6/15/2012
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for June 15-22
BOISE - The following projects in southwest Idaho are now under way or will begin soon.
ADA COUNTY
BOISE - Idaho 16 Extension
Work is under way for the first phase of the extension of Idaho 16. Crews installed fence to keep domestic animals and wildlife out of the project area, and will continue building access roads. There will initially be no traffic interference.
Crews will connect State Street to Chinden Boulevard, including a new bridge over the Boise River.
Concrete Placing Co. Inc., of Boise, is the contractor on this $19.4 million project.
ADA COUNTY
MERIDIAN - Eagle Road resurfacing and medians
Work started June 10 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 Boulevard.
Crews will be grinding off the pavement surface in a one-half-mile segment between Fairview Avenue and River Valley Street (where the new traffic light was installed in late April). Crews will also prepare to install raised medians between Franklin Road and River Valley Street, an area of 1.5 miles.
The work will take place overnight between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Access to businesses and residences will be kept open except for brief closures when crews are paving right at those approaches or driveways.
Idaho Sand & Gravel Co., of Nampa, is the contractor on this $4.7 million project.
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.
U.S. 20 was recently paved at Mountain Home. Some operations are completing and moving to new locations throughout the next week. Crews are also switching traffic on I-84 from the westbound structure to the eastbound structure, and width restrictions have likewise changed, with eastbound set at 16 feet and westbound at 14 feet.
The 18th Street overpass should be done by June 20. 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.
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 now under way.
In all, about 23 miles of the route will be resurfaced and repaired 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
Paving within Wilder has been completed.
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.
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 the July Fourth holiday.
Crews are working a Monday-Friday schedule unless Saturday work is needed to stay on schedule.
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 highway 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.
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.
Crews have completed surface treatment and rumble strips. Crews are working on sawing and sealing joints in the westbound travel lane.
Slab replacements continue between the Exit 99 interchange and the Exit 95 interchange, with an increase in speed limit to 55 mph and width restriction to 14 feet.
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 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 is under way. 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.
The first stretch of nearly four miles of paving is completed. Crews are working during the daytime to replace metal guardrail and install new roadside delineators. Construction will be suspended during the Emmett Cherry Festival, June 13–16.
Following the Cherry Festival, the contractor will complete guardrail installation, delineation and pavement markings to complete the first of the three phases of construction. They anticipate milling for the second four-mile phase to begin on June 19.
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.
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.
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 bridge deck overlay is complete for the second lane, and work has begun on the third lane. Guardrail and illumination work are in progress. The contractor continues patching on the piers and pier caps.
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.
The last span of old bridge deck has been removed and replacement of bearing pads is complete. Some roadwork has begun south of the bridge, including forming and pouring curb for the median near the railroad bridge.
JC Constructors Inc., of Meridian, is the contractor for this $6.17 million project.