10/25/2010
UPDATE: Rain postponed weekend opening, but I-84 on-ramps in Boise slated to open this week and in November
BOISE - Due to heavy rain, the opening of the permanent westbound Vista on-ramp and Orchard
off-ramp originally scheduled for this past weekend did not happen, so it has been rescheduled for tonight (Monday, Oct. 25).
Flaggers will direct motorists onto the new ramps at 9 p.m.
The Idaho Transportation
Department will open four new on- and off-ramps on westbound I-84 by
Thanksgiving, replacing the temporary ramps between the Broadway and Cole
interchanges in Boise.
Motorists
have used the temporary ramps since August while westbound I-84 was under
construction. The first permanent on-ramp opened at Broadway earlier this month.
"The permanent
ramps are longer, smoother and put motorists in a better position for merging
on and off westbound I-84," said project engineer Dana Weiss.
The permanent Vista
off-ramp and Orchard on-ramp will open in November, completing the opening of all the ramps at the two interchanges. All work is weather-dependent.
One left-turn lane
will be closed on Vista Avenue for several weeks while crews remove the temporary
ramp and pour new concrete on I-84.
ITD is adding four
new lanes to I-84 and rebuilding the four existing lanes. When the project is
complete in summer 2011, I-84 will be eight lanes wide from the Broadway
on-ramps to Meridian.
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.