10/26/2007
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Oct. 26 - Nov. 2
ADA COUNTY
Interstate 84 East resurfacing
Traffic impacts continue for the I-84 Broadway to Eisenman interchanges repaving project and the repairs to the Broadway Avenue Overpass. The eastbound lanes of Interstate 84 under the Broadway overpass will close during the late evening hours next week for overpass repair work. Starting Monday, Oct. 29, I-84 eastbound traffic will be directed to the off-ramp at Broadway Avenue, across Broadway and onto the eastbound on-ramp to access I-84. The closure of the eastbound lanes starts at 10 p.m., and lasts until 4 a.m. the following morning. The I-84 eastbound lane closures and detour also will take place Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. each night. Flaggers will direct traffic at the intersection of the ramps and Broadway. The lane closures and detour will allow construction crews to make repairs to the southbound lanes of the Broadway Overpass. It sustained heat damage on Sept. 16 when a semi crashed and caught fire close to the overpass. Workers will be removing concrete forms, patching and repairing the underside of the overpass and power washing underneath the overpass. Both northbound lanes of the Broadway Overpass remain open. The southbound lanes of the overpass continue to be closed. They are scheduled to reopen to vehicles on Friday, Nov. 2. The I-84 eastbound on-ramp at Gowen Road closed to traffic starting with Friday's morning commute. Westbound I-84 on- and off-ramps at Gowen Road reopened shortly before the eastbound on-ramp closed. The westbound ramps have been closed since Oct. 15 as part of the 6.1-mile interstate rehabilitation project between the Broadway and Eisenman interchanges. The traffic changes on Friday morning also include the closure of the eastbound exits 59A and 59B at Eisenman Road. Interstate 84 lane restrictions will continue. ITD expects work at the Gowen eastbound on-ramp and the Eisenman eastbound off-ramps to last approximately 10 days. Work will then switch to the Gowen eastbound off-ramp for the last major construction work this fall. ITD expects to complete the fall schedule by the Thanksgiving holiday. In the spring, crews will lay a final layer of asphalt on I-84.
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 eastbound and westbound I-84 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. 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 started paving the north side of Chinden Boulevard as part of a project to widen the boulevard between Cloverdale Road and Hewlett-Packard. Throughout the work zone, one lane of traffic 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. 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. Joplin Road is closed from the Chinden/Cloverdale intersection to Ancell Lane for sewer and drainage work. Motorists can access Joplin at its eastern intersection with Chinden (near Mountain View Drive). Following completion of sewer work, 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. 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. When completed, Chinden Boulevard will be five lanes from Eagle Road through Garden City. The entire project is expected to be finished toward the end of this month.
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 the Mores Creek High Bridge. The 70-year-old bridge will be replaced with a taller, wider structure. Slope stabilization also will 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, which will maintain one lane in each direction for motorists. The speed limit in the construction area will be reduced from 45 mph to 25 mph. 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. The Interstate 84 (I-84) westbound right lane near the Franklin Road Interchange will be closed for excavation work starting Monday, Oct. 29, and will reopen on Friday, Nov. 9. Motorists will still be able to enter I-84 westbound from Franklin Road. However, motorists are advised to use the 10th Avenue on-ramp at Exit 28, especially during heavy commute times. The lane closure will allow crews to excavate the westbound on-ramp next to the fog line. The new on-ramp is expected to be open by mid-November. A guardrail has been placed at the edge of the right lane to keep traffic away from a potentially dangerous drop-off that will be created by the excavation work. Aviation Way is expected to open on Nov. 7. The interchange rebuilding, 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. 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 date. 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 are now being used after the old overpass was torn down. At the project's completion, all six new overpass lanes will be opened. 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
A repaving project is nearing completion on Blaine and Cleveland, from 10th Avenue South to just east of South Florida Avenue. The roadway is being rebuilt and paved to the edge of new curb and gutter along both streets. Curb and gutter replacement and most asphalt removal on Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard are complete. Central Paving Company Inc. is the contractor for the $2.8 million project. During the roadway rebuild, parking and lane restrictions have been necessary. Completion is scheduled for late 2007. Work was recently completed on new curb and gutter on Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard, from 10th Avenue to 22nd Avenue in Caldwell. The $1.8 million project, once the road surfaces are finished, will improve drainage and eliminate dips at side street intersections. Braun-Jensen Incorporated was the project contractor on the curb and gutter work. 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.
Interstate 84, Notus Interchange to Sand Hollow Interchange repaving
Work started in May 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 Aug. 22, traffic was shifted to the Interstate 84 westbound lanes. Those lanes will be one lane in each direction for eastbound and westbound vehicles. The shift is allowing 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 are closed. The detour for the ramp traffic is Old Highway 30. The eastbound lanes are scheduled to reopen in mid-October. 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 in late October.
For current driving conditions on Idaho highways, call 5-1-1 or visit 511.idaho.gov.
Interstate 84 East resurfacing
Traffic impacts continue for the I-84 Broadway to Eisenman interchanges repaving project and the repairs to the Broadway Avenue Overpass. The eastbound lanes of Interstate 84 under the Broadway overpass will close during the late evening hours next week for overpass repair work. Starting Monday, Oct. 29, I-84 eastbound traffic will be directed to the off-ramp at Broadway Avenue, across Broadway and onto the eastbound on-ramp to access I-84. The closure of the eastbound lanes starts at 10 p.m., and lasts until 4 a.m. the following morning. The I-84 eastbound lane closures and detour also will take place Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. each night. Flaggers will direct traffic at the intersection of the ramps and Broadway. The lane closures and detour will allow construction crews to make repairs to the southbound lanes of the Broadway Overpass. It sustained heat damage on Sept. 16 when a semi crashed and caught fire close to the overpass. Workers will be removing concrete forms, patching and repairing the underside of the overpass and power washing underneath the overpass. Both northbound lanes of the Broadway Overpass remain open. The southbound lanes of the overpass continue to be closed. They are scheduled to reopen to vehicles on Friday, Nov. 2. The I-84 eastbound on-ramp at Gowen Road closed to traffic starting with Friday's morning commute. Westbound I-84 on- and off-ramps at Gowen Road reopened shortly before the eastbound on-ramp closed. The westbound ramps have been closed since Oct. 15 as part of the 6.1-mile interstate rehabilitation project between the Broadway and Eisenman interchanges. The traffic changes on Friday morning also include the closure of the eastbound exits 59A and 59B at Eisenman Road. Interstate 84 lane restrictions will continue. ITD expects work at the Gowen eastbound on-ramp and the Eisenman eastbound off-ramps to last approximately 10 days. Work will then switch to the Gowen eastbound off-ramp for the last major construction work this fall. ITD expects to complete the fall schedule by the Thanksgiving holiday. In the spring, crews will lay a final layer of asphalt on I-84.
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 eastbound and westbound I-84 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. 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 started paving the north side of Chinden Boulevard as part of a project to widen the boulevard between Cloverdale Road and Hewlett-Packard. Throughout the work zone, one lane of traffic 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. 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. Joplin Road is closed from the Chinden/Cloverdale intersection to Ancell Lane for sewer and drainage work. Motorists can access Joplin at its eastern intersection with Chinden (near Mountain View Drive). Following completion of sewer work, 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. 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. When completed, Chinden Boulevard will be five lanes from Eagle Road through Garden City. The entire project is expected to be finished toward the end of this month.
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 the Mores Creek High Bridge. The 70-year-old bridge will be replaced with a taller, wider structure. Slope stabilization also will 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, which will maintain one lane in each direction for motorists. The speed limit in the construction area will be reduced from 45 mph to 25 mph. 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. The Interstate 84 (I-84) westbound right lane near the Franklin Road Interchange will be closed for excavation work starting Monday, Oct. 29, and will reopen on Friday, Nov. 9. Motorists will still be able to enter I-84 westbound from Franklin Road. However, motorists are advised to use the 10th Avenue on-ramp at Exit 28, especially during heavy commute times. The lane closure will allow crews to excavate the westbound on-ramp next to the fog line. The new on-ramp is expected to be open by mid-November. A guardrail has been placed at the edge of the right lane to keep traffic away from a potentially dangerous drop-off that will be created by the excavation work. Aviation Way is expected to open on Nov. 7. The interchange rebuilding, 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. 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 date. 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 are now being used after the old overpass was torn down. At the project's completion, all six new overpass lanes will be opened. 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
A repaving project is nearing completion on Blaine and Cleveland, from 10th Avenue South to just east of South Florida Avenue. The roadway is being rebuilt and paved to the edge of new curb and gutter along both streets. Curb and gutter replacement and most asphalt removal on Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard are complete. Central Paving Company Inc. is the contractor for the $2.8 million project. During the roadway rebuild, parking and lane restrictions have been necessary. Completion is scheduled for late 2007. Work was recently completed on new curb and gutter on Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard, from 10th Avenue to 22nd Avenue in Caldwell. The $1.8 million project, once the road surfaces are finished, will improve drainage and eliminate dips at side street intersections. Braun-Jensen Incorporated was the project contractor on the curb and gutter work. 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.
Interstate 84, Notus Interchange to Sand Hollow Interchange repaving
Work started in May 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 Aug. 22, traffic was shifted to the Interstate 84 westbound lanes. Those lanes will be one lane in each direction for eastbound and westbound vehicles. The shift is allowing 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 are closed. The detour for the ramp traffic is Old Highway 30. The eastbound lanes are scheduled to reopen in mid-October. 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 in late October.
For current driving conditions on Idaho highways, call 5-1-1 or visit 511.idaho.gov.