8/1/2008
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Aug. 1-8
BOISE - Following is an update on interstate and state highway construction projects in southwest Idaho.
ADA COUNTY
Interstate 84 East improvements - Soundwalls
Work began Friday (Aug. 1) to place the first soundwall panels north of I-84 from Cole Road to Broadway Avenue. The wall will range from 14 to 16 feet high on the motorist side and up to 24 feet high on the property owner side, and will help reduce traffic noise for residents.
Starting Monday (Aug. 4), crews will install temporary fences along properties that border the work zone between the Vista and Broadway interchanges. Fences are already in place in the rest of the project.
The outside shoulder of westbound I-84 is closed to traffic at all times, and the speed limit is 55 mph. Flaggers on the Vista and Orchard interchanges' westbound off-ramps may stop traffic briefly for construction vehicles.
West of the Cole Interchange, crews will begin rebuilding the existing soundwall the week of Aug. 4-8 to match the height of the new wall. The existing wall was constructed during the Wye Interchange project and tapers down west of the Cole Interchange.
Record Steel and Construction Inc. (RSCI) of Meridian is the contractor on this $9.6 million soundwall project.
The soundwall is one of several improvements planned for the I-84 East corridor in the next two years, including reconstructing the Orchard Street and Vista Avenue interchanges and widening I-84 between Cole Road and Broadway Avenue.
ADA & CANYON COUNTY
Interstate 84, Garrity to Meridian widening
Widening work is under way in the I-84 median between the Garrity and Meridian interchanges. Crews are working day and night to construct additional lanes on I-84.
Motorists can expect a nighttime lane closure on westbound I-84 between the Ten Mile Overpass and Meridian Interchange through Sunday (Aug. 3).
The closure will allow crews to haul excess dirt out of the median and bring in base materials for the new lanes. Paving is expected to begin in mid-August.
Additionally, eastbound traffic on I-84 will be delayed for approximately 30 minutes sometime between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. Sunday (Aug. 3). The right lane will be closed and motorists will be delayed between the Franklin Interchange in Nampa and the Meridian Interchange.
During the traffic delay, crews will remove the 124-foot long conveyor tube that hangs 17 feet above the eastbound lanes. All lanes are expected to be open by 7 a.m.
Two lanes of traffic are open in each direction during the day (5 a.m. to 10 p.m.). At least one lane of traffic is typically open at night (10 p.m. to 5 a.m. weekdays, 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekends). The I-84 speed limit is reduced to 55 mph between the Garrity and Eagle interchanges. Inside shoulders are closed in the project area.
A third lane in each direction will be built in the median and a permanent barrier will be placed between east- and westbound lanes. The project also will reconstruct existing lanes between the Garrity and Meridian interchanges. Construction is expected to be complete in 2010.
The project is part of a series of improvements planned for I-84 between Caldwell and Meridian. A separate project will rebuild the overpasses at Robinson and Black Cat roads to accommodate four lanes in each direction on I-84. Overpass reconstruction is expected to begin this fall and be complete next year. Construction of a new interchange at Ten Mile Road is anticipated to begin in summer 2009 and be complete in summer 2011.
The above projects are part of the GARVEE Transportation Program, which uses funds from Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle (GARVEE) bonds to expedite interstate improvements.
CALDWELL - Chicago Street and 21st Avenue
Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction through early August for the completion of improvements at the intersection of Chicago Street and 21st Avenue in Caldwell.
Three of the four legs of the intersection have been addressed, and paving is under way. However, flooding from a nearby farm left 2.5 feet of standing water earlier this month, delaying completion.
The project will widen both Chicago Street and 21st Avenue at the intersection to add a left-hand turn bay on 21st Avenue, add traffic signals, construct sidewalks, curb and gutter, and enhance the stormwater drainage facilities. It is the first of several enhancements to 21st Avenue between Chicago Street and Franklin Road.
WF Construction and Sales LLC of Meridian is the contractor on this $448,145 project.
ELMORE COUNTY
MOUNTAIN HOME - American Legion Boulevard overlay
This project will rehabilitate about three-quarters of a mile of American Legion Boulevard (I-84B) through Mountain Home. The pavement rehabilitation will extend the life of the roadway in this section.
The road was built in 1960, with only periodic improvements since.
The project also will upgrade substandard pedestrian ramps at nine intersections, in accordance with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines.
On this project, 99 percent of the road work is complete. Through late August there will be intermittent lane closures. All traffic signals are operational, so flaggers are no longer necessary.
Knife River Corp. of Bismark, N.D., is the contractor on this $546,405 project.
NEAR MOUNTAIN HOME - Simco Road to Mountain Home resurfacing
Roadway resurfacing work to level a section of I-84 near Mountain Home is now under way.
Both the eastbound and westbound travel lanes of eight miles of the interstate, from Simco Road (milepost 82) to the first Mountain Home exit (milepost 90), will be milled and paved. All lanes will then be treated with an edge-line to edge-line seal coat that will protect the surface and improve traction for motorists.
During the work, the speed limit in the work zone will be reduced to 45 mph, and motorists will be limited to one lane. Of the total eight-mile stretch of roadway, the contractor will be working on two miles at a time, and the reductions will only be in effect in that rolling two-mile section.
Central Paving Co., Boise, is the contractor on this $1.9 million project.
The project is scheduled for completion in early August.
SOUTH OWYHEE COUNTY
Duck Valley Indian Reservation to Sheep Creek Road
This pavement rehabilitation project will overlay Idaho 51 to extend the life of the roadway.
During the work, 8.5 miles of the highway will be repaved, from the Duck Valley Indian Reservation to Sheep Creek Road just north of the reservation.
The pavement rehabilitation will use the CRABS (Cement Recycled Asphalt Base Stabilization) process. CRABS involves grinding the existing roadway down to the gravel base, then adding cement to the old asphalt.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane on this two-lane road, with flaggers and a pilot car guiding motorists through the work zone. The speed limit also is reduced to 55 mph.
Debco Construction of Twin Falls is the contractor on this $2.1 million project.
The project is expected to finish in mid-August.
PAYETTE COUNTY
IDAHO/OREGON STATE LINE - Snake River View Rest Area
The Snake River View Rest Area will undergo new landscaping and irrigation, new fixtures in the men's and women's restrooms, a repaved parking lot and sidewalk improvements to increase handicapped access.
The rest area, on the eastbound side of Interstate 84 on the Idaho side of the Oregon border, is scheduled to re-open in mid-August.
A patio area that overlooks the Snake River also is being renovated. Walls and a window will be added to make the patio more comfortable for year-round use.
The rest area was built in 1966 and refurbished in 1987.
King Excavation of Caldwell is the contractor for the $995,500 project.
The eastbound off-ramp from I-84 to the rest area is closed, and posted signs inform motorists of the closure.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
WEISER - Snake River Bridge replacement
The Snake River Bridge on the U.S. 95 Spur in Weiser will be replaced and widened. The bridge connects Annex, Ore., to Weiser.
A bridge was built in 1903, with an additional span added in 1911. Traffic signals were added in 1949. In the 1950s, the bridge was replaced, and that is the one being rebuilt today. Once completed, the bridge will be 16 feet wider and able to carry greater traffic volumes. In addition, the road on both sides of the bridge will be reconstructed.
New curb, gutter and sidewalks will be reconstructed on the Idaho side of the bridge.
Lane closures are in effect on the west ramp on the Idaho side of the bridge. Motorists will use the east ramp in both directions to access and exit Old Highway 70 at the bridge.
The speed limit is reduced to 25 mph on the Oregon side of the bridge.
Sletten Construction of Boise is the contractor on this $10 million project. The project is expected to be completed in 2010.
ITD and the Idaho State Police warn motorists to slow down and pay attention when driving in work zones, where increased speeding fines and other penalties apply. Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and dial 5-1-1 or visit 511.idaho.gov for information on the state highway or interstate system.