8/6/2009
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Chinden traffic update: weather delays seal coat work
BOISE - Wet weather has delayed completion of the Idaho Transportation Department's road project on Chinden Boulevard. The oil used in the seal coat operation cannot bond properly to the roadway surface in rainy conditions.
If the precipitation continues - and it looks like it may for the next few days - the seal coat will be delayed and finished this weekend. The good news is that the project was running well ahead of schedule.
Crews will still need to return to apply a final fog coat - work that can be done at night.
The project began on Monday (Aug. 3) near the Connector ramp on the east end of Chinden. It ends at Eagle Road.
Once the Chinden work is finished, crews will then work on a nine-mile section on I-84 west of Caldwell, from the Centennial Road Interchange to Sand Hollow Interchange.
Seal coating begins by applying a layer of asphalt and then a cover coat of gravel on the roadway surface. The highway is rolled and traffic allowed on to the roadway to help pack the surface before "brooming" or sweeping to remove excess gavel.
The work is done during the day because the heat helps the asphalt and rock bond more quickly to the roadway surface, providing a higher-quality finished product.
Snake River Construction of Twin Falls is the contractor on this $1.4 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.