Idaho

Transportation Department

9/10/2010

Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov

Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Sept. 10-17

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, Vista Avenue Interchange Reconstruction*

Minor work will continue at the Vista Interchange this month. Motorists can expect occasional nighttime lane restrictions (10 p.m. 5 a.m.) on Vista Avenue while crews finish signage, fencing and clean-up work.

 

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 early fall 2010.

 

The project will reduce congestion and accommodate more lanes on I-84. 

 

* 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 the state's 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.

 

Daytime noise will increase in the project area this month while crews remove the old westbound pavement. The loudest work will be limited to daytime hours (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.).

 

One lane will be closed on the westbound ramp lane between Broadway and Orchard nightly through Tuesday night (Sept. 10-14). One lane of eastbound I-84 will be closed tonight (Friday, Sept. 10). The restrictions will occur between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. on weeknights, and between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekends.

 

Westbound motorists bound for the Vista or Orchard interchanges will continue using the temporary ramp lane at the Broadway Interchange for the next six months. The speed limit on the temporary exit lane is 45 mph and I-84 westbound through traffic is 55 mph.

 

This $35.9 million project is expected to be complete in summer 2011.

 

BOISE - Interstate 84, Orchard Interchange Reconstruction

The Orchard Street bridge will be reduced to two lanes in both directions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday (Sept. 13) while crews seal a joint in the concrete bridge deck.

 

Flaggers will direct traffic during the work. The I-84 ramps will be open at all times.

 

The Orchard Interchange was reconstructed in the spring of 2010. The $15.1 million project included replacing the old five-lane bridge with an eight-lane bridge over I-84.

 

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 includes several improvements to Ten Mile Road.

 

All lanes of I-84 will be closed between the Meridian and Garrity interchanges on Friday and Saturday nights (Sept. 10 and 11). Flaggers will direct traffic from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. each night while crews begin removing the temporary support system for the new bridge.

Westbound motorists will exit at the Meridian Interchange and re-enter I-84 at the Garrity Interchange. The detour route will be Main Street to Franklin Road to Idaho Center Boulevard.

 

Eastbound motorists will exit at the Garrity Interchange and re-enter I-84 at the Meridian Interchange. The detour route will be Idaho Center Boulevard to Franklin Road to Meridian Road.

 

A map of the detour is available at www.itd.idaho.gov.

 

Minor lane restrictions will continue next week (Sept. 12-16). All lanes will be open during the day (5 a.m. to 10 p.m.)

 

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 11th Avenue Bridge reconstruction

The 11th Avenue Bridge over Interstate 84 in Nampa opened to traffic last week, nearly a month ahead of schedule. Some additional work, including minor clean-up and final construction activities are anticipated to be complete later this month. Until then, minor traffic impacts may be expected.

 

The 11th Avenue Bridge closed to all traffic on May 11 so that crews could begin the demolition process, followed by reconstruction of the new bridge. Reconstruction of the bridge was required to allow the addition of one lane in each direction on I-84 between Franklin Boulevard and Garrity Boulevard. That project is under way and is scheduled to be complete by early summer 2012.

 

The bridge project added street lights, sidewalk, curb and gutter on the west side of the bridge. Fence was added to both sides of the bridge.

 

McAlvain Civil Constructors is the contractor on the $4.1 million 11th Avenue Bridge project.

 

The bridge reconstruction and I-84 widening projects are among several interstate improvements occurring in an 18-mile stretch of I-84, funded by the GARVEE Transportation Program. The program uses proceeds from Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle Bonds.

 

NAMPA - Franklin to 11th interstate widening

Motorists on eastbound Interstate 84 are advised to expect ongoing nighttime lane reductions between Franklin Avenue and 11^th Avenue from 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., Sunday evenings through Friday mornings. This allows crews to safely work along the shoulder, excavating, grading and performing pipe work in the median.

 

Crews are also building temporary lanes along the westbound shoulders. Later this month, all I-84 westbound traffic will shift to these newly-constructed temporary lanes. The traffic shift will happen overnight, and be complete by the morning commute.

 

The widening project also includes replacement of the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and Phyllis Canal bridges to accommodate the additional lanes on I-84. Work at the UPRR Bridge is underway and a portion of the Phyllis Canal is slated for demolition in November, after the irrigation season is complete.

 

Construction is expected to be complete by early summer 2012. Concrete Placing Company of Boise is the contractor on this $22.2 million project.
 

Once these interstate improvements are complete, I-84 between the Franklin and Garrity interchanges will be widened to three lanes in each direction, with an additional auxiliary lane for eastbound traffic. The auxiliary lane will allow motorists to enter I-84 at Franklin, remain in the lane furthest right, and exit at Garrity - never having to merge with interstate traffic.

 

  
NAMPA - Interstate 84, Garrity Interchange Bridge reconstruction

Construction on the I-84 Garrity Interchange improvement project continues. The project will replace two bridges on I-84 at the Garrity Interchange 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.

 

New traffic changes and impacts include:
- Placement of bridge girders on the westbound side Sept. 12 (Sunday night). This work will require an overnight (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) closure of Garrity Boulevard between the ramps (under the bridge only). The ramps will remain open.

- Garrity Boulevard will be reduced to one lane in each direction near the Garrity Interchange starting Monday night (Sept. 13) while crews work on the bridge deck. The overnight (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) lane restrictions will not take place on Friday or Saturday nights. Two southbound and one northbound lane will be open by the morning commute and during the day. This configuration is expected to last the next few weeks.

 

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 eventually four lanes in each direction from the Garrity to Meridian interchanges.

 

The project is being constructed in three stages:

 

Currently Under Way

Step 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.

Step 2 - Remove the existing westbound bridge and build a new westbound portion of bridge. Westbound traffic will be moved onto the new median section. Two lanes will remain open in each direction.

Tentatively starts Dec./Jan.

Step 3 - Remove the existing eastbound bridge and build a 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 on the $15 million project.

 

 

Following is an update on non-GARVEE state highway construction projects in southwest Idaho.

 

BOISE/VALLEY COUNTY

BANKS TO ROUND VALLEY ROCKFALL

A rockfall mitigation project to improve safety along the highway started Sept. 7 on Idaho 55 from Banks to Round Valley. Crews will be mobilizing equipment throughout the week.

 

Loose rock will be removed from the rockfall zone and crews will add netting to prevent falling rocks from entering the roadway. Work must be completed by mid-November.

 

Lane closures and traffic delays will occur during the removal of the rocks on the slopes and the cleanup required on the road. Delays could last for more than 15 minutes because of the unpredictability of the size and amount of rock that could come down at any one time. The operations will concentrate on one area at a time, but there will be two locations of traffic control because guardrail at the north end of the project is being removed to be used during rock-removal operations.

Crews will work on the side of the roads in several locations along this 26-mile stretch of highway (milepost 76 to 102). Crews are working a weekdays-only schedule, and must be off the road by noon on Fridays.

 

Western Construction, of Boise, is the contractor on this $971,000 project.

 

CANYON COUNTY

MIDDLETON- road improvement projects

Crews are working on two road improvement projects in Middleton: Widening a .3-mile section of North Middleton Road from Idaho 44 to Mill Slough (north of Main Street) and realigning a .15-mile section of Cemetery Road, from Idaho 44 to 3^rd Street.

 

Most work will be performed during the weekdays, though crews may work on Saturdays as needed. Work hours are limited to 8 a.m. 7 p.m.

 

During construction the contractor will establish detours around the project areas, using local roads. Work is planned to be complete in late December.

 

Nampa Paving & Asphalt Co. is the contractor on this $884,000 combined project.

 

North Middleton Road

North Middleton Road is closed to through traffic and open to local residents only. Non-resident motorists driving around road closure signs may be ticketed.

 

Idaho Power crews will complete power pole relocation and Intermountain Gas will complete gas line relocation this week.

 

The Middleton Road widening will include one lane in each direction, a center turn lane, sidewalks, curb and gutter.

 

Cemetery Road

A .15-mile section Cemetery Road will be realigned, extending from Idaho 44 to 3rd Street. This will result in a section of Cemetery Road becoming a residential cul-de-sac off of Idaho 44; the cul-de-sac will be renamed North Highland Court.

 

OWYHEE COUNTY

HOMEDALE U.S. 95 paving from Idaho 55 to South City Limits

A 7.3-mile pavement rehabilitation project on U.S. 95 from the junction with Idaho 55 to the South City Limits of Homedale is under way.

 

It is expected to be completed in late September.

 

The project will use the CRABS (Cement Recycled Asphalt Base Stabilization) method of pavement rehabilitation. In addition, existing guardrail will be upgraded, shoulder rumble strips installed for the length of the project and an additional width (up to two feet) added to each side of the roadway

 

A project by State maintenance forces this spring added to the gravel shoulders in that area in preparation for this project.

 

This project also will be coupled with a thin-lift overlay resurfacing (1.8 inches of new pavement) from the Marsing Port of Entry to the junction with Idaho 55, about an 8.5-mile stretch.

 

Crews are finishing up the CRABS portion of the contract by the end of this week (week ending 09/11/10), as well as completing the paving of the bottom lift of pavement between the junction of Idaho 55 and Homedales south city limits. Paving the top lift of pavement in the same area is expected to begin Monday (Sept. 13). The paving of U.S. 95 near the Marsing POE is expected to begin the following week.

 

Idaho 78, Murphy to milepost 37

A resurfacing project on rural Idaho 78, from Murphy south for about eight miles, is now under way. The project is expected to finish by late September.

Crews began paving Sept. 2, and resumed Sept. 7 after the Labor Day weekend holiday.

 

The surface of the two-lane road will receive a 1.8-inch thin-lift overlay, to extend the life of the roadway and provide a smoother ride for motorists.  
 
During the overlay, traffic will be restricted to one lane. Flaggers will guide traffic. The speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph.
 
This stretch of roadway was last improved with a CRABS (Cement Recycled Asphalt Base Stabilization) resurfacing project in 1997.
 
Central Paving Co., of Boise, is the contractor on this $958,000 project.

 

PAYETTE COUNTY
WEST OF CALDWELL - I-84 resurfacing, Black Canyon to Sand Hollow
The pavement resurfacing and repair project on I-84 west of Caldwell continues. The project, funded through stimulus savings, begins west of the Black Canyon Interchange and extends for five miles, to east of the Sand Hollow Interchange.
 

During the majority of the work, only one interstate lane will be open in both directions.  
 
The speed limit is 45 mph over the median crossovers, and 55 mph between them.
 
The project is expected to be complete in mid-October.
 
Several badly damaged concrete slabs in the stretch will be removed and replaced. Repairs also will include resealing pavement joints, repairing pavement cracks and chips, grinding portions off of the existing pavement surface and completing guardrail safety improvements.
 
A highly competitive construction environment led to significant savings on the eight original projects funded by the federal stimulus program ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act). This is one of nine smaller projects financed through those initial bid savings.
 
Multiple Concrete Enterprises, of Ogden, Utah, is the contractor on the $6.9 million project.

 

PAYETTE U.S. 95, Payette River Bridge replacement

The project to improve the U.S. 95 bridge over the Payette River south of Payette is now under way. It is expected to take about two years to complete, finishing in fall 2012.

Crews will replace the existing northbound truss bridge (built in 1927) located on U.S. 95 between Fruitland and Payette. The new bridge will be two feet higher off the water. It will have no overhead bracing or struts as the current one does and will be 84 feet in width, eliminating current safety concerns regarding both width and height restrictions.

The new bridge will be constructed next to, and will attach to, the existing southbound bridge. The project also includes minor roadway realignment to tie into the new bridge location.

U.S. 95 is the main route connecting northern and southern Idaho. About 18,000 vehicles use this portion of the highway daily. By 2026, the volume is expected to be more than 25,000.

Traffic will utilize the southbound bridge while the new bridge is constructed. Traffic will then be switched to the new bridge while modifications to the southbound bridge are made and it is connected to the new bridge.

 

Crews continue to set up the cofferdam, and the dewatering operation is in progress and should be complete by the last week of August. Removal of the bridge deck from the truss bridge continues, and as soon as the cofferdams are prepared, removal of the old truss bridge will commence.

 

Crews have begun dismantling the existing bridge.

 

JC Constructors Inc. of Meridian is the contractor for this $6.17 million project.

 

VALLEY COUNTY

Idaho 55, Donnelly North City Limits to Deinhard Lane in McCall
An 11-mile pavement preservation/resurfacing project between Donnelly's north city limit and Deinhard Lane on the southern end of McCall is now under way, using the Cement Recycled Asphalt Base Stabilization (CRABS) resurfacing method. The existing surface will be removed, crushed and mixed with cement, then reapplied to the highway as a base for the new surface.
 
The project is expected to take about two months to complete. During construction, one lane will be closed in the project area, with flaggers directing traffic.
 
The work from milepost 132 to 143 also involves some drainage improvements.

 

Crews are working a 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. schedule, with no weekend work and crews must be done and off the roadway by noon on Fridays to accommodate weekend recreational traffic.

The contractor started Tuesday (Sept. 7) on the CRABS process.

The CRABS process will precede the repaving. CRABS includes:

1.      Grinding up the (remaining) pavement and mixing the two.
2.      Adding dry cement and remixing.
3.      Shaping and consolidation (compaction) of the ground asphalt, base aggregate and cement.

A tack cost will be applied onto the CRABS surface ahead of the repaving.  The repaving (three inches of new asphalt) should follow closely behind the application of the tack coat.

All pipe crossings and temporary asphalt should now be completed. The crossing at Airport Road should also be done, as the relocation of buried utilities should be complete.

 

Idaho 55, Gold Dust Road Turn Bay, south of Cascade
Work is under way to construct a left-turn bay on Idaho 55 for Gold Dust Road, about 1.5 miles south of Cascade. The roadway will be widened in that location (milepost 112) to accommodate the turning lane.
 
The project is expected to take about a month. During construction, one lane will be closed in the project area, with flaggers directing traffic.

 

Crews are currently placing three-quarter-inch roadway base material and pulling the new slopes in all four corners of the intersection.

The base work should be completed by the end of the week and will paved in coordination with the Donnelly to Deinhard project, possibly next week (Sept. 13-17).
 
Knife River Corp., of Boise, is the contractor for both Valley County projects. The Gold Dust Road Turn Bay is a $177,000 project, and the Donnelly to Deinhard contract is $3.6 million.

 

WASHINGTON COUNTY

WEISER - Snake River Bridge replacement

The project to replace the Snake River Bridge on the U.S. 95 Spur in Weiser 

is nearly finished. Top soil work and seeding remain.

 

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 one 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.

 

Applying topsoil and seeding the area still remain to be done this fall.

Sletten Construction, of Boise, is the contractor on this $10 million project.

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.