7/22/2010
New Snake River scenic overlook work begins next week
TWIN FALLS - Work on a new Snake River scenic overlook near the Perrine Bridge will begin early next week, closing the parking lot and much of the area near the Buzz Langdon Visitor Center through October, the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
Crews will build and install the 43-foot by 21-foot steel cantilever overlook by cutting out a portion of the rock wall to anchor the structure into the ground. Much of the fabrication of the structure will be completed off-site, but crews will do groundwork and drive anchors prior to setting the structure.
Visitors will be required to stay out of the construction zone until the new overlook and landscaping are complete. A construction fence will be placed at the construction site, and signs will mark a pedestrian and bicycle detour.
"Visitors to the site will enjoy the new overlook when it's complete, but during construction we have to ask everyone to stay out of the construction zone," Resident Engineer Kimbol Allen said. "For the safety of the public and the workers, we can't have people crossing through or disturbing the construction zone."
In addition to the overlook, crews will install a new sidewalk on the west side of the existing parking lot, improve ADA access, reconfigure the parking area, build a wood-pole fence to the west of the rock wall and add landscaping. Work is expected to be completed in late-October.
Cannon Builders, Inc., of Blackfoot, is the contractor for the $213,000 project.