9/24/2010
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Sept. 24-Oct. 1
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*
Motorists
can expect occasional lane restrictions on Vista Avenue and Elder Street while
crews finish minor work 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 early fall 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 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 week while
crews remove the old westbound pavement. The loudest work will be limited to
daytime hours (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.).
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.
One
lane will be closed at night on the westbound exit-only ramp lane between
Broadway and Orchard beginning Tuesday night (Sept. 28) and continuing for
several weeks. Restrictions will occur between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
The
speed limit on the temporary ramp lane is 45 mph. The speed limit on I-84
through lanes is 55 mph.
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 includes several improvements to Ten Mile Road.
Only
one lane of east- and westbound I-84 will be open at night from Sept. 22 to
Oct. 1. Lane restrictions will occur between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. each night. No
work is scheduled for Friday and Saturday nights (Sept. 24 and 25). All lanes
will be open during the day.
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 - Franklin to 11th interstate
widening
Work is progressing on a project to widen
Interstate 84 between the Franklin Boulevard and Garrity Boulevard interchanges
in Nampa.
I-84 motorists can expect
ongoing nighttime lane reductions between Franklin and 11th Avenue from 10 p.m.
to 5 a.m., Sunday evenings through Friday mornings. This allows crews to safely
work along the shoulder while excavating, grading and performing pipe work in
the median.
The widening project includes also replacement of the Union Pacific Railroad
(UPRR) and Phyllis Canal bridges to accommodate the additional lanes on I-84.
The UPRR Bridge has been partially dismantled to prepare for its eventual
reconstruction; the rest of the dismantling process is scheduled for Sunday
night (Sept. 26). A portion of the Phyllis Canal is slated for demolition in
early 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 Franklin and
Garrity 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.
The westbound
Garrity off-ramp will return to its original configuration in about two 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.
Last week
(Sept. 10-17) the contractor worked the slopes in the area of milepost 81.
Portable message signs were installed at each end of the work zone to inform
the public of the work and delays. These signs will be used only during working
hours and will be moved from zone to zone as work progresses. The rock fall
work is taking longer than expected in each work zone (only one zone is worked
at a time) because ITD is trying to minimize the traffic-delay time and keep
traffic moving through each area.
Western Construction, of Boise, is the contractor on this
$971,000 project.
BOISE
COUNTY
IDAHO
21 - Warm Spring Creek bridge guardrail
Guardrail replacement on the Warm
Spring Creek Bridge on Idaho 21 is scheduled to begin Monday (Sept. 27), the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
Work is expected to continue through late October or early November.
The bridge is located at milepost 91, about 19 miles east of Lowman, near the
Bonneville Campground and one-half mile from the South Fork Payette River
Bridge.
Flaggers and the occasional use of a temporary traffic signal will be required
for traffic control. The speed limit will be reduced to 35 mph through the work
zone.
MarCon Inc., of Meridian, is the contractor on this $177,000 project.
IDAHO
21 MP 51 Bank Stabilization
The northbound lane of Idaho 21, about
12 miles north of Idaho City, will be restricted next week for bank
stabilization in preparation for a future highway overlay in the area, the
Idaho Transportation Department announced. The work will be done by state
maintenance personnel.
Drivers at milepost 51 between Idaho City and Lowman will experience 5-10
minute delays Monday through Friday (Sept.
27-Oct. 1). Temporary traffic lights will be used at each end of the
200-foot section of highway to guide motorists. Portable message boards also
will be used to announce the restrictions.
The temporary traffic lights will be used 24-hours per day to control the area,
and crews will work a 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekday schedule.
CANYON
COUNTY
MIDDLETON- road improvement projects
Crews are
working on two road improvement projects in Middleton: Widening a one-third
mile section of North Middleton Road from Idaho 44 to Mill Slough (north of
Main Street) and realigning a short-mile section of Cemetery Road, from Idaho
44 to 3rd 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.
Next
week, crews will begin installation of curb, gutter and sidewalk and prepare
the roadway for paving.
The
Middleton Road widening will include one lane in each direction, a center turn
lane, sidewalks, curb and gutter.
Cemetery
Road
A 0.15-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.
Curb and
gutter work is complete. Work to install sidewalks is scheduled for completion
this week. Paving of Cemetery Road is planned for late next week, at which time
traffic will shift to the new roadway while crews work on what will become
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.
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
early October, a few weeks ahead of schedule.
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 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 a.m. to 6 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.
Construction
activities for the week were:
1. A deteriorated culvert at
milepost 134 required replacement.
2. Milling of excess asphalt pavement northward from about milepost 141
in both directions.
3. Pulverizing remaining asphalt and mixing with the base northward from about
milepost 136.
4. Mixing in cement, consolidation and fine grading (CRABS) northward
from milepost 134 (northbound) and milepost 135 (southbound).
5. Asphalt paving northward over the new surface from milepost 134
(northbound) and milepost 134 (southbound).
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
The work to construct a left-turn bay on Idaho 55 for Gold Dust Road, about 1.5
miles south of Cascade, is now substantially complete. Crews striped the
roadway Tuesday (Sept. 21) and opened it to traffic.
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. Topsoil work and seeding remain.
The topsoil is
in the process of being tested before being used.
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.