5/9/2013
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
To improve visibility and safety, repair begins soon for hundreds of Southwest Idaho highway signs
BOISE - Nearly 150 highway signs along southwest Idaho roads will be repaired starting in early June as
ITD performs annual sign repairs. ITD is responsible for providing safe
roads for Idaho motorists, which includes ensuring clear and
understandable information by providing proper signs on roadways.
The
signs to be repaired are located on Interstate 84 from the Oregon
Border to just east of Mountain Home (milepost 0-121), on the Connector,
U.S. 20/26 in Boise and on the U.S. 95 Spur in Fruitland.
Of the
149 sign locations to be upgraded, 73 sign locations are in need of
total replacement of sign faces, posts and foundations. Another 76 will
have new sign faces only.
Here are photos of a few of the signs: Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3
"Almost
26,000 square feet of signs will be repaired, with crews replacing
damaged posts, replacing old sign bases with new break-safe sign bases,
improving brackets and updating the reflectivity on sign panels where
the paint has dulled," said Jim Justice, ITD project manager.
Most
of the work will be on the shoulder and will not require lane closures.
All work that impacts traffic will be conducted overnight. No work will
take place on the Connector during the evenings of Boise State
home football games. Lane closures will be coordinated with special events if
necessary. Work also will not be done during the Fourth of July
holiday.
This work will be done under a contract, as the sheer
volume of sign repairs would quickly overwhelm ITD’s five-man sign crew.
Most of the signs are the original ones and have faded with time.
The project is expected to finish by late summer.