4/23/2010
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for April 23-30
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
The project to replace the Orchard Interchange was substantially complete
April 20. Final clean-up measures will take place through the end of the month.
Crews will finish striping and placing signs.
Construction on the $15.1 million project started April 7, 2009.
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.
Due to a rain delay,
flaggers will direct traffic tonight (Friday, April 23) starting at 9 p.m. on
the Vista Avenue Bridge. Crews will paint stripes, switch traffic and modify
signals.
One lane will be closed
in each direction between Elder Street and Airport Way. All lanes will re-open
by 5 a.m. Saturday (April 24).
Traffic has been
switched onto the new Single Point Urban Interchange on- and off-ramps. Traffic
will continue to use temporary signals until the Single Point Urban Interchange
is completed later this summer.
Motorists are advised to
remain cautious while work continues at the Vista Interchange.
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 Cole and Broadway interchanges, one east- and westbound lane will be closed in both directions overnight (10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on week nights, and 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekends) through the end of April.
Crews will patch and widen the shoulders, place guardrail and pour concrete in the median during the closures.
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 construct a new interchange with on- and off-ramps at Ten Mile Road.
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 continues. 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.
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
On 21st Avenue, all lanes are open to traffic. Lanes had been restricted to allow trucks safe crossing. Crews were excavating material from Commercial Way and hauling it to Franklin Road; hauling activities ended Wednesday (April 21), and are completed for this phase of the project.
No more lane closures on 21st Avenue are expected until crews install a pole for a new traffic signal at the Franklin-21st Avenue intersection, scheduled sometime in mid- to late-May.
Storm drain pipe has been installed this week, with a few additional inlets along Commercial Way yet to be completed.
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 crews work to align Commercial way with the new Franklin alignment and install a new signal at the Franklin & 21st Ave 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 wrapping up. 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.
Paving and guardrail
was completed last Friday (April 16) . Striping was completed Tuesday (April
20). Signing will be planned for next Tuesday (April 27). All that remains is mulching, composting and seeding.
Grass re-seeding should be a one-day activity, but may not happen for a few weeks.
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 - moving materials, primarily.
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.
The contractor plans to do some paving next week (April 26-30) and then focus on seeding.
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.