Idaho

Transportation Department

7/25/2006






Work on Curtis Road I-184 Overpass Bridge begins next week
EDITORS NOTE: On Thursday (July 27), ITD staff will be available for interviews about the Curtis Road I-184 Overpass Bridge project. Contact Mollie McCarty (334-8003) to schedule a time.


BOISE - Crews will begin a four-month project to rehabilitate the Curtis Road Overpass Bridge at Interstate 184 (the Connector) on Aug.1, the Idaho Transportation Department announced. The project will repair badly deteriorated pavement, extend the life of the structure and provide a smoother ride for motorists.

"Although every effort is being made to minimize public inconvenience, this project will obviously affect motorists who rely on Curtis Road," said Kadee Porter, ITD project manager. "We are asking the public to be patient, and to find alternate routes around the project whenever possible."

Traffic impacts include:

•     Curtis Road will be reduced to one lane in each direction in the interchange area.

•     Motorists will not be able to make left turns to access Connector on-ramps from Curtis Road.  Inbound Connector traffic can use the Fairview Avenue on-ramp (just east of Curtis Road near Mor Furniture), or the Orchard Street on-ramp, just south of Fairview Avenue.  Outbound traffic can access the Connector from Front Street or the Main Street on-ramp.

•     Curtis Road off-ramps from the Connector will be closed to truck traffic. Other vehicles may use the ramps, but motorists should expect delays.

•     I-184 (the Connector) will have intermittent lane restrictions during non-peak travel times. On weekdays, all inbound lanes will remain open during the morning commute (6 a.m. - 9 a.m.), and all outbound lanes will be open during the afternoon commute (3 p.m. - 7 p.m.).  At least one lane in each direction will remain open on I-184 throughout the project.

Work is expected to be complete by mid-November. To expedite the project, crews will work an aggressive schedule that will likely include nighttime and weekend hours. Work will also continue during the Labor Day holiday weekend.

A series of public workshops held in October 2004 provided input that helped determine how to minimize traffic impacts, maintain access to businesses and set crews' work hours during construction. A public open house was also held earlier this month to provide additional information about the project, including traffic impacts and bridge repairs.

The Curtis Road Bridge, built in 1969, carries more than 23,000 vehicles a day, including a high percentage of trucks. By 2008, average daily traffic is projected to exceed 33,700.

Record Steel and Construction Inc. of Meridian is the contractor on this $862,000 project.