7/31/2009
Southwest Idaho weekly highway construction report for July 31-August 5
BOISE -
The following projects are part of the GARVEE Transportation Program in
southwest Idaho, which uses funds from Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle
(GARVEE) bonds to expedite highway projects.
BOISE - Interstate 84, Orchard Street Interchange
Work continues on a project
to reconstruct the Orchard Street Interchange in Boise.
Traffic is now shifted to the west side of Orchard Street between the
westbound ramps and Malad Street. Two lanes are open in each direction on
Orchard Street. There is no center turn lane.
The shift will be in place until Aug. 26.
An outside lane on the eastbound I-84 on-ramp will be closed from 10
p.m. to 5 a.m. Aug. 4-7 while crews place asphalt and remove guardrail.
The speed
limit on I-84 is 55 mph and shoulders are restricted in the project area. The
speed limit on surrounding roadways (Orchard Street, Wright Street, Victory
Road) is 25 mph. ITD advises motorists to be cautious of trucks and equipment.
BOISE Interstate
84, Vista Avenue Interchange Reconstruction*
Work is under way to rebuild the interchange to accommodate
traffic and future I-84 lanes.
Overnight lane restrictions are in place Friday (July 31)
while crews place guardrail and sand barrels on the interstate. East- and
westbound I-84 will be reduced to lane in each direction from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Vista Avenue will be restricted to one lane in each
direction starting Tuesday (Aug 4) through Thursday (Aug. 6), from 10 p.m. to 5
a.m., while crews pour concrete for the new bridge piers.
A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday,
Aug. 5, to celebrate the reconstruction project. The ceremony will be held on
West Elder Street. To reach the ceremony from I-84, exit at Vista Avenue (exit
53), turn west on Elder Street and watch for signs. The ceremony will be near
the Hampton Inn on the south side of the street.
Motorists are advised to drive with caution and watch for
trucks entering and exiting the median near the Vista Interchange.
* Design for the project was funded by GARVEE, but
project construction is funded through the federal stimulus program, created to
generate jobs and help boost Idaho's economy while upgrading our foundation for
future economic growth.
WEST TREASURE VALLEY - Interstate 84,
Garrity to Meridian widening
ITD is adding a third east- and westbound lane to I-84
between Nampa and Meridian.
Westbound I-84 will be reduced to one lane overnight from 10 p.m. to 7
a.m. both Friday (July 31) and Saturday (Aug. 1) to allow crews to prepare the road
for a traffic shift.
Starting Sunday morning (Aug. 2), westbound I-84 travelers
will shift to temporary lanes between the Ten Mile and Black Cat overpasses.
Motorists will return to westbound lanes at the Garrity Interchange.
In addition, an east- and westbound
lane on I-84 in Meridian will be closed July 31 and Aug. 1 from 10 p.m. to 7
a.m. for shoulder work between the Meridian Interchange and Ten Mile overpass.
In addition, these GARVEE projects will
begin this summer and fall:
MERIDIAN - Interstate 84, Ten Mile
Interchange construction
Construct
interchange to replace current overpass at location. Project also includes
improvements to local roadways.
Est. Start: August 2009
Est. Completion: May 2011
BOISE - Interstate 84, Cole
Road to Broadway Avenue widening
Rebuild and widen
freeway to add two new lanes, creating four in each direction.
Est. Start: Sept. 2009
Est. Completion: Summer 2011
NAMPA - Interstate 84, Garrity Bridges replacement
Replace two bridges
with a single, wider bridge to allow additional lanes on the interstate.
Est. Start: Sept. 2009
Est. Completion: Dec. 2010
Following is an update on non-GARVEE state highway construction projects in southwest Idaho.
ADA COUNTY
EAST BOISE - Idaho 21, Diversion Dam to Sandy Point and Jct. I-84/Idaho 21 (Exit 57) resurfacing
Crews have begun work on the two-mile portion of Idaho 21 from Diversion Dam to Sandy Point with a test strip of asphalt just north of the dam. These test strips are a standard quality control/quality assurance measure prior to most paving projects.
On Monday (August 3), crews will begin moving guardrail on the northbound side of Idaho 21 near Diversion Dam. The portion of the Greenbelt bike path adjacent to the guardrail work will be closed for about a week during this work. The bike path parallel to this two-mile area also will be repaved.
This work will be followed immediately by a resurfacing project at the Idaho 21 exit off I-84 (Exit 57) extending to Federal Way. Work on both sections of Idaho 21 is expected to finish by late September.
Idaho Sand & Gravel Co. of Nampa is the contractor on the $1.1 million project.
This section of Idaho 21 has not been repaved since originally constructed in the 1980s. Time and weather have deteriorated the highway surface and users must navigate frequent cracks and bumps in the riding surface.
Allow for extra time when driving through the area as there will be lane closures throughout the project.
BOISE - Five Mile bridge resurfacing
The Five Mile bridge resurfacing and repair is expected to finish by Monday (Aug. 3).
Crews are finishing paving, on both the north and south sides of the bridge.
In addition to the closure of the bridge itself, there also will be intermittent overnight (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) closures or restrictions to the I-84 lanes under the bridge for the safety of the traveling public when work is taking place directly above those areas. There are four lanes in each direction on the interstate under the bridge, and at least two lanes will remain open.
The project will rehabilitate the bridge deck, repair deteriorated pavement, extend the life of the structure and provide a smoother ride for motorists.
Additional improvements (such as additional travel lanes, bike lanes or sidewalks) are not planned as part of this project. Improvements of that magnitude would require total replacement of the bridge structure, and funding for such an extensive project is not currently available.
The Five Mile Bridge, built in 1966, carries more than 18,000 vehicles a day. By 2031, average daily traffic is projected to exceed 19,250.
The bridge is part of a heavily-traveled north-south corridor in west Boise, adjacent to residential, retail and business centers, making it an important transportation link in the area.
Trinity Construction of Boise is the contractor for this $275,000 project.
CANYON COUNTY
CALDWELL - Logan & 10th intersection improvement project
A project to improve the intersection of Logan Street and 10th Avenue in Caldwell is nearly complete. The project widened the roadway and included installation of a traffic signal, which is now operational.
This project reconstructed the intersection, added turn lanes and replaced the traffic signal, controllers and traffic-control cabinet.
WF Construction & Sales of Meridian is the contractor on this $284,000 project.
CALDWELL - Indian Creek Bridges replacement
Crews are making progress on on an Idaho Transportation Department project to replace two deteriorated bridges (21st and 11th Avenue structures) that span Indian Creek. The bridges are being replaced to improve their structural integrity and extend the life of the roadway.
Traffic continues to be detoured around the 11th Avenue and Arthur Street structure while the bridge abutments are being replaced. The old structure has been removed, exposing Indian Creek. Business access remains open and signs are in place to direct customers.
Crews are creating a dry construction zone at 11th and Arthur during the bridge replacement. Three diesel-powered engines are being used to create the dry construction zone. The de-watering equipment pulls water out of the construction zone and recycles it back into another location further down the creek. The diesel engines, which can be loud, will run for about a month.
The installation of the rebar on the 21st Avenue bridge near Chicago Street follows
the recent replacement of the bridge abutments. The bridge is being widened to
four lanes (two lanes in each direction) to better serve the well-traveled
route between Interstate 84 and The College of Idaho. Two lanes of traffic are
being maintained during construction and business access on 21st remains open.
Temporary signs are in place to direct customers.
Removal of the existing bridge and construction of the new concrete bridge is
being completed in two phases. During the first phase, the east portion of the
bridge is being removed and reconstructed, and traffic is routed onto the
existing bridge. During the second phase, traffic will shift to the completed
portion of the new bridge while the other half is reconstructed.
Construction on both bridges is expected to be complete in November 2009.
Braun-Jensen of Payette is the contractor on this $2.3 million project. This is a Local Highway Technical Assistance Council project sponsored by the City of Caldwell.
NAMPA - U.P.R.R. 16th Avenue Bridge repair
A project to repair the Union Pacific Railroad 16th Avenue Bridge in Nampa is under way.
In addition to repairing the deck on this four-lane bridge, the work also includes replacing expansion joints and performing sidewalk replacement repairs on the 750-foot bridge.
Idaho Construction Company Inc. of Kimberly is the contractor on this $1 million project. The project is on schedule to be completed in late August.
PAYETTE COUNTY
PAYETTE - 7th Avenue North improvement
A project is ongoing to improve about one-half mile of 7th Avenue North in Payette, which leads to McCain Middle School and the Western Idaho Community Action Partnership (WICAP) Head Start. The construction project extends from 11th to 18th streets on 7th Avenue and crosses U.S. 95.
The road will be rebuilt and widened with new curbs, gutters and pedestrian ramps per ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards.
The canal bridge is about 500 feet from the intersection. Improvements in this project include wider lanes over the top of the bridge, with five-foot sidewalks and bike lanes added on each side.
By Aug. 1, the contractor will have completed the curb, gutter and sidewalk work. Around mid-August, paving will commence at U.S. 95 and 7th Avenue North. Placing of topsoil, grading and grooming behind sidewalks and approaches will be completed prior to paving, as will the placing of signs, mailboxes, seeding, and fences.
Traffic to residential property will be maintained, as well as services (mail, trash, etc.).
The roadway is closed to through traffic.
The project also will include storm-sewer installation to handle water run-off.
Knife River is the contractor on this $1.5 million project, which is expected to be complete in October.
VALLEY COUNTY
DONNELLY - Main Street resurfacing
Asphalt removal on a project to reconstruct Main Street in Donnelly is expected to begin Monday (July 20). Crews have been performing survey work thus far.
The contractor will remove asphalt starting at the north end of the project limits and proceeding into town on the southbound lane to the old flea market near the gas station. Crews will then turn around and perform the same work heading north.
At the same time, trenching is planned for pipe work and roadway drainage on the south end of town.
This half-mile project consists of adding a left-turn bay onto Roseberry Street (milepost 131) and a two-way left-turn (center turn) lane through town, starting at Boulder Creek Bridge. The project also includes minor sidewalk additions, drainage improvements and traffic-access control.
The downtown section will be five lanes wide, and includes parking on each side. In addition, there will be new curb and gutter on each side and a new storm-drain system that includes underground pipe and ditches.
Crews will work from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to noon on Fridays. No weekend work is expected. There are no length, weight or width load restrictions on the project.
Flaggers will be on hand throughout work hours to assist traffic and the public in and out of businesses and residences in the project vicinity. The contractor is required to maintain two-way traffic at night and on weekends.
Valley Paving & Asphalt of Cottonwood, Idaho, is the contractor for this $975,000 project.
The project is expected to be completed by mid-September.
NEAR COUGAR MOUNTAIN LODGE- Idaho 55, Smiths Ferry to Round Valley resurfacing
A pavement rehabilitation project to extend the life of the roadway and create a smoother ride for motorists on a five-mile stretch (milepost 97-102) of Idaho 55 from Smiths Ferry to Round Valley is nearly complete. Paving and striping are concluding this week, and installation of drop inlets for drainage next week will wrap it up.
The project starts about 500 feet south of Cougar Mountain Lodge. The roadway is a narrow, winding route, and the narrow shoulders and tight curves contribute to an accident rate one and one-half times higher than the statewide average. The project will not include any approaches or realignment. The roadway travel surfaces on either end of the project have already been addressed.
Within a few days of the completion of this project, the project surface will be seal coated along with the stretch of roadway north from Round Valley Creek Road to the Clear Creek Lodge, which was resurfaced two years ago.
No weekend or holiday work is anticipated. In addition, truck lengths and/or widths will not be restricted.
Work hours on the project are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to noon on Fridays.
The grinding in the northbound lane is complete, and is two days ahead of the paving operation. Concrete and steel guardrail have been removed. Paving may start next Monday (July 20), along with milling. Both are expected to be completed by Friday (July 24).
Idaho Sand & Gravel of Nampa is the contractor on this $1.5 million project.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
CAMBRIDGE - Superior Street/Mill Road improvements
A project to improve Superior Street/Mill Road at the north end of Cambridge is under way.
This project, off the state highway system, involves improving 1,300 feet of roadway and replacing the existing bridge on Rush Creek with a new single-span bridge.
The contractor is working on relocating the water line at Rush Creek. Storm sewer work has begun.
To improve drainage, the two-lane roadway is going to be paved curb-to-curb, with curb, gutter, parking stalls and sidewalk work included.
The contractor intends to keep the south half of Superior Street open to through traffic and close off the north half (adjacent to the removed bridge) to all except local traffic.
Crews will work an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule Monday through Friday. No weekend or holiday work is expected.
Knife River (Boise) is the contractor on this $922,000 project.
Although ITD is administering the contract, the project itself comes under the jurisdiction of the Local Highway Technical Advisory Council (LHTAC). The city of Cambridge is the local sponsor of this project and a financial contributor.
The project is expected to finish in late October.
MIDVALE HILL - rest area improvement project
A project to upgrade the rest area on U.S. 95 at Midvale Hill is under way.
This project will rehabilitate the existing rest area - built in 1987 - and caretaker facilities, create additional truck parking, and include other repairs. The rest room building is being completely reconstructed.
The rest area will be closed during this project, and signs will be posted in Cambridge and Weiser to announce the closure. No temporary facilities are planned during this work. The project is expected to finish by October.
At last notice, masonry was complete on the
restroom building, volunteer enclosure and storage building, and the steel
shade structure to cover the new caretaker residence had been put up. Wood
framing, insulation, and sheetrock were complete, and electrical and mechanical
system installation was continuing on all three buildings. In addition, metal roofing
was finished on the volunteer enclosure and partially finished on the storage
building.
Placement of three-quarter inch base material
for the road and parking areas was complete. Light poles for the rest area also
had been set.
WEISER - Snake River Bridge replacement
The Snake River Bridge on the U.S. 95 Spur in Weiser is being replaced with a wider structure. The bridge connects Annex, Ore., to Weiser.
Crews are continuing to drill shafts and pour concrete. Motorists can expect intermittent nighttime restrictions during this work.
Crews built one half of the new bridge and switched traffic to that section Dec. 4, 2008. Only one lane of traffic can safely pass over the new bridge section. To accommodate traffic crossing over the bridge in opposite directions, portable signals are being used.
The right and left ramps on the Idaho side of the bridge are closed. Traffic must follow the detour to access Old Highway 70. In addition, any traffic 12 feet or wider and/or taller than 14 feet 2 inches will need to detour through Payette.
Both abutments on the Idaho side of the bridge have been finished.
Work on the overall project is about 70 percent complete.
The original bridge was built in 1903, with an additional span added in 1911. Traffic signals were added in 1949. The bridge was replaced in the 1950s - that's the one being replaced in this project. Once completed, the bridge will be 16 feet wider and able to carry greater traffic volumes. The highway on both sides of the bridge also will be reconstructed.
New curb, gutter and sidewalks are being reconstructed on the Idaho side of 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 by winter. It originally was slated for completion in 2010, but crews are ahead of schedule.
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.