11/5/2010
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Nov. 5-12
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,
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.
Westbound motorists bound for the Vista or Orchard interchanges
will continue using the temporary ramp lanes at the Broadway Interchange until
early 2011. The speed limit is 45 mph on the temporary ramp lanes.
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.
Ten
Mile Road is closed to motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists between Franklin
and Overland roads.
Construction
vehicles and heavy equipment are entering and exiting the project area from
westbound I-84 near the new bridge. The speed limit is 55 mph on I-84.
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.
Expect occasional nighttime lane reductions between Franklin and Garrity from
10 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday evenings through Saturday mornings. This allows crews
to safely work along the shoulder and in the median while excavating, grading
and performing pipe work.
The widening project includes replacement of the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR)
and Phyllis Canal bridges to accommodate the additional lanes on I-84. Work is
underway to reconstruct the UPRR Bridge in the median between east- and
westbound lanes. Crews are using a large crane to drive piles, which are used
in the bridges foundation. The piles are driven by large hammers mounted on
the crane. The bridge over the Phyllis Canal has been dismantled, and crews are
also pile driving at this location.
Concrete paving in sections of the median is under way, and will soon be
wrapping up for the season. Paving is scheduled during overnight hours (10 p.m.
- 5 a.m.). These newly paved sections will eventually carry traffic; that may
be after the first of the year, following completion of bridge work.
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.
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
entire 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.
ADA COUNTY
MERIDIAN - EAGLE ROAD AND ST LUKE'S
ROAD IMPROVEMENT
Installation of pedestrian ramps and
drainage improvements at the intersection of Eagle and St. Luke's roads will
begin Sunday night (Nov. 7), weather
permitting.
Crews will install pedestrian access ramps on the northwest and southwest
corners to enable access to the pedestrian signal buttons. Crews also will
replace some curb and gutter and to channel stormwater drainage away from the
intersection. Water now pools and runs onto the roadway across the crosswalks.
A drainage trench will be installed in the borrow ditch along the southbound
roadway between St. Luke's Road and Magic View Drive to allow runoff to
dissipate into the ground.
Crews will work from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays for the
next three weeks, depending on the weather.
The southbound right lane will be closed between Autumn Way and Magic View
Drive, but the speed limit will not be reduced.
This is part of the earlier $1.35 million Eagle Road resurfacing contract.
Central Paving Co. Inc., of Boise, is the contractor.
BOISE/VALLEY COUNTY
BANKS TO
ROUND VALLEY ROCKFALL
A rockfall mitigation project to improve safety along the
highway is under way on Idaho 55 from Banks to Round Valley.
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 third-of-a-mile section of North Middleton
Road, from Idaho 44 to Mill Slough (north of Main Street), and realigning a
short segment 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
The section of North
Middleton Road between Main Street and the south side of the canal bridge, just
south of Mill Creek Elementary School, is closed for construction. The widening
will include one lane in each direction, a center turn lane, sidewalks, curb
and gutter. Work on this section is anticipated to be complete in December.
Crews are finishing work to install sidewalk on this section of N.
Middleton Road, and curb and gutter are complete.
Motorists driving around road closure signs may be ticketed. A posted detoured
route is in place, via Triumph Drive and Dewey Avenue, to Idaho 44.
To increase pedestrian safety near the school, orange construction safety fence
has been added to the work zone to mark the area between workers and
pedestrians. Pedestrians can walk in park grounds on the east side of N.
Middleton Road, and use a new crosswalk at the intersection of N. Middleton and
Main Street, where new sidewalks and pedestrian ramps were recently completed.
North Middleton Road between Idaho 44 and Main Street is open to traffic. Lane
stripes, crosswalk markings and stoplines at intersections are complete. Before
project completion, crews will return to repair sections of residential
landscaping that were disturbed during previous work.
On the N. Middleton Road section near the school, curb and gutter are done, and
sidewalks are nearly complete. Also, on the recently opened N. Middleton Road
section between Main and Idaho 44, lane striping is now complete.
Cemetery Road
A 0.15-mile section of Cemetery Road has been realigned, extending from
Idaho 44 to 3rd Street.
The new alignment is in place and traffic is shifted to the new alignment so
that crews can work on the section of Cemetery Road that will become a
residential cul-de-sac off of Idaho 44 (to be called North Highland Court).
Curb, gutter and sidewalk are also complete on this section of Cemetery Road. The
resident driveway approaches on Highland Court were finished Tuesday (Nov. 2).
To address pedestrian safety across Idaho 44, and along the new Cemetery
Road/Idaho 44 intersection, crews have implemented a pedestrian detour route to
safely navigate the project area. Additional signage has been added to direct
pedestrian traffic, and the 25mph zone is extended 300 feet west of the
construction area.
A temporary crosswalk has been added at 3rd Street to keep pedestrians away
from the work zone. In addition, cones were added along Idaho 44 to create a
safe corridor for pedestrians who are passing near the construction area.
ELMORE
COUNTY
MOUNTAIN
HOME Canyon Creek Bridge replacement
Replacement of the old, narrow Canyon Creek Bridge is under
way. The bridge is located near milepost 9 on Canyon Creek Road, north of
Mountain Home.
The road, which sees a fair amount of hunting-related
traffic each fall, will be completely closed Monday (Nov. 8) through late
January.
The detour route will start at the intersection of Canyon
Creek Road and Frontage Road, and continue west past the Sunset Highway on Old
Oregon Trail Highway. The detour will cross I-84 to the north at Ditto Creek
road and continue along Martha Avenue to the east, back to Canyon Creek.
The bridge replacement also involves minimal approach work to the connecting
roads to ensure that the bridge and road fit together seamlessly. The bridge
also will include guardrail (railing), which the old bridge lacks.
The Mountain Home Highway District is the local sponsor of the project.
McAlvain Contractors, of Boise, is the contractor on this
$493,000 project.
PAYETTE
COUNTY
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.
Increased law-enforcement patrols have begun in the area.
JC Constructors Inc., of Meridian, is the contractor for
this $6.17 million project.
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.
Applying
topsoil and seeding the area still remain to be done by the end of the month.
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.
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.