5/28/2009
Highway surface treatment project to begin Monday (June 1) on I-84 east of Mountain Home
BOISE - A project to treat and preserve the highway surface on a 24-mile stretch of I-84 east of Mountain Home is expected to begin Monday (June 1), the Idaho Transportation Department announced. The project is expected to finish by late July.
A sealer will be applied to cracks in the concrete surface from milepost 90 to 114 to ward off continued deterioration. Prior to the sealer application, the cracks will be repaired and some individual concrete slabs replaced.
Starting Monday, the outside lane (travel lane) on the westbound side will be closed from milepost 99 to 103 to remove and replace 17 concrete slabs. Crews will work from 3 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and the work in this section is expected to take five to seven days. Once that is complete, for the next five to seven days, the same operation will take place on the inside (passing) lane.
Also starting on Monday, one eastbound lane will be closed starting at milepost 90 and progressing east to repair cracks in the surface. Once crews reach milepost 114, they will switch over to the westbound side and work back to milepost 90.
Westbound work will be done from 3 a.m. to 10 p.m.; eastbound work will take place between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The lane closures for the slab replacement will remain in place for several days following the work to allow the concrete to cure (set up) and seal the joints. The lane restrictions for crack repair and sealer application will be removed at the end of each work day.
Around mid- to late June, as crack repairs and slab replacements have been completed, crews will close an eastbound lane to apply sealer in the entire 24-mile stretch, then move to the westbound side and work back toward milepost 90.
During lane closures, the speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph in the project area and allowable widths reduced to 14 feet.
American Civil Contractors from Benicia, Calif., is the contractor on this $2.4 million project.
ITD and the Idaho State Police caution 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.