8/10/2005
Mollie McCarty
ITD Chief External Affairs Officer
208-334-8804
mollie.mccarty@itd.idaho.gov
Eastbound I-84 Garrity on-ramp in Nampa to be lengthened beginning Aug. 14
BOISE - The eastbound Interstate 84 Garrity Boulevard on-ramp in Nampa will be lengthened to improve safety in this congested area beginning Sunday evening (Aug. 14), the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) announced.
The work is a 3E project, a partnership between the transportation department and Idaho State Police, to increase safety through engineering, education and enforcement. The project was chosen due to the high number of traffic crashes and traffic volume in the area. It will extend the ramp approximately one-quarter of a mile, increasing the amount of time ramp traffic has to negotiate the merge with interstate traffic.
During and after the project, Idaho State Police will have increased patrols in the area to promote safety. We encourage motorists to pay close attention to signs in the construction area, and avoid aggressive driving behaviors such as abrupt lane changes, speeding and following vehicles too closely, said Idaho State Police Captain Steve Richardson.
While this project provides an immediate safety benefit, other, long-term projects such as the interstate widening between Caldwell and Meridian through Gov. Kempthornes Connecting Idaho Initiative will address Canyon Countys long-term needs, said ITD District Engineer Eric Shannon.
Traffic impacts from the project will be minimal, with the majority of traffic restrictions taking place at night between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. During daytime work, two lanes of I-84 will remain open in the project area, while traffic is shifted to the shoulder. On-ramp traffic will also be shifted slightly. During nighttime work, traffic on I-84 will be reduced from two lanes to one, while on-ramp traffic is maintained. The speed limit in the work area will be reduced from 65 mph to 55 mph at all times until the project is complete.
The 3E program began in 1998 as a way to emphasize a comprehensive effort between state agencies to improve safety on Idahos highways. Through the use of engineering, enforcement and education, all facets of safety improvement can benefit.
The $778,000 project will be complete in late September. Idaho Sand & Gravel of Nampa is the project contractor.