7/9/2008
Construction on Idaho 48 between Rigby and Ririe to start Thursday (July 10)
RIGBY - Construction on Idaho 48 between Rigby and Ririe will begin Thursday (July 10), the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) announced.
Crews will seal coat the 9.5‑mile stretch of highway from the junction of Idaho 48 and Yellowstone Highway in Rigby to Ririe and two miles of the U.S. 26 business loop west of Ririe.
The contractor - H‑K Contractors Inc. of Idaho Falls - will apply two seal coats, each time starting at Rigby and proceeding east to Ririe.
During construction, motorists can expect 15‑minute delays. The highway will be reduced to one lane, with flaggers directing eastbound and westbound traffic through the work zones. The speed limit in the work areas will be reduced to 35 mph. A width restriction of 12 feet will be in force for commercial vehicles.
Work will take place on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. The project is scheduled to be finished by Friday (July 18), weather permitting. Access to public and private roads along construction zones will be maintained, and intersecting roads will remain open.
Later this summer, crews will paint yellow centerline stripes, white edge stripes and apply other pavement markings along the resurfaced sections of Idaho 48.
Seal coating, which entails spraying liquid asphalt on the highway and spreading a layer of crushed rock over it, protects the road against weathering and provides a semi-rough surface for vehicle traction.
Drivers should anticipate unusual driving conditions, such as merging traffic, construction vehicles, flaggers, pilot cars and rough surfaces, and should obey traffic signs to avoid windshield damage.
Information on highway construction projects in Idaho is available by dialing 5-1-1 or checking the Internet at 511.idaho.gov.