11/19/2010
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Nov. 19-26
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.
Eastbound
I-84 will be restricted to one lane at night in the project area on Monday and
Tuesday (Nov. 22 and 23).
Westbound
motorists bound for the Vista or Orchard interchanges will continue using the
temporary ramp lanes at the Broadway Interchange until late 2010. 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.
Work will be suspended on Thanksgiving Day, though crews will resume work on
Friday (Nov. 26).
In the coming week, expect nighttime lane reductions between Franklin and
Garrity from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. This allows crews to safely work along the
shoulder and in the median while performing bridge work, excavating and
grading, and building overhead sign foundations.
The widening project includes replacement of the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR)
and Phyllis Canal bridges to accommodate the additional lanes on I-84. Pile
driving on both bridge structures is complete. Crews will set girders on the
UPRR Bridge tonight and tomorrow night. The substructure of the bridge over the
Phyllis Canal is complete, and crews plan to pour the first half of the bridge
deck next week.
Other ongoing work includes concrete paving in sections of the median. Paving
is scheduled for both day and overnight hours, and will soon be wrapping before
weather becomes a factor. 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 farthest 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 replaces
two bridges on I-84 at the Garrity Interchange with a single bridge to
accommodate three lanes in each direction on the interstate.
The I-84 westbound closure planned for
Friday night (Nov. 19) has been canceled due to weather concerns. However,
there will still be lane restrictions, and drivers coming from the BSU-Fresno
State game at Bronco Stadium will want to take note.
Instead
of the closure, I-84 westbound will be reduced to one lane at the Garrity
Interchange overnight from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday (Nov. 18) and Friday
(Nov. 19). The lane reductions are needed to move traffic to the north out of
the median and install an overhead sign near the Garrity Interchange. Two lanes
will be open by 5 a.m. the next morning.
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.
Overview of Upcoming Traffic Changes
- I-84 westbound traffic has moved north, out
of the median between the Robinson Road Overpass and the Garrity Interchange.
Traffic now is crossing over the newly constructed bridge over Garrity
Boulevard.
- Garrity Boulevard will be closed overnight
Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 27 and 28) for removal of the eastbound bridge
at the I-84 Garrity Interchange. Traffic will not be able to pass
underneath the bridge, but the ramps will still be open to access the
interstate. Garrity Boulevard north and southbound traffic will be
detoured using Stamm Lane, Robinson Road and Franklin Road between 10 p.m.
and 5 a.m.
- I-84 eastbound will be closed overnight 10
p.m. to 5 a.m. on Saturday (Nov. 27) between the Franklin and Garrity
interchanges. Eastbound traffic will exit I-84 at the Franklin Interchange
and be detoured south on Franklin Boulevard, northeast on Garrity
Boulevard, and re-enter I-84 at the Garrity Interchange.
- I-84 eastbound traffic will be moved north
into the median, approximately one-quarter mile east of the Garrity
Interchange on Sunday morning (Nov. 28). Once motorist are past the
Garrity Interchange, traffic switches back to the south out of the median.
This configuration is expected to last several months while crews remove
and replace the eastbound bridge at Garrity.
- Garrity Boulevard is reduced to one lane in
each direction intermittently near the Garrity Interchange while crews
work under the bridge. 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.
- I-84 is reduced to one lane in each
direction most nights between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., excluding weekends,
between the 11th Avenue Overpass and Robinson Road Overpass while crews
work along the shoulders. Both lanes will be open by the morning commute
and during the day. Lane reductions are not expected to occur often on
Friday or Saturday nights. I-84 eastbound will be reduced to one lane at
the Garrity Interchange 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday night (Nov. 20) while
crews work on the eastbound ramp and prepare to shift eastbound traffic
into the median.
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 LUKES
ROAD IMPROVEMENT
Installation of pedestrian ramps and
drainage improvements at the intersection of Eagle and St. Luke's roads continues.
Crews are installing 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 few weeks, depending on the weather.
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 wrapping up 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.
Crews completed
rock scaling at milepost 94 and 82.5 last week.
The contractor will continue to work as weather and safety permit, possibly
into December. After this work is completed, guardrail replacements will be
performed at different locations, weather permitting.
Western Construction, of Boise, is the
contractor on this $971,000 project.
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 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
old bridge has been removed and excavation has started for the new structure.
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.
Construction of
the piers and abutments continues. Setting the girders will follow. Once the
girders are set, the cofferdam on the south side will be removed and moved to
the north side so construction on piers 4 and 5 can be done before high water
hits in the spring.
JC Constructors Inc., of Meridian, is the contractor for
this $6.17 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.