5/29/2012
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Paving to begin tonight on Idaho 16 project near Emmett
EMMETT - If temperatures allow, paving will begin tonight (Tuesday, May 29) on a road, bridge and guardrail-repair project for a 12.5–mile stretch of Idaho 16 from just north of its junction with Idaho 44 to Emmett’s Substation Road, the Idaho Transportation Department announced. The project is expected to finish in late July.
Crews will work an overnight, 7:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. schedule, beginning in the northbound lane on the south end of the project. The contractor plans to work Monday through Thursday nights on paving, with some non-paving work occurring during the day (8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.) as necessary.
Traffic will follow pilot cars through the work zone with expected delays of up to 15 minutes. As work is completed, the contractor will reduce the overall length of the work zone behind them.
This pavement overlay will be divided into a trio of work-zone segments, each four miles long. Once work begins in the first segment, it must be completely finished and reopened to traffic before the contractor can move on to the next segment. Aside from morning and evening rush-hour commutes, traffic will be limited to one lane, with a speed-limit reduction. The speed limit will be reduced by 10 mph in the work-zone segment.
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.
When crews transition to repair work on the Black Canyon Irrigation Canal bridge, a lane closure will be required for 13 calendar days, with a temporary signal used to guide traffic.
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. Crews also are replacing 8,500 feet of substandard guardrail throughout the project.
Central Paving Co. Inc., of Boise, is the contractor on this $2.5 million project.