9/2/2011
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Sept. 2-9
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
I-84 drivers now have four eastbound and four westbound lanes, double the pre-construction capacity. The two-year reconstruction project in this area has included installing new drainage, replacing the original two-lane pavement from 1968, and adding two new lanes in both directions.
The speed limit has returned to 65 mph for the first time since construction started in late 2009.
Overhead signs are expected to be placed in late September near the Vista Interchange, completing the project.
Concrete Placing Co. Inc., of Boise, is the contractor on the $35.9 million project.
MERIDIAN - Interstate 84, Ten Mile Interchange construction
The new I-84, Ten Mile Interchange opened to traffic in May 2011. The speed limit is now 40 mph on Ten Mile Road and 65 mph on I-84.
Four lanes are now available westbound and eastbound between the Meridian and Garrity interchanges.
Idaho Sand & Gravel, of Nampa, is the contractor on this $33.8 million project.
NAMPA - I-84 widening, Franklin to Garrity
Over the Labor Day weekend all I-84 construction will be temporarily suspended to accommodate holiday travelers. Beginning Tuesday (Sept. 6), motorists may experience intermittent nighttime lane reductions as crews work to complete the project by early 2012. All I-84 lanes remain open during the day, and work may be weather dependent.
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 farthest right lane, and exit at Garrity - never having to merge with interstate traffic.
Other ongoing work progresses at the new Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) bridge, where crews continue to work on bridge retaining walls and abutments. Construction of two new bridges over the UPRR and Phyllis Canal are necessary to accommodate the additional lanes on I-84.
Crews are working to improve the eastbound Franklin merge, but are constrained physically by the proximity of the Phyllis Canal, and cannot begin bridge work there until the irrigation season is complete and water leaves the canal this fall/winter. More than a dozen pieces of solid barrier have been removed to improve visibility.
Concrete Placing Company of Boise is the contractor on this $22.2 million project.
Following is an update on non-GARVEE state highway construction projects in southwest Idaho.
VARIOUS COUNTIES
Seal coats
Several seal coats on roadway surfaces throughout the southwest Idaho region have been done this summer, and several more are planned. Seal coating extends the life of the roadway and provides greater traction for motorists.
Already this summer, crews have completed seal coats on Idaho 44 and Idaho 55 near Boise, Idaho 71 near Cambridge, and Idaho 55 near McCall. Crews also repaired various spots along Idaho 55 on Horseshoe Bend Hill.
Snake River Construction, of Kimberly, is the contractor on these seal coats. The completed seal coats cost $2.42 million. The remaining work will cost $700,000.
Seal coats will be applied to the surface of 37 miles of highway in the Notus, Parma, Murphy and Nampa areas under a separate contract.
These roads will be sealed:
• approximately one mile of U.S. 95 through Parma.
• approximately 12 miles of U.S. 20/26 from U.S. 95 through Notus toward Caldwell.
• approximately 9.4 miles of Idaho 78 from the junction of Idaho 45 to Murphy.
• approximately 14.5 miles of Idaho 45 from the junction of Idaho 78 to Locust Lane in Nampa.
All chipping, brooming and fog sealing was completed Wednesday (Aug. 31). There is some pavement-marking work still to be completed.
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. Crews can only work Monday through Thursday 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 heat to help asphalt and rock bond more quickly to the roadway surface, providing a higher-quality finished product.
Following posted speed limits will reduce the risk of windshield damage caused by loose gravel.
ADA COUNTY
East of Boise – Port of Entry ramp repairs
On Tuesday and Wednesday (Sept. 6-7), Idaho Transportation Department crews will repair a section of Interstate 84 near the East Boise Port of Entry.
Crews are repairing cracks in the pavement on both the east- and westbound ramps in preparation for new weigh-in-motion sensors to be installed on Sept. 12.
The speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph in the immediate area of the repairs - on the eastbound side on Tuesday and the westbound side on Wednesday.
Crews will work a 9 a.m.-to-4 p.m. schedule to minimize interference with heavy morning and evening commuter travel.
BOISE COUNTY
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.
Traffic was switched to the smaller east side of the bridge Aug. 31, which also narrowed the roadway to 11 feet. Working two shifts per day, crews are paving the bridge deck and painting the steel structure.
Work remains in a one-lane configuration.
The work is highly labor intensive, and due to limited bridge-load constraints, crews can’t use large equipment, such as the big sweepers. It has been difficult to do the work on the bridge deck and joints, and the concrete is extremely strong. This is good design, but tough for the workers using hand chisels.
Crews should be able to work much faster on the other side. The contractor plans to switch traffic near the end of this month.
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 bridge is in a one-lane configuration using a traffic signal until December. This week, the contractor continued to form and tie rebar for the phase 1 bridge deck, and crews intend to pour concrete for phase 1 of the bridge deck next week.
The project includes replacing the existing culvert near milepost 83 (Lowman is at milepost 72) with a short-span bridge, followed by stream rehabilitation.
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.
This week, the contractor paved the three bridge decks, applied waterproofing and patched back the pavement over the trench-drain crossings and retaining walls. Next week, crews will double seal coat the entire seven-mile stretch of highway. A pilot car and flaggers will direct traffic during the seal coat.
The project is expected to finish in September.
Knife River, of Boise, is the contractor on the $1.25 million project.
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 is 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. The contractor is working on the bridge abutments for phase 1.
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.
Three girders were placed on the east half of the new bridge on Wednesday (Aug. 31). Crews are now working on forming the bridge deck.
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.
ELMORE COUNTY
EAST OF BOISE – I-84 repair
In the ongoing project to correct severe pavement deficiencies between Boise and Mountain Home. All traffic has been diverted to the westbound side of I-84, (traffic is in a single lane each way) and will remain that way until approximately the first of December. The posted speed for this configuration is 55 mph.
Eastbound traffic has a narrow shoulder with a width restriction of 16 feet. Westbound traffic has a wider shoulder that allows for wider loads to pass unencumbered.
Ramps have been constructed for traffic at the Mayfield Interchange (milepost 71) and the Simco Interchange (milepost 74), with a posted exit speed of 35 mph.
The overall project begins near milepost 70 (the Stage Stop and Mayfield Road Interchange) and extends east of the Simco Road Interchange to milepost 82.2. The project will finish in early December.
Crews have adopted an aggressive schedule, working Mondays through Saturdays.
Concrete Placing Co., of Boise, is the contractor on this $10.4 million project.
I-84 slab repair, near Glenns Ferry
This project has been temporarily suspended awaiting specialized equipment needed to complete the work. The contractor anticipates activities to resume on Sept. 6. Until that time, the speed limit has returned to 75 mph with no width restrictions.
Once the project work resumes, it will repair deteriorating concrete slabs on the east- and westbound lanes of Interstate 84 near Glenns Ferry. It is expected to finish in mid-October.
This pavement maintenance project will extend from milepost 114 east from Hammett to Glenns Ferry, a distance of about seven miles.
Several badly damaged concrete slabs in that stretch will be removed and replaced. Repairs also will include resealing pavement joints, repairing pavement cracks and chips, and grinding portions from the existing pavement surface.
Crews will work Monday through Saturday. The speed limit will drop to 65 mph in the overall construction zone, and to 45 where workers are present.
The contractor has completed slab replacements and will concentrate on remaining joint repairs, rumble-strip grinding, and grinding to achieve a smoother driving surface.
Interstate Improvement Inc., of Faribault, Minn., is the contractor on this $2.6 million project.
OWYHEE COUNTY
Idaho 78 and Idaho 51 resurfacing
A pair of resurfacing projects on rural sections of Idaho 51 and Idaho 78 are wrapping up, with highway approach work, touch-up painting and stop bars still to be applied.
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.
This work corrects cracking and roughness, and preserves 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.
Grasmere north – Idaho 51 resurfacing
About 21 miles of rural Idaho 51 from Grasmere north is being resurfaced in a project that began Aug. 15. The project will likely extend into mid-October.
The resurfacing will go from milepost 34 to 55 at Broken Wagon Flat Road. A cold in-place recycling technique will be used on part of the route, during which crews break up a layer of old pavement and add additional oil to restore flexibility. The highway surface is then shaped and compacted, and overlayed with a top layer of new pavement. This is primarily used on medium- or low-volume roads. A standard overlay will be used on the section from Grasmere north for the first 14 miles.
Travelers can expect delays up to 15 minutes. Paving on this project is complete from milepost 33.7 to 43, and is still progressing from milepost 43 to 54. Crews expect to finish highway paving by mid-September if all goes well.
The speed limit is reduced to 45 mph in the work area.
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.
Crews continue building up the roadway base on Killebrew Drive.
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 in early October. Delays for motorists should be 5 to 10 minutes.
This thin-lift overlay pavement preservation project from milepost 116 to 131 will add about two inches of new pavement to the existing surface.
Paving is complete. The contractor completed shoulder grading this week and continues work on highway approaches. Pavement markings are going to be placed on the highway around Sept 8.
Crews will be on and off the project until the end of September due to other contract obligations.
The speed limit is 45 mph in the work area. A pilot car will be used in conjunction with flaggers at each end of the work area to hold traffic.
The speed limit will remain 45 mph until permanent pavement markings are complete.
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 7 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.