2/19/2010
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Feb. 19-26
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
Interstate
84 east-and westbound off-ramps will be closed at the Orchard Interchange
overnight on Monday (Feb. 22) while crews construct an overhead sign at each
ramp.
The
ramps will be closed a four-hour period starting Monday.
-
The eastbound off-ramp will be closed from 10 p.m. to midnight.
-
The westbound off-ramp will be closed from midnight to 2 a.m.
Motorists
can use the Cole/Overland or Vista interchange to access Orchard Street during
the closure. The on-ramps will remain open.
One
northbound lane will be closed on the Orchard Street Bridge over I-84 while
crews move equipment from 7 a.m. to noon on Tuesday.
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
on the $15.1 million project 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.
On
Wright Street, the center turn lane will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday
(Feb. 22) through Wednesday (Feb. 24). The closure will begin west of Vista
Avenue and end east of Orchard Street. Crews will be moving temporary
construction fence.
Construction
on the $17.8 million project is expected to be complete in late summer 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.
Eastbound
interstate travelers will notice a few differences near the Orchard Interchange
on Thursday morning (Feb. 25).
The
two eastbound lanes will be moved several feet toward the shoulder, leaving
space for crews to work in the median.
The
shift will begin just before the Orchard Interchange ramps and end just before
the Vista ramps. The Idaho Transportation Department asks motorists to pay
careful attention to the new lane stripes.
The
shift is part of a project to widen I-84 between the Cole and Broadway
interchanges.
Nighttime
lane restrictions and speed limit reductions will continue between the Orchard
and Vista interchanges this month. One lane will be open at all times. The speed
limit is 55 mph during the day and 45 mph during nighttime lane restrictions.
This
$35.9 million project is expected to be complete in summer 2011.
MERIDIAN
- Interstate 84, Ten Mile Interchange construction
Work
continues on a project to replace the old 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.
-
One lane of westbound I-84 will be closed overnight Friday (Feb. 19) between
Ten Mile and Black Cat roads in Meridian from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
-
One lane of eastbound I-84 will be closed overnight Wednesday (Feb. 24) between
Ten Mile and Black Cat roads in Meridian from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Crews
are pouring concrete for a temporary falsework system, which will support the
new bridge during the construction process.
Ten
Mile Road is closed between Franklin and Overland roads during construction.
The
$33.8 million project is expected to be complete in summer 2011.
NAMPA - Interstate 84,
Garrity Interchange Bridge reconstruction
Construction
on the I-84 Garrity Interchange improvement project is under way. The project
will remove two bridges on I-84 at the Garrity Interchange and replace them
with a single bridge that will accommodate three lanes in each direction on the
interstate.
Work
also includes reconstructing the interstate about a mile east of the
interchange to tie into the widening of I-84 between the Garrity and Meridian
interchanges, and removing the bridge piers in the roadway at Garrity
Boulevard.
Crews
will do some additional rock removal work on Sunday morning (Feb. 21) between 7
a.m. and 9 a.m. This work occurred last Sunday as well, and will likely
continue each Sunday morning this month.
Traffic
will be stopped for about 15 minutes in both directions on I-84 and Garrity
Boulevard during this work.
This
project is part of ITD's plans to improve I-84 between the Franklin and Garrity
interchanges in Nampa.
The
completed improvements will include three lanes in each direction from the
Franklin to Garrity interchanges, and four lanes in each direction from the
Garrity to Meridian interchanges.
The
project will be constructed in three stages:
Stage
1 - Build the median section of the bridge between the existing bridges.
Traffic will remain on existing bridges, with two lanes open in each direction.
Stage 2 - Remove existing westbound bridge and build new westbound portion of
bridge. Westbound traffic will be moved onto the new median section. Two lanes
will remain open in each direction.
Stage 3 - Remove existing eastbound bridge and build new eastbound portion of
bridge. Westbound traffic will be shifted onto the new westbound portion of the
bridge, and eastbound traffic onto the median section.
Completion - By summer 2011, three lanes will be open in each direction over
the bridge, eventually connecting with a fourth lane in each direction east of
the interchange.
Concrete
Placing Co. Inc. of Boise is the contractor of the $15 million project.
Current Conditions
Garrity
Boulevard
Garrity
Boulevard is restricted to one lane northbound and two lanes southbound.
Interstate
84, Franklin IC to Robinson Rd Overpass
I-84
between Franklin and Robinson is reduced to one lane in each direction
overnight while crews widen along the shoulders. The overnight lane
restrictions will continue until work is completed. The temporary widening to
the outside will allow for traffic to be pushed out and facilitate construction
in the median. Closures are not expected on Friday and Saturday nights. Both
lanes are open for the morning commute and during the day.
Following is an update on non-GARVEE state highway construction
projects in southwest Idaho.
CANYON COUNTY
CALDWELL - Franklin Rd. & 21st Ave. reconstruction
Franklin
Road between 21st Avenue and Chicago Street in Caldwell is closed for
reconstruction. Motorists are detoured to 21st and Chicago. Businesses on
Franklin can be accessed via Chicago. The detour will be in place through this
summer, when work at the intersection concludes.
Also,
Commercial Way between Specht Avenue and Franklin is closed to through traffic.
Commercial
Way will be realigned so that it joins the intersection of Franklin and 21st.
Crews will install a new traffic signal at this location. The Franklin-21st
Avenue intersection is about one-quarter mile west of the newly-reconstructed
Franklin Road Interchange (Exit 29).
The
roadway reconstruction project will improve sight distance and safety, and the
road will align to match up with the new five-lane roadway on 21st Avenue. The
project also includes excavation, new asphalt pavement, curb and gutter, storm
sewer, sidewalk, lighting, and installation of a 35-foot concrete bridge over
the Notus Canal.
The
contractor is working on tying rebar for the canal structure, and is placing
pipe on Franklin.
The
first phase of this project, about a quarter-mile section of 21st Avenue, was
rebuilt last summer. The three-lane roadway was widened to five lanes.
Work
on this phase is anticipated to be complete in September 2010.
Central
Paving Co. of Boise is the contractor on this $1.66 million project. Central
Paving also was the contractor on the work last summer.
GEM COUNTY
EMMETT - Bishop Road
Bridge project for Farmers Co-op Canal
A
project to build a detour over the Farmers Co-op Canal on the east side of the
existing bridge off Idaho 52 is under way. A new bridge will then be
constructed, with a new intersection at Bishop Road and Bishop and Bill Burns
Road next to the canal.
The project is south of the intersection of Dewey and Bishop roads.
The
project is on schedule, and the contractor is working to complete the bridge
deck before the March 15 dewadline to be out of the canal.
To date, the temporary road has been built to allow traffic access
across the canal. Both abutments and the wing walls have been built and the
girders have been placed on the abutments. This past week, intermediate
diaphragms have been placed between the girders, two irrigation boxes have been
placed, and the contractor is setting up the falsework on the bridge for the
deck. Falsework is the form the new deck is placed upon.
The
contractor plans next week (Feb. 22-26) to have the falsework completed and
start pouring the new bridge deck. Some road work will begin depending on the
timing of the deck.
The
traffic control during this project may include flaggers and intermittent minor
delays, but at least one lane of traffic will be maintained at all times for
drivers to travel through the work zone.
Once work has begun, the contractor must be done with work over the canal by
March 15, 2010, and is expected to be completely finished - except grass
re-seeding that fall - by early May.
Idaho Sand & Gravel of Nampa is the contractor on the $622,000 project. Gem
County is the local sponsor, also participating financially in the project.
WASHINGTON
COUNTY
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.
Asphalt paving work requires warmer temperatures, so the new
bridge will not be open to two-way traffic until spring.
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 will extend into May 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.