8/1/2014
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for Aug. 1-8
The following projects in southwest Idaho are now underway:
ADA COUNTY
Meridian, Broadway and Gowen interchange reconstructions (GARVEE)
Three major Treasure Valley interchanges are being reconstructed, as the Meridian, Broadway and Gowen structures get a facelift after nearly five decades, thanks to GARVEE. Work is expected to be complete by late fall 2015.
The current Broadway interchange was built in 1969 when approximately 8,850 vehicles traveled on Interstate 84 near Broadway Avenue. Today, 74,000 vehicles travel over, under, and on and off the Broadway interchange each day. Gowen interchange, also built in 1969, went from 5,650 vehicles on the interstate to 47,000 daily. Those numbers are expected to reach 149,000 (Broadway) and 127,000 (Gowen) by 2035.
The Meridian interchange has seen the most explosive growth, from a daily intersection total of 10,650 in 1966 (it was built in 1965) to 133,000 today.
In addition to reconstructing the interchanges, work will include widening I-84 under the Meridian interchange and adding a third lane in each direction between the Broadway and Gowen interchanges. Gowen Road also will be widened between S. Eisenman Road and Federal Way. The railroad bridges between Broadway and Gowen will be replaced and widened to make room for additional lanes.
A Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) design, similar to the structures at Ten Mile and Vista, will be used in the reconstruction of the Meridian Road Interchange. The new Broadway interchange also will be a SPUI design. A conventional diamond interchange will replace the current interchange at Gowen Road.
Projects were selected based on readiness, pavement condition, congestion and safety. The work will be funded with savings from GARVEE, as well as regular federal funds.
GARVEE has resulted in significant safety improvements on Idaho's highways - crashes have been reduced by 38 percent, serious injuries by 51 percent and fatalities by 89 percent in corridors after GARVEE projects have been completed, despite nearly 46 million more miles driven.
I-84, Broadway Avenue Interchange
Construction is well underway on the Broadway interchange in east Boise. ITD is adding turn lanes on Broadway Avenue, replacing the bridge and ramps, and adding a third lane to I-84 between the Broadway and Gowen interchanges. The project is expected to be completed by late 2015.
The west half of the interchange bridge is currently under construction. Crews are also constructing a retaining wall in the I-84 median and a soundwall along I-84 and Broadway Avenue.
South of the interchange, ITD has re-opened a northbound lane on Commerce (Broadway) Avenue to help reduce traffic congestion. ITD recommends that large trucks south of the interchange use the Vista Interchange to access I-84.
Southbound Broadway Avenue is restricted to one travel lane across the interchange until next year. Southbound Broadway Avenue will be closed several evenings from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. during blasting detours. The work-zone speed limit on Broadway Avenue is 25 mph.
All lanes of I-84 will be open during the day, but lanes may be reduced at night (8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m.). Shoulders will be reduced in some areas of I-84 during the next phase of construction. The work-zone speed limit on I-84 is 55 mph.
Concrete Placing Company, of Boise, is the contractor on the $26.7 million project.
I-84, Gowen Road Interchange
Major construction is continuing at the Gowen interchange in east Boise. ITD will widen Gowen Road to five lanes, replace the bridge and ramps, improve turn lanes in the area, and add a third lane to I-84 between the Broadway and Gowen interchanges. The project is expected to be completed by late 2015.
The new westbound I-84 bridge over Gowen Road is under construction. Crews will drive steel piles for the bridge foundation during the week of Aug. 4. Pile driving will be noisy. Meanwhile, I-84 has been restricted to one lane in both directions from the Eisenman Road Interchange to just west of the Gowen interchange.
Width restrictions (12 foot) will be in effect on I-84. Detour routes will be posted for over-width vehicles.
For the next several months, eastbound traffic must use a dedicated lane to exit I-84 at Gowen Road. The speed limit is 45 mph in the new dedicated eastbound I-84 exit lane and 55 mph on I-84. The speed limit is 25 mph on Gowen Road.
The eastbound I-84 on-ramp at Gowen Road will be closed until late August. Closing the ramp will accelerate the process of constructing the final ramp and eliminate additional interstate closures during blasting. During the closure, motorists may follow a detour route along Eisenman Road to the eastbound on-ramp at the Eisenman interchange.
The contractor will continue blasting rock at the interchange site during the evenings of Aug. 4-7. Detours will be scheduled between 7 and 11 p.m. in the project area. The work is weather dependent and will be rescheduled in case of thunderstorms.
During blasting this summer, approximately 35,000 cubic yards of hard basalt rock will be removed to make way for the new ramps and improvements.
Crews also are working on widening the eastbound railroad bridge near Gowen.
Overnight lane restrictions will continue on I-84 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. weekdays. Restrictions will continue until 7 a.m. weekend mornings.
Knife River Corporation, of Boise, is the contractor on the $27 million project.
I-84, Meridian Road Interchange
Construction is progressing to replace the Meridian Road Interchange and improve Interstate 84 between Meridian and Five Mile roads.
Meridian Road will be widened to three through lanes in each direction between Central Drive and Overland Road with curb, gutter, sidewalks and bicycle lanes. The improved interchange will include dual left-turn lanes for each I-84 on-ramp and a central traffic signal.
On I-84 between Meridian and Five Mile roads, ITD will completely reconstruct the two outside lanes originally built in the 1960s. The inside lanes and storm-drain system in the median will be improved.
I-84 has been reduced to three lanes in both directions between the Meridian Interchange and Five Mile Road.
Day-and-night restrictions eliminate the need to set guardrail each day, a process that takes several days to complete. It also allows trucks to deliver materials to the work zone during the day. During the next several months, ITD urges drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time to reach their destinations.
At the interchange, crews are building the pier and abutment for the west half of the bridge, and building embankments for the westbound on- and off-ramps. Crews also are working in the median between Meridian Road and Five Mile. They are removing asphalt and constructing the storm-drain system in the median.
I-84 traffic will be detoured around the Meridian Road Interchange on Sunday and Monday nights (Aug. 3 and 4) while crews set girders across the new interchange bridge.
Westbound I-84 will be closed Sunday night from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Eastbound I-84 will be closed Monday night from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. During the detour, traffic will be directed to exit and re-enter I-84 using the Meridian Interchange ramps.
The Sunday night (Aug. 3) detour will include closing the eastbound “loop” on-ramp on southbound Meridian Road. Flaggers will direct traffic to the eastbound on-ramp on northbound Meridian Road.
ITD has removed a left-turn lane from southbound Meridian Road at Overland Road. The turn lane will be eliminated until summer 2015 while crews construct a retaining wall and widen Meridian Road.
Crews are working day and night. I-84 will be reduced to two lanes at night (10 p.m. to 5 a.m. during the week, and 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weekends). Lane widths have been restricted to 10 feet on the Meridian Road bridge over I-84.
Please watch for speed-limit reductions in the work zone.
Concrete Placing Company, of Boise, is the contractor on the $50.8 million project.
ADA COUNTY
BOISE - Idaho 16 Extension, river crossing and local road connections (GARVEE)
On the Idaho 16 Extension project, paving and striping on Idaho 44 and Idaho 16 north of Idaho 44 is complete. On July 31, U.S. 20/26 traffic will shift to the south side through the project area as crews pave the north side.
Intermittent lane closures in early August are expected while crews complete final paving. The 2.5-mile extension of Idaho 16 over the Boise River is scheduled to open Friday afternoon, Aug. 15, before the evening commute.
Signage to guide vehicles and flaggers to direct traffic, as necessary, will be placed through the construction zones to increase awareness and safety. Additionally, concrete barricades separate traffic from most construction activities.
The speed limit in the construction area is 45 mph. Motorists are strongly encouraged to drive with caution through construction zones.
South of U.S. 20/26, the existing alignment of McDermott Road is closed until mid-August. Routes for local residents and emergency services are clearly marked to access U.S. 20/26. Traffic is detoured to McMillan Road via Star Road (east of McDermott) and Black Cat Road (west of McDermott).
The Central Valley Expressway Coalition (CVEC) is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Aug. 15 at 10:16 a.m. The CVEC invites all members of the public to attend the event and walk the new roadway before it opens to traffic in the afternoon.
The ceremony entrance will be from westbound Chinden Blvd. (U.S. 20/26) to the new Idaho 16 alignment (right lane only). Attendees will then proceed northbound to the parking area along the new highway near the Boise River.
ADA COUNTY
MERIDIAN - Eagle Road between Franklin Road and I-84
ITD began work last week to construct new southbound lane on Eagle Road between Franklin Road and Interstate 84. The project is expected to be complete by mid-September.
In addition to building a third southbound lane, the project will include adding sidewalk, curb and gutter on the west side of Eagle Road from Franklin Road to I-84. New traffic-signal heads and pedestrian-crossing buttons will be installed at the intersections of Franklin Road, E. St. Luke’s Road and I-84.
Lanes will be restricted at night (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) on southbound Eagle Road between Franklin Road and I-84. The majority of work will occur Sundays through Thursdays at night. At least one lane in each direction will remain open during the overnight work.
The speed limit will be reduced to 40 mph in the work zone when lane closures are in effect.
In general, access to businesses and residences will remain open. Utility work may require occasional, intermittent closures on local roads such as Magic View Drive. In these cases, signs will direct traffic to local businesses.
Eagle Road will remain open at all times.
Idaho Sand & Gravel, of Nampa, is the contractor on this $1 million project.
ADA COUNTY
EAST BOISE – Asphalt repair, milepost 70
Crews are preparing to start a two-week, pavement-rehabilitation project on 770 feet of cracked and rutted asphalt near milepost 70, between Mayfield and Indian Creek. Work is expected to start Sunday (July 27) and finish in mid-August.
Westbound traffic will be reduced to 45 mph and to one lane during the project. This project will involve a full-depth asphalt removal with an inlay to match the existing surface, followed by a 0.25-foot overlay to match the new construction from last season.
Central Paving, of Boise, is the contractor for this $220,000 project.
ADAMS COUNTY
U.S. 95 Improvements, Alpine Store to New Meadows
A 40-mile pavement preventive-maintenance project on U.S. 95 and Idaho 55 is underway. Work is expected to end in late September or early October.
The work includes an 11.5-mile section of U.S. 95 from Alpine Store to Council, a 24.8-mile stretch of U.S. 95 from Council to New Meadows, and a 3.7-mile stretch of Idaho 55, from the turnoff to Packer John Cabin State Park to New Meadows.
The project will involve milling off one-half inch of the old roadway surface in various locations to prepare for a new driving surface, repairing asphalt soft-spots, repairing and installing guardrail and delineation, and installing trench drain in specific areas along the highway.
A quality-control paving test strip was placed this week, with production paving expected to start on Monday.
Flaggers and pilot cars are being used throughout many different areas in the project (trench drains, milling and guardrail removal).
A pilot car will be used to guide traffic, and crews will work seven days per week to finish on time.
??Knife River Corp. Northwest, of Boise, is the contractor on this $6.7 million project.
ADAMS COUNTY
U.S. 95 Improvements, Trail Creek Bridge to Pinehurst
A brief project on U.S. 95 in Adams County between the Trail Creek Bridge and Pinehurst will finish by mid-August.
Crews are installing a welded, wire-reinforced retaining wall to support the highway’s shoulder. Work will begin at milepost 177 and head north to milepost 181.7.
??This area of the highway is bordered on one side by the Little Salmon River. The project will address retaining-wall instability and add stream barbs to protect the roadway embankment.
Stream barbs are rock structures extending into a stream to modify flow patterns. They are commonly used to minimize erosion by steering the fastest current away from the eroding bank.
Crews will then replace the roadway pavement removed to fix the walls and slope. The project also will include about 900 feet of guardrail repair.
Excavation, backfill and repaving will take approximately 10 days at each of the three locations in this 4.7-mile stretch of roadway.
A temporary traffic signal will control traffic around the clock at the first location, then move to the second and third locations as work is completed.
Debco Construction, of Orofino, is the contractor on this $762,000 project.
BOISE COUNTY
IDAHO CITY NORTH - Idaho 21 resurfacing, Idaho City to Mores Creek Summit
A 13.3-mile pavement-rehabilitation project on Idaho 21 from ITD’s maintenance shed at Idaho City, to the Mores Creek Summit, began June 23. The project should finish by mid-September.
Crews will conduct pavement repairs, fix frost heaves and improve drainage, both north- and southbound, from milepost 39 to 52.3.
They also will mill about one-quarter inch from the surface, trench across and along the road at various locations, seal cracks in the pavement and smooth the surface to apply a double seal coat.
Crews will work a 7 a.m.-to-7 p.m. schedule Monday through Thursday, and be off the road by noon on Fridays. There will be an intermittent speed-limit reduction to 35 mph with only one-lane available initially. A pilot car and flaggers will be used to guide motorists.
Knife River Corp. Northwest, of Boise, is the contractor on this $1.6 million project.
BOISE COUNTY
Idaho 21 resurfacing from Lucky Peak High Bridge to Robie Creek Road
A 4.7-mile 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 beginning July 7 and extending into November.
CRABS (Cement Recycled Asphalt Base Stabilization) involves pulverizing the existing roadway down to the gravel base, then adding cement to the pulverized material, and finally, placing a new layer of asphalt pavement over the top.
The work from milepost 17.3-22 also will include repairs to the existing drainage system, culvert cleaning and inspection, and replacement of substandard or damaged guardrail.
Crews will work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to complete the project, and until noon on Fridays if needed.
Idaho Sand & Gravel, of Nampa, is the contractor on this $1.8 million project.
CANYON COUNTY
NAMPA - I-84, UPRR E. Lateral Canal Bridge & Northside Blvd. Underpass
Reconstruction of the aging Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) E. Lateral Canal Bridge and the Northside Boulevard Overpass with Interstate 84 at Exit 35 is underway.
At the beginning of the next work week, the temporary traffic shift on westbound Interstate 84 at Exit 35 (Northside Boulevard) in Nampa will end. Normal traffic flows and speed limits will resume on the impacted stretch of Interstate 84, which includes the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Bridge and Northside Boulevard Overpass.
Intermittent lane closures and nighttime and weekend work are still expected in the area.
Additionally, Northside Boulevard will have reduced lanes for the next few weeks. Aat least one lane in each direction will remain open.
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. Nighttime and weekend work is anticipated.
The Northside interchange is ranked 8th in the state in traffic volume, carrying 80,000 vehicles per day. Both bridges were built in 1966.
The contractor has completed half of the westbound UPRR bridge deck reconstruction, and has begun the final portion of bridge deck work. Painting crews have removed all lead-based paint from the westbound Northside bridge and applied a prime coat to the exposed steel girders.
Granite Construction, of Salt Lake City, is the contractor for this $4 million project.
PAYETTE COUNTY
I-84 resurfacing from Oregon border to Black Canyon
The lanes of Interstate 84 from the Oregon state line to the Black Canyon Interchange at Exit 13 are being resurfaced. The work will result in a smoother driving surface for motorists. The project is expected to last through late October or early November.
Crews first built crossovers at both ends of the project to move traffic off the freeway surface to enable repairs.
In this mill-and-inlay pavement rehabilitation on both sides of the freeway — westbound lanes will be done first, followed by the eastbound lanes — crews will mill out about three inches of pavement in the right lanes. It will then be sealed with a fiberglass pavement reinforcing fabric to prevent existing cracks from spreading upward to the new surface.
The entire roadway will be sealed with a SALSA (Stress Absorbing Layer of Straight Asphalt) to help keep the new pavement flexible. Then the entire roadway will receive three inches of new Hot Mixed Asphalt (HMA) pavement. A section of I-84 eastbound from the Snake River Bridge to milepost 0.9 will be reconstructed to repair soft-base conditions under the existing pavement.
The ramps at Exit 3 (Fruitland) and at Exit 9 (New Plymouth) also will be overlaid.
Motorists should expect possible single-lane closures during daylight hours Mondays through Fridays in either the eastbound or westbound directions for the next two to three weeks while equipment is moved to different parts of the project to construct the new median crossovers.
While lane closures are in effect, the speed limit will be reduced to 65 mph.
Western Construction, of Boise, is the contractor on this $9.6 million project.
VALLEY COUNTY
McCALL – Lardo Bridge Replacement
The team of Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction and Lochner begin construction of the Lardo Bridge replacement project this week. The traveling public will see construction activity begin on the north side of the bridge.
The Idaho Transportation Department is replacing the 83-year old Lardo Bridge on the southwest shore of Payette Lake. The new bridge will accommodate one lane of traffic in each direction, along with bicycle and pedestrian facilities on each side of the bridge.
By using an accelerated construction technique called lateral slide, the new bridge will eventually be slid into place after the old bridge is demolished. This method significantly reduces the duration of the full closure of the bridge. Traffic during the closure will be detoured to Boydstun Street.
The Lardo Bridge closure is anticipated for this fall following Labor Day.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
CAMBRIDGE - Replacement of U.S. 95 Creek Bridge
Minor work is underway on a project to replace the old short-span Creek Bridge on U.S. 95 about seven miles north of Cambridge. This project is expected to be completed in approximately two months.
Concrete was placed for the pipe apron, and formwork and rebar for the headwall will be taking place this week. Flaggers are being used when needed.
Traffic impact should be minimal. Work may take place outside the roadway. Traffic will be reduced to one lane, guided by a portable traffic signal.
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.
Knife River Construction Northwest, of Boise, is the contractor on this $350,000 project.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
PAYETTE - Idaho 52 railroad overpass replacement
Rehabilitation and resurfacing the railroad overpass on Idaho 52 in Payette began July 14. The project is expected to last through mid-November.
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. After the initial set-up of equipment and concrete barriers, one lane of traffic will be open in each direction.
Crews expect to work from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays.
The lead-based paint has been removed. One lane is open each direction. There are no real impacts to traffic.
Braun-Jensen Inc., of Payette, is the contractor on this $1.3 million project.