6/13/2006
Construction season under way in eastern Idaho
RIGBY - U.S. 26 near Palisades Dam in eastern Idaho will be closed at night for repairs starting Sunday (June 18) and extending into August, the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
The highway is a busy route between Wyoming and Idaho for trucks and tourists.
Here is a rundown of projects in eastern Idaho for June 13-20:
U.S. 26, Palisades Sheet Pile Wall - U.S. 26 near Palisades Dam at milepost 392 in eastern Idaho will be closed at night for repairs starting June 18. The highway will be closed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday while Idaho Construction Co. installs a metal retaining wall, known as a sheet pile wall, to keep the road from falling into the lake. Both traffic lanes will be closed at night and opened to traffic during the day. The work is expected to last through mid-August. An alternate route to Wyoming is Idaho 31 over Pine Creek Pass to Idaho 33 at Victor and on to Wyoming 22 over the Teton Pass to Jackson. Weight restrictions will apply on Teton Pass. Emergency vehicles will be allowed through the construction, but it may take 45 minutes to clear equipment from the roadway.
I-15, Sunnyside I-15 Interchange to I-15B - Concrete paving began this week on the intersection at Sunnyside Road and Yellowstone Highway (U.S. 26/I-15B). Work is continuing on the new Snake River Bridge. Idaho Construction has completed the interchange structure on I-15. Traffic at Sunnyside and Yellowstone is restricted to one lane in each direction with a four-way stop for traffic control. As much as possible, the public should use an alternate route. The $23 million project is scheduled for completion this fall.
I-15, China Point Snow Fence - Croft Chimney Sweep of Idaho Falls is installing snow fence along the west side of I-15 north of Spencer between mileposts 176 and 178.5 to help reduce snow drifting. The work should not disrupt traffic.
U.S. 93/20/16, Tom Cat Hill East - Western Construction is building the new alignment of U.S. 93/20/26 from the Butte/Blaine county line at milepost 224.2 for two miles to the east. Traffic is limited to one lane during working hours. Pilot cars are guiding traffic through the work zone. In addition, expect slow travel through the entire length of the project. Travelers should plan for up to 45 minutes extra travel time. Travel is on a gravel surface. The work will continue throughout the summer to improve 8.8 miles of U.S. 93/20/26 through the Craters of the Moon National Monument.
U.S. 93, Sportsmans Access Road to MP 122 - Starting this week, the existing asphalt pavement will be pulverized from Sportsmans Access to Trail Creek Road north of Mackay.
The seven-mile section of roadway will be rehabilitated using Cement Recycled Asphalt Base Stabilization (CRABS). The process mills or removes a portion of existing pavement. The remaining pavement and a portion of the base material are then pulverized and plant mix pavement is placed on the CRABS material. Traffic will be guided through the work zone by pilot cars. H-K Contractors of Idaho Falls is the contractor for the $1.8 million project.
Idaho 33, Canyon Creek Bridge - Work has resumed on the new highway alignment for the Canyon Creek Bridge at milepost 115.5 on Idaho 33 east of Newdale. The new bridge was completed last fall, but traffic remains routed over the old bridge until the new highway alignment is completed. Zollinger Construction of Rexburg is the roadway subcontractor for Sletten Construction, the prime contractor from Great Falls, Mont., on the $4.3 million bridge replacement project.