1/31/2014
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Jan. 31-Feb. 6
BOISE - The following projects in southwest Idaho are now under way:
ADA COUNTY
BOISE - Idaho 16 Extension, river crossing and local road connections (GARVEE)
Construction continues on the 2.5-mile extension of Idaho 16 connecting Chinden Boulevard (U.S. 20/26) to State Street (Idaho 44), including a 1,726-foot-long, 11-span, 10-pier, 88-foot-wide bridge over the Boise River and a new crossing of the Phyllis Canal. More than 1.5 million pounds of rebar and over 36.6 million pounds of concrete are used in the bridge.
Much of the project is shut down for the winter, but some activities that are not weather-dependent continue. Work began in May 2012 and is expected to finish by the fall of 2014.
On the bridge project over the Boise River, crews are completing the south abutment access roads, but plan no other work until weather warms.
On the connection to local roads from State and Chinden, crews are working on the south side of Chinden, off the pavement, preparing for new construction to begin in earnest when warmer weather arrives. East- and westbound traffic lanes are shifted to the south to create a safe work zone along the north side of the highway.
Crews also will begin relocating or adjusting facilities to allow roadway construction to begin. New local access roads - N. Hamlin Avenue, W. Shultz Street and N. Truman Place - are planned north of Idaho 44 and east of Idaho 16.
Star Sewer & Water District is installing new sewer facilities under what will be N. Moyle Avenue, north of Idaho 44. This is not a part of the state project, but the sewer-pipe work must be done prior to actual construction of the new road base.
GARVEE (Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle) bonds allowed the Idaho Transportation Department to advance critical infrastructure improvements in vital corridors throughout the state.
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.
ADA COUNTY
MERIDIAN – Ten Mile Creek bridge work (precursor to interchange rebuild)
ITD started to widen the bridge over Ten Mile Creek on Meridian Road and Interstate 84 just before Christmas. The work is necessary to prepare for additional lanes on Meridian Road and the westbound on-ramp to I-84 as a part of the new Meridian Interchange project that will begin next spring.
The contractor poured the walls and deck on the existing I-84 extension this week and began forming the wing walls. The soil nail walls were finished on the west and east Meridian Road extensions. Crews continued structure excavation, and sewer work on the east side of Meridian. They will form and pour the foundations for the Meridian Road extensions and continue with the sewer work next week.
Most construction will occur during daylight hours; the I-84 westbound on-ramp at Meridian Road will be open at all times. Lanes on Meridian Road will remain open in each direction during the days.
Over the next several months, lane restrictions might occur on Meridian Road overnight from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Idaho Power has begun moving power lines and poles for utility work on Meridian Road. The city of Meridian will install a sewer line on the west side of Meridian Road from Overland Road north to Ten Mile Creek. Lanes on Meridian Road will remain open during the utility work.
Granite Excavation, of Cascade, is the contractor on this $1 million project.
Last summer, the Idaho Transportation Board agreed to replace the Meridian, Broadway and Gowen I-84 interchanges to improve mobility, safety and economic opportunity for Idahoans. The projects are being advanced through savings from the GARVEE (Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle) program.
Projects were selected based on readiness, pavement condition, congestion and safety.
The total cost for the projects on I-84 is anticipated to be $124 million, $82 million of that coming from GARVEE. The construction cost is estimated at $90 million.
BOISE COUNTY
GARDEN VALLEY - South Fork Payette River Bridge
Crews are working to replace the old bridge over the south fork of the Payette River near Garden Valley.
The project is shut down for the winter. Construction on the other half of the bridge will begin next spring, after crews remove the existing bridge. Work is expected to take most of summer 2014.
The old bridge, located southwest of town, also called the Alder Creek Bridge or Silver Bridge, has a sufficiency rating of less than 50. Boise County is the local sponsor. The new bridge will be relocated upstream and the existing bridge will serve as a detour during construction.
Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Company Inc., of Draper, Utah, is the contractor on this $2.3 million project.
This is an LHTAC (Local Highway Technical Assistance Council) project. ITD has oversight responsibility for this work.
VALLEY COUNTY
CASCADE – Bridge Replacement
Replacement of the North Fork Payette River Bridge in downtown Cascade has been suspended for the winter. Crews will return to plant willows in the spring, likely mid-March or April.
The old, narrow, width-restricted bridge was replaced with one more than twice as wide. The earlier bridge was 24 feet wide, and was replaced with a 60-foot wide, 393-foot long, three-span bridge. The new bridge has two 12-foot lanes, two 11-foot shoulders and a 14-foot median.
In addition, a paved extension to the dirt shared-use path under the bridge on the north side of the river was built to provide access from both sides of the bridge to the new riverside park.
Wadsworth Brothers Construction Co. Inc., of Draper, Utah, is the contractor on this $4.83 million project.