6/22/2005
REMINDER: Government Way bridge to close Monday; public information meeting Thursday
COUER D'ALENE - Motorists who use Government Way to cross over Interstate 90 can learn more about a one-year construction project during a public meeting from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
The meeting will be at the transportation departments District 1 office, 600 W. Prairie Ave.
Motorists will need to plan an alternate route over I-90 when a one-year project to remove and rebuild the bridge begins June 27. Recommended routes include Ramsey Road/Northwest Boulevard, U.S. 95, 4th Street and 15th Street. Access to local businesses will be maintained throughout the construction project.
Built in 1958, the bridge is beginning to deteriorate and no longer meets interstate standards because it is too narrow. One lane has been closed for about a year because of safety concerns after a number of over-height loads on I-90 crashed into the bridge.
A steel-girder bridge will replace the 47-year-old structure.
Daytime and nighttime work on the project is planned, most of which is expected to take place Mondays through Fridays.
Demolition of the existing bridge is scheduled to begin July 6 and should take about one week. Work will be done between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. During the demolition, westbound I-90 traffic will be detoured at 4th Street onto Appleway; eastbound traffic will exit at the U.S. 95 interchange. Motorists are advised to watch for reduced speed limits.
The new bridge will meet current height requirements and eliminate the need for height restrictions on I-90. When completed, Government Way will have four lanes from Harrison Avenue to Dalton Avenue.
The $2.7 million project is expected to be complete in summer 2006. The contractor is Morgen Oswood of Great Falls, Mont.
For more information about the project, attend the June 23 public meeting, or call the project hot line at 765-4301. The recorded message will be updated periodically. Individuals may leave a message requesting additional information or a return phone call.