5/11/2012
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for May 11-18
BOISE - The following projects in southwest Idaho are now under way or will begin soon.
ADA COUNTY
BOISE – Idaho 16 Extension
Work will start in mid- to late 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 pre-construction meeting is set for next week. In the meantime, the contractor is working to install temporary fencing around the work site.
A groundbreaking ceremony is slated for May 24 at 2:16 p.m. at the corner of Idaho 44 and Idaho 16.
ADA COUNTY
MERIDIAN - Eagle Road resurfacing and medians
Work will likely start in late May 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 that began in early May.
Lane restrictions of 16 feet on the Eisenman overpass, 12 feet over the 18th Street overpass and 14 feet over the Bennett Mtn. Road Interchange at milepost 99 will remain in effect until work is completed on these structures.
Currently all lane closures on I-84 for work activity will be during daylight hours only.
The bridges, their ages and the work is detailed below:
• 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/Oregon Trail 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 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 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/High Bridge
Weather permitting, crews will be surveying the bridge deck on the Idaho 21 High Bridge over the Lucky Peak Reservoir Tuesday (May 15) to investigate the smoothness of the driving surface. The bridge will be closed intermittently for 15-minute increments between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The High-Density Laser scan surveying data will then be evaluated for a cost-effective approach to creating a smoother driving surface for motorists. The ultimate plan will likely involve grinding off the roughest spots on the driving surface, but may involve a completely different alternative.
Grinding on the north end of the bridge deck will occur regardless of the survey outcome. It will be performed by A-Core of Idaho and could begin later that same week or early the next. It is expected to last for only a day or two. There may be occasional full closures of the bridge for short intervals, but most of that work will be done with lane restrictions.
Survey crews from Land Solutions will conduct the surveying on behalf of RSCI, of Meridian, the prime contractor on the overall $2.8 million project.
After this work is complete, the final item of work to finish the project is to install joint seals along the numerous bridge joints. The goal is to complete the work prior to Memorial Day.
BOISE COUNTY
NEAR LOWMAN - Fish-passage project
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 COUNTY
NAMPA - Franklin to Garrity
Crews will repair a short section of the Garrity westbound on-ramp on Monday (May 14), closing the ramp to traffic during the day.
The closure will take place after the morning commute and before the evening rush. From 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the ramp will be closed as crews work on the 300-foot stretch of ramp to repair asphalt.
Repairs will continue throughout the week. After Monday they will be switching traffic from one side of the ramp to the other, funneling traffic into the open lanes.
Central Paving Co., of Boise, is performing this work on behalf of Concrete Placing Co., the contractor on the $22.2 million project that widened I-84 from Franklin to Garrity.
CANYON 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. It will begin with the segment listed first, below:
• 8.2 miles of U.S. 95, from Wilder south city limits to Parma south city limits
This will be followed by a section of work expected to be constructed starting in mid-July 2012, and finishing in mid-August.
• 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
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.
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 now under way. 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.
GEM COUNTY
EMMETT - Idaho 16, SH 44 to Substation Road
A project expected to begin in late May will extend the life of the pavement and replace guardrail on an 11.5-mile stretch of Idaho 16. The project will run from just north of the Idaho 44 intersection to Substation Road in Gem County.
About 8,500 feet of guardrail will be replaced. Work also will include repair of the Black Canyon Canal Bridge. Work on the bridge, located at approximately milepost 12, will include waterproofing, sealing and replacing joints, and removing and replacing portions of the concrete deck.
Approaches to the bridge and transitions to surrounding roads will be adjusted to match the new grade of the road.
The section of road was built in 1959 and 1966. An overlay was performed in 1996 on the first nine miles, followed by a CRABS (Cement Recycled Asphalt Base Stabilization) resurfacing project in 1998 on the northern end.
Aside from morning and evening rush hour commutes, traffic will be limited to one lane, with a speed-limit reduction. Pilot cars and flaggers will be used as needed.
Central Paving Co. Inc., of Boise, is the contractor on this $2.5 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.
Crews will begin hydro-demolition on the east lane of U.S. 95 on Monday (May 14). The recently completed center lane overlay is curing this week. Traffic will be switched to allow worker access to the east lanes when the pavement is fully cured.
The normal lane, shoulders, and center lane are reduced slightly and allow passage of 14-foot vehicle and cargo widths.
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.
Crews are finishing placing concrete deck for spans three and four of the new deck. Removal of the old deck continues at spans five and six. Girders are being jacked to replace bearing pads in these last two spans of the bridge. The remainder of the new bridge deck will then be placed.
JC Constructors Inc., of Meridian, is the contractor for this $6.17 million project.