5/13/2009
Three highway construction projects to begin Monday in Moscow
LEWISTON - The Idaho Transportation Department will begin a trio of projects next week that will improve travel routes within Moscow, including reconstruction of an intersection, road widening and paving, and installation of new utilities.
The largest of the three projects will be reconstruction of the intersection of U.S. 95 and D Street in Moscow. Work will include installation of new traffic signals and the addition of curbs, catch basins, sidewalks and concrete pavement.
M.L. Albright and Sons Inc. of Lewiston, will begin work Monday (May 18) and should finish by August. Estimated cost of the improvements is about $1.9 million.
The project will begin at the intersection of U.S. 95 (Main Street) and A Street and will continue north more than a half-mile to the Rodeo Drive intersection.
A new 12-inch water line with service laterals will be installed from A Street north to the intersection of U.S. 95 and Morton Street. Most of the route also will receive a three-inch overlay of "superpave" hot mix asphalt pavement.
The project will be constructed in two phases, beginning with the closure of the southbound lanes of U.S. 95 and the west half of the D Street intersection. That will enable the contractor to work on the water line, the west half of the intersection and the pavement overlay on the southbound lanes.
Traffic will be shifted into the northbound lanes and be limited to a single lane in both directions. Access to adjoining property and side streets will be maintained throughout the project.
The second phase of the project consists of closing the northbound U.S. 95 lanes and work on the east side of the D Street intersection while a new overlay is applied to the northbound U.S. 95 lanes and the east half of the intersection.
Traffic will be routed to the southbound lanes. A single lane of traffic in both directions and access to adjacent property will be maintained during the second phase of the project.
Idaho highway 8 will be widened to 40 feet and a center turn lane will be added between Veatch Street and White Place, beginning Monday.
Motley & Motley Inc. of Pullman, Wash., is the contractor for the $1.6 million, .32-mile project that should be complete by September.
In addition to expansion and the addition of a 12-foot center turn lane, the project will include installation of a main storm sewer trunk line and lateral lines, manholes, curbs, gutters and a sidewalk along the westbound lane.
During the project, through traffic will be diverted onto Palouse River Drive and Mountain View Road. Highway 8 through the construction zone will be reduced to a single lane, controlled by flaggers during the day. It will reopen to two lanes of traffic after work hours each night.
Work also will begin Monday to demolish and relocate an existing pedestrian path and add new lighting and park benches on the east side of U.S. 95 between Sweet Avenue and Blaine Street.
The new 10-foot wide path will begin near the intersection of Sweet Avenue, continue north to Paradise Creek, turn east and follow the south side of the creek to Creekside Park. Total length of the project is about two-tenths of a mile.
Crea Construction of Lewiston is expected to complete the $194,000 project in early July. A pedestrian detour will be in place during construction.
For information on the construction project or other highway projects on the state highway system, dial 511 or go to the Traveler Services Web site, 511.idaho.gov .