7/6/2009
Construction to shore up U.S. 26 seven miles east of Palisades Dam begins today (July 6)
RIGBY - Construction to shore up a shoulder of U.S. 26 about seven miles east of the Palisades Dam begins today (July 6), the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
Crews will install retaining walls to buttress the eastbound shoulder, which is located a little over 2 miles east of the Blowout Campground. Runoff from the highway eroded the shoulder last year.
Crews will install a 10-foot-tall retaining wall along 40 feet of the slope below the highway, then a 6-foot-tall retaining wall along 100 feet just below the shoulder. Retaining walls will be constructed of heavy wire mesh to contain rock fill.
Construction of the lower wall is expected to take two weeks, with trucks and other construction equipment entering and exiting U.S. 26 in the construction area. Motorists should watch for equipment.
After the first retaining wall is complete, crews will build the second wall close to the road surface. During its construction, traffic will be reduced to one lane, the speed limit will be reduced to 35 mph and commercial vehicles will be restricted to a width of 12 feet. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.
Drivers should proceed with care. Work hours on the project are weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Work is scheduled to be finished on Friday, Aug. 7.
For construction information on state highways, visit 511.idaho.gov, or dial 5-1-1 from phones within Idaho. Outside of Idaho, dial toll-free (888) 432-7623. Reports are updated as conditions change.