4/9/2010
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for April 9-16
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
Crews have been
working all day on striping the new interchange. Crews will switch traffic on
Monday morning and complete striping and signal timing by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
Motorists can
expect delays during the transition on Monday and Tuesday.
This work is
weather dependent.
Minor
construction activities will continue throughout April. The speed limit is 25
mph on Orchard Street.
The Idaho
Transportation Department began reconstructing the interchange in April 2009.
ITD added turn lanes, sidewalks and bicycle lanes, expanded the on- and
off-ramps and extended a soundwall along I-84.
Roadways around
the interchange were also realigned and improved.
McAlvain Group
of Companies was the contractor for this $15.1 million project. Construction
was funded with GARVEE (Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle) bonds.
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.
Airport way will be reduced to one lane Monday, Wednesday and Thursday
(April 12, 14 and 15) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Flaggers will direct traffic while
crews are paving. This work is weather dependent.
The I-84 westbound on-ramp at the Vista Interchange will be moved
several feet south on Monday night (April 12).
One westbound lane on I-84 will be closed from 10 p.m. Monday (April 12)
to 5 a.m. Tuesday (April 13).
Traffic will be switched onto the west side of the new Vista Bridge from 11
p.m. Monday (April 12) to 5 a.m. Tuesday (April 13). Flaggers will direct
traffic while crews stripe the new lanes.
The speed limit on I-84 is 55 mph and shoulders are restricted in the
project area. The speed limit on Vista Avenue is 25 mph. ITD advises motorists
to be cautious of trucks and equipment.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 has been reduced to two lanes between the Robinson Road Overpass and
Garrity Interchange. This configuration is expected to last the next few months
while crews prepare to shift traffic to the median.
I-84
eastbound has been shifted to the south and reduced to two lanes near the
Garrity Interchange eastbound on-ramp. The dedicated lane on the eastbound
on-ramp is closed so motorist traveling on Garrity Boulevard must merge into
eastbound through traffic. This configuration will last several months allowing
crews to widen and pave in the median, of the interstate prior to building the
bridge. Once the median bridge is built, westbound traffic will be moved onto
the new median section and the existing westbound bridge can be removed and
replaced.
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 is being 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 & 21st
reconstruction
Weekday traffic
will be reduced to one lane in each direction on 21st Avenue for the remainder
of this week and part of next week (April 12-16) as crews work to improve Franklin Road
between 21st and Chicago Street in Caldwell. Flaggers will direct
motorists through the area from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Minimal delays are expected.
Two lanes will be open to traffic during the weekend. The lane reduction is
necessary to allow trucks to move construction material from Commercial Way to
Franklin Road.
Franklin Road
remains closed while the roadway is reconstructed and realigned to match up
with the new five-lane roadway completed 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 also is closed to through traffic while crews
work to align commercial way with the new Franklin alignment, and install a new
signal at the Franklin-21st Avenue intersection. 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 has been 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 is expected to pave on Monday and Tuesday (April 12 or 13), followed
by striping,
setting guardrail, and erecting traffic signs. All of this work should be done
by the end of next week (April 12-16). As soon as the work is complete, ITD will consider the
project substantially complete because the public can safely use the road.
Work is expected to be completely finished - except grass re-seeding in the
fall.
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.
ELMORE COUNTY
SOUTHWEST OF
MOUNTAIN HOME - Road to C.J. Strike Reservoir paving
The
Dam Cutoff Road carrying recreational traffic to the C.J. Strike Reservoir area
in Elmore County is being paved in a project now under way.
Some
of the initial planned work has been delayed while right-of-way issues are
worked out with the Bureau of Land Management. In the meantime, the contractor
has shifted efforts to other necessary activities within the project .
The
road will be closed during construction, which is expected to finish this fall.
This
route is one way to get to C.J. Strike, but possibly the least-common route.
However, the improvements will make it a more desirable route, and will shorten
the trip from Mountain Home to the dam.
The
Strike Dam Cutoff Road currently is a two-lane unpaved rural route in rolling
terrain. The project begins at the junction of Idaho 67 and extends about
one-quarter mile north of the C.J. Strike Dam, from about milepost 100 to 107.
The
paving is designed to provide a safer route, and save on annual maintenance
costs.
Western
Construction Inc. of Boise is the contractor on the $1.86 million project.
This
project is locally sponsored by the Mountain Home Highway District.
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.
Paving,
if the weather holds, is scheduled for the end of the month. Striping will
follow, along with completion of guardrail, and a few additional items.
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 - and is 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.