7/15/2011
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for July 15-22
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.
Motorists can expect intermittent lane restrictions on I-84 in the project area from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weeknights and from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekends.
Concrete Placing Co. Inc., of Boise, is the contractor.
This $35.9 million project is expected to be complete by early August.
MERIDIAN - Interstate 84, Ten Mile Interchange construction
The new I-84, Ten Mile Interchange opened to traffic in May 2011. Occasional lane restrictions will continue on Ten Mile Road this summer for landscaping work. The speed limit is 35 mph on Ten Mile Road and 55 mph on I-84.
Drivers on westbound I-84 will be restricted to one lane near the Ten Mile Interchange from 10 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday. The Idaho Transportation Department is paving and preparing to open additional lanes in the area.
The restriction will begin at the Ten Mile westbound off-ramp and continue to the Black Cat Overpass.
Westbound I-84 has been reduced to two lanes in this area since early July. Crews are paving the area with permanent concrete. The third lane is expected to re-open by late July or early August.
ITD plans to open a fourth westbound lane between the Meridian and Garrity interchanges by the end of the summer. ITD opened a fourth eastbound lane on Wednesday (July 13).
Idaho Sand & Gravel, of Nampa, is the contractor on this $33.8 million project.
The landscaping work is under a separate $580,000 contract to Franz Witte Landscape Contracting, but should also be done by mid-July.
ITD is doing the initial Ten Mile landscaping. Once the landscaping project is finished, the day-to-day maintenance of that landscaping system reverts to the city of Meridian,
The contractor is setting sprinkler heads through next week, with potable water hooked up next week. Planting will follow after potable water is available.
NAMPA - I-84 widening, Franklin to Garrity
Work is progressing on the project to widen Interstate 84 between the Franklin Boulevard and Garrity Boulevard interchanges in Nampa.
Motorists can expect nighttime lane reductions on westbound I-84 Friday and Saturday (July 15 and 16), 10 p.m. – 5 a.m. each night, for paving activity.
Excavation work is under way at the eastbound Garrity off-ramp. Paving of the ramp area is anticipated for late summer. This ramp, and the Garrity westbound on-ramp, are both part of the larger construction project.
Crews also continue building abutment and retaining walls at the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) bridge. Construction of two new bridges over the UPRR and Phyllis Canal will accommodate the additional lanes on I-84.
Motorists can expect ongoing, intermittent nighttime lane closures for both east- and westbound traffic as crews work to complete the project by early summer 2012.
All I-84 lanes remain open during the day, and work may be weather dependent.
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.
Following is an update on non-GARVEE state highway construction projects in southwest Idaho.
VARIOUS COUNTIES
Several seal coats on roadway surfaces throughout the southwest Idaho region will be done this summer. The seal coat will extend the life of the roadway and provide greater traction for motorists.
Currently, a 28-mile seal coat is under way on Idaho 71 from the Snake River Bridge at Brownlee Dam in Hell’s Canyon to the U.S. 95 junction in Cambridge. A 14-mile seal coat on Idaho 55, between Zachary Road in McCall and Boulder Creek Bridge in Donnelly, is slated for the last week of July.
Speed limits will be reduced. Traffic will be controlled by lane closures, lane restrictions or pilot cars. Motorists can expect delays of up to 20 minutes.
Crews will work a 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekday schedule on these projects. Work is not anticipated on the weekends, but it is not prohibited except near McCall. On Idaho 55, crews can only work Monday through Friday and have to be off the road by noon on Fridays. Crews can’t work on the weekends due to the heavy recreational and tourism interests in that area during the summer months.
Seal coating begins by applying a layer of asphalt, then a cover coat of gravel on the roadway surface. The highway is rolled and traffic allowed on to the roadway to help pack the surface before "brooming" or sweeping to remove excess gravel. All brooming will be done at night on all projects.
A properly applied seal coat can add several years of service to a heavily traveled roadway by sealing the surface and adding roughness for winter traction.
The work is done during the day to allow the heat to help asphalt and rock bond more quickly to the roadway surface, providing a higher-quality finished product.
Snake River Construction, of Kimberly, is the contractor on this $700,000 project.
In August, seal coats are also planned for the Notus, Parma, Murphy and Nampa areas under a separate contract
BOISE COUNTY
Near Banks – Road & Bridge project
The work on the South Fork Payette River Bridge on Idaho 55 near Banks finished just prior to Memorial Day. Paving from Banks south is under way.
The deck of the bridge received a silica fume treatment to prevent further corrosion and penetration by water and salts.
With paving under way, traffic is reduced to one lane. Pilot cars and flaggers direct traffic. The speed limit is reduced to 35 mph. This is because guardrail has been removed to accommodate the roadwork.
Without the guardrail, the highway speed has to be reduced to ensure drivers’ safety.
The contractor is paving from south to north. There are traffic delays of about 15 minutes to get through the paving operation. The project is expected to be complete the first week of August.
The pavement preservation project involves approximately 14 miles of roadway from just north of Horseshoe Bend at the Payette River Bridge north to about two miles north of the Idaho 55 and Banks-to-Lowman road intersection. About 1.8 inches of new pavement will be applied in a thin-lift paving procedure.
Knife River Corp., of Boise, is the contractor on this $2.6 million project.
East of Boise - Mores Creek Bridge upgrade
A project to update the Mores Creek Bridge (commonly known as the High Bridge) on Idaho 21 east of Boise is under way.
During this work, the bridge deck and joints will be rehabilitated and the bridge parapet and railing replaced. Work on the foundation during the low-water winter period will include a retaining wall, rock anchoring, slope armoring, and seismic retrofit. Portions of the structural steel will be painted along with other repairs on the structure.
Traffic across the bridge is controlled by signals at either end, with only one direction allowed to pass through at a time. Under normal conditions, the delays are expected to be 15 to 45 minutes in length. In addition, a nine-foot width restriction will be in effect.
Crews have finished stabilization at the bridge foundation for this year. The water level rose sooner than normal, so crews will have to complete the foundation work during the next water draw-down period this fall, sometime after Labor Day. In the meantime, work will continue above water level.
Work remains in a one-lane configuration.
Crews are painting structural steel, and taking off the top layer of concrete on the east side of the bridge deck to prepare for the overlay.
RSCI, of Meridian, is the contractor on the $2.8 million project.
NEAR LOWMAN – Fish-passage project
A fish-passage project east of Lowman began June 15 and will continue through early December.
The project includes replacing the existing culvert near milepost 83 (Lowman is at milepost 72) with a short-span bridge, followed by stream rehabilitation.
Until December, the bridge is in a one-lane configuration using a traffic signal.
This week, the contractor began pile driving at the abutments. This will continue all of next week.
Crews anticipate working a Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule.
This project is being funded through the U.S. Forest Service.
Cannon Builders Inc., of Blackfoot, is the contractor on this $1.2 million project.
Idaho 21, Warm Spring Creek to Canyon Creek
A project to repair the bridge decks on the Warm Springs Creek Bridge and Canyon Creek Bridge on Idaho 21, about 20 miles northeast of Lowman, and do pavement preservation work on the six miles between the bridges began July 6 and will continue through August.
Crews will apply a double seal coat to the roadway surface to address pavement deficiencies from milepost 91.5 to 97.5. The project also will improve subsurface drainage, steep slopes that have sloughed off and substandard guardrail. The work will include guardrail-end treatments, bridge-rail retrofit and bridge-deck rehabilitation.
Depending on the work being performed, three different modes of traffic control will be used:
– A pilot car and flaggers will be used for the seal coating, which should take about two weeks;
– A temporary traffic signal will be used for trench drain work and retaining wall work on the bridges; and
– Flagging will be used for the bridge rail work on the bridges.
Knife River, of Boise, is the contractor on the $1.25 million project.
The contractor began work on the three bridge-deck repairs by removing the existing asphalt on the decks. Crews also began work on retaining walls and trench drains. This work will continue next week.
Flaggers will direct traffic at the bridge-repair location, while traffic signals will control traffic at the location of the retaining-wall construction.
CANYON COUNTY
CALDWELL – I-84 westbound slip ramp construction
Work is under way on construction of an I-84 westbound slip ramp in Caldwell. The project is expected to be completed in the next two weeks.
A restriction on wide loads will take effect in Caldwell for Interstate 84 traffic, and the westbound ramp from U.S. 20/26 (Chinden Boulevard) onto I-84 will be detoured through mid-July as crews work on constructing a slip ramp in that area.
The contractor is preparing the surface for the asphalt and concrete pavement paving. The contractor is working to get as much paving as possible completed so that concrete curing will take place during the week of July 4. Traffic control remains the same, with westbound traffic reduced to one lane.
The slip ramp - a lane that starts and ends between an on-ramp and an off-ramp - will run between the 10th Street Interchange and Franklin Road Interchange. The mile-long slip ramp will allow motorists to enter I-84 at Franklin, remain in the lane farthest right, and exit at 10th - never having to merge with interstate traffic.
A similar auxiliary lane is expected to run eastbound on I-84 between Franklin and Garrity boulevards when that project is completed in 2012.
Westbound travel between Nampa and Caldwell on I-84 had increased from about 14,000 in 1995 to more than 20,000 vehicles per day by 2009.
One lane is open for westbound traffic through the work zone. The last bit of roadway paving is scheduled for July 20. The contractor is also working on setting signs, guardrail, and other items.
Work is scheduled to be complete July 25.
Concrete Placing Co., of Boise, is the contractor on the $1.16 million project.
NAMPA – City traffic signal synchronization
A project has been under way since January to link traffic signals, creating a more efficient traffic flow in and around downtown Nampa.
The project will allow traffic signals to be synchronized through fiber optics and add pedestrian signals with countdown indicators at intersections. The signal improvements will mean people who drive the posted speed through the area should have fewer stops for red lights.
The contractor has completed all contract work, with the exception of the signal parts at 12th and 2nd. The parts are expected to arrive early next week, at which time work resumes.
In addition, crews finished work on the wireless communication equipment that will allow the city to control signal timing from their traffic service shop. This finishes up the entire project except for the change order work at 12th and 2nd.
Construction crews will try to limit closures to sidewalks and parking stalls in the work areas. The contract does allow for lane closures if necessary, but only in work hours.
Quality Electric Inc., of Boise, is the construction contractor on this $1.01 million project.
The city of Nampa paid for the design on this project and will pay a portion of the construction contract cost.
No ITD funds are being expended on this off-system project.
The funding breakdown is almost 93 percent Federal Aid and just over 7 percent Local funding. ITD is involved as a steward of the federal aid monies.
GEM COUNTY
SOUTH OF EMMETT – Idaho 16, Willow Creek Bridge replacement
The two-lane bridge north of Firebird Raceway on Idaho 16 is being replaced with a wider, three-lane structure. The project started June 20 and is expected to finish in late November.
The bridge replacement, about eight miles south of Emmett at milepost 6.3, will result in a significantly wider bridge - 54 feet wide compared to the current 36-foot width. It also will be slightly longer - 108 feet instead of the current 90 feet. The new bridge will be a single-span structure.
The speed limit will be reduced to 35 mph during construction. Traffic will be shifted but one lane each way will be maintained. Work will begin on the east half of the bridge.
Crews will use traffic drums, temporary guardrail and striping, and normal traffic-control signing. A portable message sign will be installed to alert drivers to the upcoming project a week prior to the beginning of construction.
The contractor will have the southbound traffic diversion complete today (Friday, July 15). The entire project is expected to be complete in November.
In addition to replacing the bridge, built in 1959, the project will require approach work to accommodate the new width of the structure and construction of a temporary detour on the west side of the existing bridge to handle southbound Idaho 16 commuter traffic.
The center lane on the new bridge will transition to match up with the current center turn lane south of the bridge, at the intersection of Chapparal Lane.
North of the bridge, the road will be tapered from three lanes to match the existing two-lane configuration.
The project will improve the poor condition of the bridge substructure.
Concrete Placing Co., of Boise, is the contractor on this $1.1 million project
OWYHEE COUNTY
SW of MARSING – U.S. 95 resurfacing
Approximately 17 miles of rural, two-lane U.S. 95, from the Idaho/Oregon border northeast into Owyhee County, is being repaved.
Traffic restrictions remain the same, with one lane of traffic running through the work area, controlled by flaggers. The primary work should be completed today (Friday, July 15). Following that, crews will be paving two turnouts. Traffic control will be the same at those locations. After setting guardrail, clean up, and other work, the project should be completed by the end of next week.
Drivers can expect intermittent lane closures and pilot cars will guide motorists during the work. The speed limit in the work zone has been reduced to 45 mph, and work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with no work anticipated on the weekends unless necessary.
The first seven miles of the project uses the CRABS (Cement Recycled Asphalt Base Stabilization) process. The remainder of the project requires an overlay with a SALSA (Stress Absorbing Straight Layer of Asphalt).
CRABS involves grinding the existing roadway down to the gravel base, then adding cement to the old asphalt. This process extends the life of the roadway. SALSA is a process which involves shooting a layer of straight asphalt on the pavement and then applying a thin coat of chips. The SALSA process also includes an overlay of plant mix, which is a blend of asphalt and crushed rocks.
Idaho Sand & Gravel Co., of Nampa, is the contractor on this $4.9 million project.
Idaho 78 and Idaho 51 resurfacing
A pair of resurfacing projects on rural sections of Idaho 51 and Idaho 78 began July 11.
A thin-lift overlay will be added to the pavement surface on 32 miles of rural highway. The resurfacing is expected to finish in about two months.
Work is expected to begin first on Idaho 78 and proceed toward the junction with Idaho 51, then move to Idaho 51 from milepost 60 to the Snake River Bridge. The work is necessary to correct cracking and roughness, and to preserve the existing highway system.
Crews will be working 10-hour days, six days per week. Flaggers and pilot cars will be used for traffic control.
Idaho Sand & Gravel Co., of Nampa, is the contractor on this $3.4 million 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 under way. It is expected to take about two years to complete, finishing in summer 2012.
Crews are replacing 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.
There are no traffic delays currently. One lane of traffic in each direction is always open.
The first third of the deck on the south end has been completed, along with a second third of bridge deck to the north from pier 4 to abutment 2. Parapet wall concrete is in progress on the south end of the bridge.
The approach slabs are being constructed on both ends of the bridge, and deck forming for the center section of the new bridge continues.
JC Constructors Inc., of Meridian, is the contractor for this $6.17 million project.
VALLEY COUNTY
Cascade North City Limits to Donnelly – resurfacing
A project to provide an overlay on about 15 miles of Idaho 55, from the north city limits of Cascade to Donnelly, began June 27. The work is expected to finish by late summer.
This thin-lift overlay pavement preservation project from milepost 116 to 131 will add about two inches of new pavement to the existing surface. Shoulder grading and replacement is under way on a rusted and collapsing culvert. The speed limit is reduced to 45 mph.
Construction on the overlay will begin by mid-month.
Once paving starts, traffic will be escorted through the work area. A pilot car will be used in conjunction with flaggers at each end of the work area to hold traffic.
The new asphalt added to the traveling surface will extend the life of the roadway and provide better traction for vehicles.
Work will be done from about 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with no weekend work and the crew off the roadway by noon on Fridays to accommodate heavy recreational and tourist traffic.
Valley Paving & Asphalt Inc., of Cottonwood, is the contractor on this $2 million project.
Work on shoulder grading is complete. Two pilot cars will be operating to minimize construction delays. The contractor is crushing rock for use in the project, and paving could begin next week.