3/28/2016
Reed Hollinshead
ITD Communication
208-334-8881
reed.hollinshead@itd.idaho.gov
Passing lanes on U.S. 95 on Whitebird Hill, Culdesac Canyon planned this summer
LEWISTON - Passing lanes will be added to U.S. 95 on Whitebird Hill and Culdesac Canyon this summer as part of safety and mobility improvements to the roadway in north-central Idaho.
These projects are expected to begin in June or July, and finish by early fall. In December 2015, the Idaho Transportation Board selected road and bridge projects for maintenance and repair work as part of the Idaho Transportation Department’s Strategic Initiatives Program (SIP), authorized by the Idaho Legislature. Selections came from a pool of projects based on analysis of each project’s return on investment in the areas of safety, mobility, economic opportunity, bridge repair and maintenance, and right-of-way purchases. These passing-lane projects are part of that group.
Culdesac Canyon Passing Lane
A 1.3-mile passing lane will be built on an uphill section of U.S. 95 near the Lapwai Creek Bridge. This project is the first phase of a long-term plan to improve passing opportunities on U.S. 95. It is estimated this stretch serves approximately 3,000 vehicles per day and it is anticipated to increase to approximately 4,740 vehicles per day in the next 20 years. The project also will reduce congestion and delays along the corridor, improving mobility and economic opportunity. This section of U.S. 95 serves a significant amount of Idaho's logging and agriculture industries, as well as regional commerce. The primary partners/stakeholders are Nez Perce County, Lewis County, the city of Culdesac, the city of Winchester, the Nez Perce Tribe and the trucking industry. The cost is $1.14 million.
Whitebird Hill Passing Lanes
This will provide two continuous uphill lanes for the entire length of Whitebird Hill on northbound U.S. 95. Extending the passing lane will create additional passing opportunities and provide slow-moving trucks with a longer distance to accelerate before merging back into the main flow of traffic near the top of the hill, which will reduce accidents. The primary partners/stakeholders are Idaho County, the city of Whitebird, the city of Grangeville, and the trucking industry. The cost is $726,000.