5/31/2013
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Idaho 44 work begins in early June as part of Idaho 16 extension
BOISE – Idaho 44 (State Street) traffic near the intersection with Idaho 16 will shift to temporary paving on the south roadway shoulder in early June. Traffic will be reduced from three lanes to two as crews rebuild this section of highway in preparation for the realignment and extension of Idaho 16, the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
There will be two, three-month shifts, with work completed on the north side in early fall and the south portion in the late fall.
Concrete barricades will separate traffic from construction activities, although motorists are strongly encouraged to drive with caution through construction zones. The speed limit will be 45 mph through the Idaho 16 construction zones.
When work on the north section is complete, traffic will shift to the new pavement while crews reconstruct the south section. All Idaho 44 work is expected to be complete in November 2013, at which time Idaho 16 traffic will shift to the new alignment and crews will begin the reconstruction of a portion of U.S. 20/26 (Chinden Boulevard).
While road reconstruction is occurring on Idaho 44 in June, utility work begins on U.S. 20/26. Most work will be limited to the shoulder, but intermittent delays are possible. Motorists are encouraged to drive slowly when utility crews are in the area.
Following the request of residents who submitted suggestions to ACHD's committee, the recently named new local roads between Joplin Road and U.S. 20/26 have been renamed:
- N. Rufus Avenue is now N. Mystic Creek Avenue
- N. Fairbanks Way is now N. Sawtooth Lake Way
- W. Hobart Road is now W. Syringa Ridge Drive
The 2.5-mile extension of Idaho 16 over the Boise River, from Idaho 44 to US 20/26, is scheduled for completion in late fall 2014. The extension will provide another critical north-south link in western Ada, southern Gem and eastern Canyon counties, serving the communities of Middleton, Star, Eagle, Emmett and Meridian.
Concrete Placing Co., of Boise, and Idaho Sand & Gravel, of Nampa, are the prime contractors on these projects. Knife River Construction, of Boise, and Nampa Paving are two of the main subcontractors for this work. The total construction cost is $38.94 million.