevard. When completed, Chinden Boulevard will be five lanes from Eagle Road through Garden City. The entire project is expected to be finished in late 2007.
BOISE COUNTY
Dunnigan Creek Bridge
Construction started in June to replace the Dunnigan Creek Bridge over Mores Creek. The bridge is located 14 miles south of Idaho City and seven miles north of High Bridge. Dunnigan Creek Bridge will be torn down and replaced with a taller, wider structure. The bridge is at least 70 years old. The new bridge will include new guardrail to improve safety. Slope stabilization will also be done along Idaho 21 before and after the bridge. There will be a temporary crossing over Mores Creek while the new bridge is built. The temporary crossing will maintain one lane in each direction for motorists. The speed limit in the construction area will be reduced to 25 miles per hour from 45 miles per hour, and signs will be posted informing motorists of the speed reduction. There will be occasional traffic stops at approximately 15-minute intervals at the construction site. There may be some construction activity on weekends. The work is scheduled to be finished late this year. McAlvain Excavation is the contractor on the $2.3 million project.
CANYON COUNTY
Interstate 84, Exit 29/Franklin Interchange rebuilding
The Exit 29/Franklin Road Interchange is being rebuilt to improve access to Caldwell from I-84, improve traffic flow and ease congestion. Specht and 21st avenues will be closed and traffic detoured between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 23, for paving work on Franklin Road. Traffic on 21st Avenue will be detoured via Chicago Avenue to Franklin Road. Traffic on Franklin Road will be routed to 21st via Chicago Avenue. Traffic on Specht Avenue will be detoured to Commercial Way. Also, east and westbound Interstate 84 near the Franklin Road Interchange (Exit 29) will be closed and traffic delayed briefly between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26, for blasting work. Warning signs will be posted for eastbound traffic on I-84 before the Exit 27 off-ramp and for westbound traffic before Exit 33. Muller Lane and Franklin Road also will be closed and traffic delayed for about 15 minutes between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. due to the proximity of the blasting work. The blasting, which is expected to last five to 10 minutes, will be done on the Franklin Interchange westbound on-ramp to allow the ramp to be reconstructed to grade. The interchange rebuilding project, which started in early December 2006, will enhance several aspects of the interchange. The current two-lane Franklin Overpass will be replaced with a six-lane bridge. The new overpass will have two through lanes in each direction and dual left turn lanes in each direction. The interchange ramps are being lengthened and widened to two lanes at their intersection with Franklin. Work on this part of the project started April 10. Eastbound on-ramp traffic from Franklin Road onto Interstate 84 is using a temporary ramp. Westbound off-ramp traffic from Interstate 84 onto Franklin Road also is using a temporary ramp, just west of the current ramp. Both temporary ramps are a single lane each. Those ramps, scheduled to be in place for several months, will allow crews to rebuild the closed ramps. Once finished, the new ramps will offer two lanes each. The eastbound off-ramp and westbound on-ramp will have traffic shifted to temporary ramps at a later time. The project also involves widening Franklin Road from two to five lanes between the overpass and Specht Avenue. The new road will have a curb, gutter, sidewalk, bicycle lanes and shoulder. Aviation Way will be widened at the intersection with Franklin Road. A new traffic signal also will be added. Lanes may be reduced temporarily on Franklin Road and Aviation Way during the widening. Both roads will remain open during construction. One or both lanes of I-84 may be closed between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. for safety while crews replace the overpass. Traffic will be detoured. A new bridge and three new lanes will be constructed before the old overpass is torn down and traffic will use the new three lanes while crews replace the old bridge. At the project's completion, all six new lanes will be opened. Traffic updates will be posted to the transportation department's 511 service (511.Idaho.gov, or dial 5-1-1). Concrete Placing Co. is the contractor for the $25 million project. Construction is scheduled to be finished in the fall of 2008.
I-84B Blaine Street/Cleveland Boulevard repaving
Work is progressing on a project to replace curb and gutter on Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard, from 10th Avenue to 22nd Avenue in Caldwell. Some construction activities are performed on both streets simultaneously. Curb and gutter work is scheduled for completion in mid-August. During construction, traffic is periodically reduced to one lane. Some street parking will be temporarily eliminated as the project progresses. The $1.8 million project also will improve drainage and eliminate dips at side street intersections. Braun-Jensen Incorporated is the project contractor. Following completion of curb and gutter replacement, work will begin on a companion project on Blaine and Cleveland, from 10th Avenue South to just east of South Florida Avenue. The project will reconstruct the roadway and pave to the edge of the new curb and gutter. Central Paving Company Inc. is the contractor for the $2.8 million project. During the roadway rebuild, parking and lane restrictions also will be necessary. To expedite the project, crews are working an aggressive schedule, which may include some night and weekend work. Completion is scheduled for late 2007. Both projects will result in improved sidewalk access. Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant pedestrian ramps will be installed at sidewalk street corners and ramps will be aligned to the center of crosswalks for easier access. Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard (Interstate 84 Business Route) are the two major east/west corridors that move traffic through a residential area to a commercial area farther east. These streets also are collectors for side streets and have large numbers of traffic, particularly during rush hours.
I-84B Nampa/Caldwell Boulevard resurfacing
The Idaho Transportation Department is reconstructing two miles of Nampa/Caldwell Boulevard (I-84B) between Karcher Road and Northside Boulevard. Paving work on the Nampa/Caldwell Boulevard shifted to the area between Midland Boulevard and Canyon Street on Aug. 4. When paving is complete, traffic will return to two lanes in each direction during daytime hours. One lane will be closed at night while work continues between Midland Boulevard and Canyon Street. The project will improve the road surface for commuters and local traffic entering downtown Nampa. In a partnership with the city of Nampa, the transportation department will add sidewalks, curb and gutter to the north side of the roadway. The city and its local improvement district will cover the cost of the additions. The majority of road work will occur at night. Two lanes in both directions will be open during certain times of the day, and there will be intermittent lane reductions to one lane of travel in each direction. At night and during some early-summer utility work, one lane may be closed in each direction. Access to businesses will remain open. The resurfacing is a companion project to the I-84 Karcher Interchange, which opened at the end of the 2006 construction season. The transportation department scheduled the boulevard resurfacing after the interchange project to give commuters another route during peak travel times. The boulevard surface has long outlived its 20-year lifespan and is badly deteriorated. Central Paving Co. of Boise is the contractor for the $5 million project.
Interstate 84, Notus Interchange to Sand Hollow Interchange repaving
Work started May 7 to rebuild a deteriorated section of Interstate 84 between the Sand Hollow and Notus interchanges. It will repair rutting and deterioration, and extend the life of the roadway. Pavement in the project area was originally built with the interstate in the 1960s, and received minor maintenance in 1985 and 1997. In May, equipment was moved into the project area where two crossovers were built to shift interstate traffic and a portion of the detour area was paved. On Wednesday, Aug. 22, traffic will be shifted to the Interstate 84 westbound lanes. Those lanes will be one lane in each direction for eastbound and westbound vehicles. The shift will allow crews to start repaving the eastbound section of Interstate 84 in that area. The westbound Exit 26 (Notus) on-ramp, the westbound Exit 25 (Middleton) on- and off-ramps and the westbound Exit 17 (Sand Hollow) off-ramp will be open. The eastbound Exit 17 on-ramp, the eastbound Exit 25 on- and off-ramps and the eastbound Exit 26 off-ramp will close. The detour for the ramp traffic will be Old Highway 30. The speed limit is reduced to 55 miles per hour through the construction area. Idaho Sand & Gravel is the contractor on the $14 million project, scheduled to be finished this fall.
VALLEY COUNTY
Idaho 55 Rainbow Bridge rebuilding
Improvements to the historic Idaho 55 Rainbow Bridge north of Smiths Ferry resumed April 23. Traffic crossing the bridge will be restricted to one lane on weekdays from noon Mondays through noon Fridays. From noon on Fridays to noon on Mondays, both lanes of Rainbow Bridge will be open for weekend traffic. Both lanes also will be open during holidays, and for community events. Combined tractor and trailer loads over 78 feet long or 12 feet wide should use U.S. 95 as an alternate route starting April 30. The speed limit through the work zone will be reduced to 25 mph.
Idaho 55 repaving work in west McCall
Repaving work started Aug. 7 on a section of Idaho 55 on the west side of McCall. A little over half of a mile of Idaho 55 will be repaved. The section is from milepost 144.43 to milepost 145, between Mission Street and Mather Street. This section of the highway also is known as Lake Street. On Monday through Thursday, work will be done from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. On Fridays, work will take place from 7:30 a.m. to noon. There will not be construction on weekends. Valley Paving & Asphalt, Inc. of Cottonwood is the contractor on the $634,557 project. Access to homes and businesses along Idaho 55 will be maintained. A local traffic control company, Coulter & Company Construction, has been hired to manage traffic. Flaggers will be assigned to certain sections to ensure access to homes and businesses is maintained. The section of Idaho 55 also will remain open to vehicles traveling through the area. The repaving is scheduled to be finished toward the end of the week of Aug. 20.
Dial 5-1-1 for current Idaho highway driving conditions or visit the Idaho Transportation Department's Internet site at 511.idaho.gov.