3/19/2010
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for March 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
Work continues on a project to reconstruct the Orchard Street Interchange
in Boise.
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.
At the Vista interchange,
one lane will be closed in both directions at night (10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on week
nights, and 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekends). This will allow crews to work on
the new bridge.
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.
The east- and westbound lanes of I-84 will be moved slightly to the right on Sunday and Monday mornings (March 21-22) between the Vista and Broadway interchanges.
- Eastbound I-84 will be shifted toward the shoulder on Sunday morning (March 21).
- Westbound I-84 will be shifted toward the shoulder on Monday morning (March 22).
Shifting traffic will leave room for crews to work in the median. This work is weather dependent.
Between the Orchard
and Broadway interchanges, one lane will be closed in both directions at night
(10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on week nights, and 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekends).
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. The project will include widening I-84 between Black Cat and Ten Mile roads.
One
lane will be closed overnight Monday (March 22) for guardrail work. The closure
will be from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Ten Mile Road is
closed between Franklin and Overland roads during construction.
The $33.8 million Ten Mile Interchange 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.
The I-84
westbound off-ramp at the Garrity Interchange has been reduced to one lane.
This configuration is expected to last the next few months while crews prepare
to shift traffic to the median. I-84 westbound also is reduced to two lanes
between Robinson and Garrity
The speed limit has been lowered to 35 mph on Garrity Boulevard and 55 mph on
I-84 through the construction zones.
Crews will do some additional rock removal work on Sunday morning (March 21) between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. This is the fourth such Sunday closure. The closure time may be rescheduled or delayed in the event of rain or the accumulation of moisture leading up to the work, since too much mud in the median may result in equipment getting stuck.
Traffic will be stopped for about 15 minutes in both directions on I-84 and Garrity Boulevard during this work, about one-quarter mile back from the demolition work..
I-84 westbound will be closed between the Meridian Interchange and Garrity Interchange on Saturday (March 20) between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. for the removal of an overhead sign near Garrity Interchange. Designated detour route: Meridian Road Exit 44; north on Main Street; west on Franklin Road; south on Idaho Center Boulevard; west on I-84 at the Garrity Boulevard Interchange.
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.
Following is an update on non-GARVEE state highway construction projects in southwest Idaho.
CANYON COUNTY
CALDWELL - Franklin Rd. & 21st Ave. reconstruction
Crews continue to make progress on a project to improve Franklin Road between 21st Avenue and Chicago Street in Caldwell. A new 35-foot concrete bridge over the Notus Canal is complete and work on the intersection embankment is underway. Work is also focused on building new storm sewers to prevent roadway flooding during rainstorms.
Franklin Road remains closed while the roadway is reconstructed and realigned to match up with the new five-lane roadway constructed last summer. Motorists are detoured to 21st and Chicago. The detour will be in place through this summer, when work at the intersection concludes. Businesses on Franklin can be accessed via Chicago.
Commercial Way between Specht Avenue and Franklin is also closed to through traffic while a new traffic signal is installed. The Franklin-21st Avenue intersection is about one-quarter mile west of the newly-reconstructed Franklin Road Interchange (Exit 29).
The project will improve sight distance and safety on 21st Avenue. The project also includes excavation, new asphalt pavement, curb and gutter, sidewalk and lighting.
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 scheduled for completion in September.
Central Paving Co. of Boise is the contractor on this $1.66 million project. Central Paving also was the contractor on the first phase of the project 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 new bridge deck was placed March 4. The contractor also is stockpiling road material to start road work shortly after the deck is poured. Most of the road work cannot be done until after the bridge is completed. Crews have to wait for the concrete to cure - a minimum of 10 days. This week the contractor has been working on installing pipe across Bill Burns road.
Next week crews may be able to switch traffic in preparation for removing the
temporary road across the canal before April 1. Tentatively, the water will not
be released to the canal until April 5.
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.
Work is expected to be completely finished - except grass re-seeding in the
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 - U.S. 95 overpass repair
A project in Washington County to repair Weiser's U.S. 95 Interchange Overpass to extend the life of the structure is now under way.
The bridge patching has been completed. One rail has been sandblasted, primed, and painted and there are three left to do. The bridge expansion joints have not yet been addressed.
The two bridges, on the U.S. 95 Spur, were built in the late 1950s. Bridge deck joints will be replaced, some concrete repaired, as well as repair of metal bridge railings on both structures.
One lane of the two-lane structures will be maintained for traffic during the two-month project.
Record Steel & Concrete Inc. of Meridian is the contractor for the $241,000 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.
Traffic is running on phase 2 as they work on the bearings for phase 1. The contractor is working on the storm sewer system and the illumination for the structure. They are also working on the earthwork (in preparation for the paving). Paving is not scheduled yet, but with warmer weather it soon will be.
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.