11/13/2009
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Nov. 13-20
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.
A westbound lane on I-84 will be closed between 10
p.m. and 5 a.m. Wednesday through Friday (Nov. 18-20) while crews work each
night:
- Guardrail will be removed Wednesday (Nov. 18)
- Traffic will switch to the new westbound off-ramp
on Thursday (Nov. 19)
Westbound I-84 will be closed from 10
p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday to set girders for the new bridge. Motorists
will be diverted to the off- and on-ramps during this closure. Flaggers will
direct motorists.
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.
Construction is expected to be complete in spring
2010.
BOISE
- Interstate 84, Vista Avenue Interchange Reconstruction*
Work is under way to rebuild the Vista Avenue
Interchange to reduce congestion and accommodate future I-84 lanes.
Traffic will switch to the new Vista Avenue bridge
later this month. In early December, the old bridge will be demolished.
The speed limit on I-84 is 55 mph. Watch for trucks
entering and exiting the construction zone.
Construction is expected to be complete in fall
2010.
* 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.
BOISE
- Interstate 84, Cole Road to Broadway Avenue widening
ITD is rebuilding and widening east-
and westbound I-84 between the Cole and Broadway interchanges in Boise. When
complete, the interstate will have four lanes in each direction.
Crews will place guardrail on Monday
and Tuesday (Nov. 16 and 17) on I-84 between the Orchard and Vista
interchanges. An eastbound lane will be closed on Monday night, and a westbound
lane will be closed on Tuesday night. Both closures are from 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
The speed limit is 55 mph in the
project area on I-84.
This project is expected to be complete
in summer 2011.
WEST TREASURE VALLEY - Interstate 84, Garrity to
Meridian widening
ITD has added a third east- and westbound lane to
I-84 between Nampa and Meridian.
Between Black Cat and Ten Mile roads, the third
lane will remain closed until spring 2010 during work on the Ten Mile
Interchange.
The westbound shoulder will be closed until mid-November
while crews finish work in the median.
The I-84 speed limit is 55 mph during construction.
MERIDIAN - Interstate 84, Ten Mile
Interchange construction
Work continues on a project to replace the current
Ten Mile Overpass with an interchange with on- and off-ramps. This project
includes widening Ten Mile Road and constructing two undercrossings for local
roads north and south of I-84.
On Monday (Nov. 16), crews will resume driving
steel piles into the ground to support the interchange. Work will be done at
the site of the future Ten Mile Interchange. It is the final location for pile
driving.
Crews will do tests on Monday and Wednesday (Nov.
16 and 18) between 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Daily pile driving will resume later in the
week.
The Ten Mile Overpass will be demolished in
mid-December. During the demolition, I-84 will be closed between the Meridian
and Garrity interchanges, and a detour route will be posted to guide motorists
through the area.
The speed limit has been reduced to 35 mph on Ten
Mile Road between Franklin and Overland roads. Motorists should watch for
trucks traveling in the area.
Construction is expected to be complete
in summer 2011.
NAMPA
- Interstate 84, Garrity Bridge/11th Ave. to Garrity
ITD will replace two bridges in the
Garrity Interchange with a single, wider bridge to support additional lanes on
the interstate. The project will construct a third east- and westbound lane on
I-84 through the Garrity Interchange.
Est. Start: Late Fall 2009
Est.
Completion: Winter 2010
Following is an update on non-GARVEE state highway construction projects in southwest Idaho.
CANYON COUNTY
CALDWELL - Indian Creek Bridges replacement
Crews will finish paving and striping
the new structure at 21st Avenue by Monday (Nov. 16). Work to
improve the structural integrity of bridges over Indian Creek at 21st and 11th
Avenue and Arthur is in the final stages and should be complete by late Nov./early Dec., weather permitting.
Removal of the existing bridge and
construction of the new concrete bridge at 21st has been completed in two
phases. During the first phase, the east portion of the bridge was removed and
reconstructed, and traffic was routed onto the existing bridge. During the
second phase, traffic has been shifted to the completed portion of the new
bridge while the other half is reconstructed.
When construction is complete the new
bridge will have 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.
All of the steel girders have been set
for the new bridge at 11th Avenue and Arthur but vehicles
continue to be detoured around the intersection. Pedestrian access to local
business remains open and signs are in place to direct customers.
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.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
MIDVALE HILL - rest area improvement
project
A project to upgrade the rest area on U.S. 95 at Midvale Hill is nearing completion.
The rest area is expected to be re-open
by the end of November. Door locks and hardware issues have delayed the
re-opening.
This project has rebuilt the existing rest area - built in 1987 - and caretaker
facilities, created additional truck parking, and includes other repairs. The
rest room building was completely reconstructed.
Perimeter fencing, some electrical and mechanical system installation and some
roofing remains. A security system is being installed.
The rest area will be closed during this project, and signs are posted in
Cambridge and Weiser announcing the closure. No temporary facilities are
available.
WF Construction & Sales LLC of Meridian is the contractor on this $1.4
million project.
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.
The contractor is working on a cold-weather concrete plan and setting the deck-finishing machine. The deck pour is expected this next week (Nov. 16-20).
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.
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 mid-February 2010.
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.