4/27/2012
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for April 27-May 4
BOISE - The following projects are under way or beginning soon in southwest Idaho.
ADA COUNTY
BOISE – Idaho 16 Extension
Work will start in May for the first phase of the extension of Idaho 16. Crews will connect State Street to Chinden Boulevard, including a new bridge over the Boise River.
Concrete Placing Co. Inc., of Boise, is the apparent low bidder on this project, with a bid of $19.4 million.
A groundbreaking ceremony, spearheaded by Central Valley Expressway Coalition, is planned for May 24 at 2:16 p.m.
ADA COUNTY
MERIDIAN - Eagle Road resurfacing and medians
Work will start in June on this project, which will resurface Idaho 55 from Fairview Avenue in Meridian to State Street in Eagle, and install raised medians from Franklin to Oakhampton Drive, one-half mile north of Chinden.
Idaho Sand & Gravel Co., of Nampa, is the apparent low bidder on this project, with a bid of $4.7 million.
ADA, ELMORE COUNTY
Repair of seven bridge decks in Ada and Elmore counties
The bridge decks on seven bridges from Boise through Mountain Home and to the east will be repaired and resurfaced in a six-month project starting April 30.
The bridges, their ages and the work is detailed below:
• The Eisenman Interchange bridge at Exit 60 (1997) – The bridge deck will receive an epoxy overlay (deck seal).
• The Mayfield Interchange bridge east of Boise at Exit 71 (1960) – This work involves removing and replacing the deck concrete, replacing bearing pads on the piers and replacing the expansion joints.
• The Canyon Creek underpass in Mountain Home at milepost 92 (1971) – This work involves removing and replacing the deck concrete and replacing expansion joints.
• The 18th Street underpass in Mountain Home at milepost 94 (1971) – This work involves removing and replacing the deck concrete, replacing expansion joints, and injecting filler in the cracks in pier walls.
• The east- and westbound U.S. 20 Interchange at Exit 95 (1971) – This work involves removing and replacing the deck concrete, replacing expansion joints, and injecting filler in cracks in the abutments and wing walls.
• The East Mountain Home Interchange at milepost 99 (1972) – This work involves removing and replacing concrete, replacing expansion joints, and injecting filler in cracks in the piers and wing walls.
• The Hammett Interchange bridge at milepost 112 (1973) – This work involves removing and replacing concrete, replacing expansion joints, and injecting filler in cracks in the piers and wing walls.
Concrete Placing Co. Inc, of Boise, is the apparent low bidder on the $1.72 million repairs.
BOISE COUNTY
EAST OF BOISE - Mores Creek Bridge upgrade
The bridge has reopened to two lanes, with the width restriction removed, and the speed limit returned to 55 mph.
Crews will be returning to the bridge in early May to complete minor work, but this work will be performed under periodic lane closures. No signals will be necessary.
RSCI, of Meridian, is the contractor on the $2.8 million project.
BOISE COUNTY
NEAR LOWMAN – Fish-passage project
On the fish-passage project east of Lowman, the bridge has been reopened to traffic and the speed limit returned to 55 mph. The contractor will be returning May 7 to re-seed the work area and resume approach work. The contractor will work on placing rock mulch on the slopes under the bridge.
There will be no traffic interrupting activity.
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.
CANYON, PAYETTE COUNTY
I-84 Bridge repair in Caldwell at Black Canyon
A project to rehabilitate and repair bridge decks in the Caldwell area and at Black Canyon on Interstate 84 is expected to begin in mid-June.
Decks on bridges at these locations (year built listed in parenthesis) will be addressed between the end of May and late August:
• The Centennial Way overpass (Idaho 19) in Caldwell (1983) – The top few inches of the existing surface will be removed and a concrete overlay added. The sidewalks will be waterproofed.
• The eastbound off- and westbound on-ramp over the Boise River at Caldwell’s Exit 27 (1980). The top few inches of existing surface will be hydro-blasted (removed with a high-pressure water stream), and a silica fume overlay (filler to improve concrete strength and density) will be added. The same work will be done on the next bridge.
• The I-84 crossing over the Boise River in Caldwell (1983).
• The bridge over I-84 at Black Canyon’s Exit 13 (1960). This work will be more extensive. Crews will rebuild the south side of the approach to the bridge, replace guardrail, overlay all of the ramp approaches, repair girder ends and replace pier bearings, hydro-blast the deck, place new expansion joints, add a silica fume overlay and apply waterproofing to the curb(s).
No weekend work is anticipated, but is allowed if needed.
Concrete Placing Co. Inc., of Boise, is the apparent low bidder on the $1.42 million project.
ELMORE COUNTY
I-84 repair Mountain Home to Hammett
A 25-mile pavement maintenance and repair project on Interstate 84 from Mountain Home east to Hammett is expected to begin April 30.
Work will follow a sunup-to-sundown schedule, Monday through Friday. Work on Saturdays is not expected but is allowed as a necessity. The project is expected to finish by early July.
The project, on both sides of the highway, involves the replacement of several joint seals, extensive crack sealing and the replacement of deteriorated concrete slabs. It also involves the application of sealant to shoulders to protect the surface against weather and water damage and prevent additional cracking.
Typically one lane will be closed in the immediate project area, which will be limited to about a half-mile at a time. In some areas of slab replacement, lanes will remain closed longer. The lane closures will vary in length based on the contractor’s progress.
Concrete slab replacements, usually two to three days in duration, will be performed throughout May.
A 14-foot width restriction will be in place when work is in the travel lanes. With advanced notice to the project inspector via ITD's Ports of Entry, wider loads of up to 16 feet may be able to pass through.
During daylight hours when workers are present and lane closures are in effect, the speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph. During other construction times, the speed limit will be 65 mph. The posted speed will return to 75 mph when work is not being conducted (nights and weekends).
A Core of Idaho, of Boise, is the contractor on the $2.54 million project.
PAYETTE COUNTY
U.S. 95 Parma-Wilder resurfacing
A stretch of U.S. 95 from the south city limits of Wilder to the south city limits of Parma, and from the north side of Parma to the junction with Interstate 84 will be resurfaced in a project starting in mid-May.
In all, about 23 miles of the route will be resurfaced, repaired and widened in areas during the three-month project.
• 13.2 miles of U.S. 95, from Parma north city limits to Jct. I-84
• 1.6 miles of U.S. 20/26, from Snake River Bridge to Jct. U.S. 95
• 8.2 miles of U.S. 95, from Wilder south city limits to Parma south city limits
In two-lane sections, at least one lane will remain open at all times. In three- or four-lane segments, at least two lanes will remain open.??Work on nights or weekends is not expected, but is not prohibited if needed.
Idaho Sand & Gravel Co., of Nampa, is the contractor on this $5.7 million project.
PAYETTE COUNTY
FRUITLAND – U.S. 95/I-84 Exit 3 Overpass repair
Work is under way to resurface and repair the half-century-old U.S. 95 interchange overpass spanning I-84 at Exit 3 near Fruitland. The project is expected to finish in June.
The bridge deck and foundation for this bridge are considered to be in fair condition, with the superstructure in good condition.
The concrete deck will be overlayed and pier caps and columns patched in this project to extend the life of the bridge, built in 1960. The bridge railing will also be replaced.
Asphalt paving work will be performed to tie the bridge approaches into the road on each end of the bridge.
The normal lane, shoulders, and center lane are reduced slightly and allow passage of 14-foot vehicle and cargo widths.
Demolition using high-pressure water has been completed for the center section. A full-thickness deck placement between the two center girders has been completed. The silica fume overlay on the deck was performed on Thursday (April 26). Preparation of the areas to be patched is under way on the abutments, columns, piers, and beam seats.
Cannon Builders Inc., of Blackfoot, is the contractor for this $763,000 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 under way. It is expected to finish in mid-September 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.
The forms and reinforcement for spans 3 and 4 of the new bridge deck are in progress. Removal of the deck continues, with spans 5 and 6 left to complete. Girders are being jacked to replace bearing pads in the last two spans of the bridge.
They plan to pour the southbound section in mid-April.
JC Constructors Inc., of Meridian, is the contractor for this $6.17 million project.