5/23/2012
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
REMINDER: Thursday public ceremony kicks off Idaho 16 river-crossing project
BOISE - A ceremony Thursday (May 24) at 2:16 p.m. at the southwest corner of Idaho highways 16 and 44 will kick off construction on the long-awaited first stage of the Idaho 16 extension over the Boise River, connecting State Street (Idaho 44) and Chinden Boulevard (U.S. 20/26) via a high-speed, four-lane highway. The project is hailed by supporters as an important step for commerce, convenience and safety.
Please click here and here for project logos.
The
ceremony is open to the public. Attendees can park at the Eagle
Christian Church at 7695 West State Street. Buses will begin shuttling
people to the ceremony site at 1:45 for the event, and will be on hand
to transport them back to the church parking lot after the ceremony as
well. Click here for ceremony location map.
In case of inclement weather, the event will be held indoors at the church.
Featured speakers will be Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little, Idaho Sen. Chuck Winder, Central Valley Expressway Coalition (CVEC) Chairwoman Mary May, and emcee for the event will be ITD Board Chairman Jerry Whitehead. CVEC is sponsoring the event.
"After several years of hard work, CVEC is incredibly excited to see phase one of the Highway 16 extension commence," said May. "With the economic benefits to be had from this corridor, including significant projected new revenue for the state of Idaho, this project isn't just about building a road - it's about building the future of Idaho. We're excited for the project to begin and to see it through to completion, all the way to I-84!"
The first project will build a 1,700-foot
bridge across the Boise River and includes other construction activities
to connect the bridge to State Street. The second project includes the
completion of the highway from the Boise River to Chinden Boulevard and a
bridge over the Phyllis Canal, which is also anticipated to be under
contract this summer. A third project will construct the new
intersections at State Street and Chinden Boulevard and all of the new
public roads needed to provide access as a result of the expansion work.
The 2.5-mile project is likely to begin before the end of the month and finish about two years later, in 2014.
Concrete Placing Co. Inc., of Boise, is the prime contractor on this $19.4 million project.
“As
western Ada, eastern Canyon, and southern Gem counties develop, the
ability to move north-south traffic is a primary concern,” explained Amy
Schroeder, GARVEE program manager. GARVEE funded the design and
development of the Highway 16 route.
“The project will provide another vital north-south link in the Treasure Valley as the population continues to grow.”
“This
also means that drivers will not need to turn east to Eagle Road or
west to Star Road, but instead will be able to go straight across the
river, expanding the options available to the traffic network,” said
Schroeder. “For the estimated 22,000 drivers who will use the route
every day as soon as it opens, that’s good news.”
For more information on the project, please click here to check the project website: http://itd.idaho.gov/Projects/garvee/D3/Idaho16_US2026toIdaho44.asp