10/1/2015
Public open house Thursday (Oct. 8) for Bliss-area highway projects
SHOSHONE – Two roadway projects in western Gooding County will be discussed in an open-house meeting Thursday (Oct. 8) in Bliss. The public is invited to attend and submit comments on a bridge-replacement project on U.S. 30, slated to begin in fall 2016, and roadway rehabilitation on Interstate 84.
The open house will be from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Idaho Transportation Department maintenance station at 17295 U.S. 30, located on the east side of Bliss. ITD staff will be on hand to answer questions and gather comments about both projects. Information will be presented about construction, traffic control plans, cost estimates and duration of work.
The U.S. 30 bridge to be replaced is located west of Bliss and spans the Union Pacific Railroad. The 189-foot bridge, built in 1936, is a historic structure and requires public notification prior to its removal. The bridge was classified as structurally deficient following the latest bridge inspection and is functionally obsolete based on current bridge standards.
Click here to see a picture of the bridge to be replaced.
The proposal is to replace the bridge and an adjacent canal crossing at its current location with a longer and wider structure. The project would require the closure of U.S. 30 from the west side of Bliss to the Pioneer Road Interchange (Exit 137) for as long as six months during construction.
The I-84 project proposes to rehabilitate the roadway asphalt by milling and replacing the existing surface with a full-width overlay and a seal coat. The project would require the temporary closure of the entrance and exit ramps at three interchanges – Pioneer Road (Exit 137), Bliss (Exit 141) and Tuttle (Exit 147) – during construction.
ITD is collecting input and comments from members of the public for consideration prior to construction. Written testimony will be accepted at the meeting and may be submitted through Oct. 22. Questions and concerns can be directed in writing to the ITD District Four office at 216 South Date Street, Shoshone, ID 83352, or by phone at (208) 886-7800.