2/21/2014
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Feb. 21-28
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 over the Boise River, crews are completing the right-of-way fencing south of the Boise River South Slough.
Traffic crews on U.S. 20/26 near the extension of Idaho 16 are sweeping the roadway to promote safe conditions for the traveling public as needed. Intermittent traffic shifts will occur if needed for these activities. Construction activities on the north side of Chinden continue as weather conditions allow.
All east- and westbound Idaho 44 traffic lanes near the Idaho 16 intersection are open, including turn lanes for northbound Idaho 16. The new section of Idaho 16, north of Idaho 44, is scheduled for final configuration in early March as weather allows. Road sweeping is being done in this area of the project as well.
Crews are removing the old asphalt pavement from the north half of Chinden between Black Cat Road and Star Road. Pavement is being removed from all local road and private approaches in this area, except at N. Pollard Lane. The concrete bases, poles and conduits for signal cables are being installed for the new intersection of Idaho 16 and U.S. 20 at McDermott Road.
Crews are monitoring the temporary pavement and making pothole repairs as soon as possible. There is a bump at the old intersection of McDermott Road and U.S. 20 that will be repaired in the next couple of weeks, pending completion of winter repairs to the asphalt hot plant. The speed limit through the project is 45 mph.
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 this spring.
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.??Work continued backfilling the I-84 structure and work on the streambed. Crews hope to be done with the I-84 work by early next week.
Crews poured the barrel and deck of the Meridian West extension Monday (Feb. 17), and will pour the wingwalls Monday (Feb. 24).
On Meridian East, crews have the footing excavated and will begin forming it Monday (Feb. 24) and will continue with forming the barrel walls after that. The sewer work is nearly complete on the east and they have begun on the west project.
Crews hope to have the manhole completed and 150 feet of pipe set by today (Friday, Feb. 21) and will resume and complete the sewer work Tuesday night (Feb. 25).
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, $80 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 in 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 is 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.
There are several other projects due to begin this spring or summer:
Idaho 52, Railroad Overpass Replacement, Payette
This project will rehabilitate and resurface the railroad overpass on Idaho 52 in Payette. The bridge-deck surface is potholed, with worn bridge joints. Crews will rehabilitate the deck of the overpass, built in 1962, to create a better driving surface, remove lead paint and repaint the railing.
U.S. 95, Creek Bridge Replacement, Washington County
The project will replace the old short-span Creek Bridge on U.S. 95 about seven miles north of Cambridge. The Creek Bridge, at milepost 120.6, is the oldest structure on the state highway system, built in 1918. The bridge is in poor condition. The existing bridge, which is 14 feet in length and 34 feet wide, will be replaced by a pipe culvert with a 72-inch diameter measuring 56 feet in length.
Idaho 21, Lucky Peak High Bridge to Robie Creek Road resurfacing
A 4.7-mile (milepost 17.3-22) piece of two-lane road from the High Bridge, at the turn to Spring Shores Marina, to the turn at Robie Creek Road, will be resurfaced in a CRABS project. The work also will include repairs to the existing drainage system, some roadway widening, and replacement of substandard guardrail.
Idaho 21, Idaho City to Mores Creek Summit resurfacing
This is a 13.3-mile pavement-rehabilitation project from Idaho City, at the ITD maintenance shed, to the Mores Creek Summit. Crews will conduct pavement repairs, fix frost heaves and improve drainage. They also will mill the surface, trench across and along the road at various locations, seal cracks in the pavement surface and apply a seal coat to the new surface.
I-84, Oregon State Line to Black Canyon Interchange (Exit 13), east- and westbound
Crews will mill out about three inches of pavement in the right lanes and replace it with new asphalt. Both lanes and shoulders will then be overlayed with about two inches of asphalt. The ramps at Exit 3 (Fruitland) and at Exit 9 (New Plymouth) also will be overlayed.
Idaho 55, Eagle Rd., I-84 to Franklin southbound, Meridian
This project will widen Eagle Road to add a third southbound lane from Franklin Road to the I-84 westbound on-ramp.
I-84, UPRR E. Lateral Canal Bridge & Northside Blvd. Underpass, Nampa
The aging Union Pacific Railroad E. Lateral Canal Bridge and the Northside Boulevard Overpass with Interstate 84 at Exit 35 will be improved in this six-month project. The bridge decks on the westbound UPRR bridge and the eastbound Northside structure will be replaced, while decks on the eastbound UPRR bridge and westbound Northside will be repaired and sealed.
Idaho 55, Lardo Bridge replacement, Cascade
The 83-year-old Lardo Bridge on Idaho 55 near the McCall City Park on the southwest shore of Payette Lake is scheduled to be replaced starting this fall. When completed, the project will replace roadway approaches to the bridge and provide bicycle and pedestrian facilities on both sides of the bridge. The new bridge will be 200 feet long and 50 feet wide.