10/25/2006
Idaho 55 Rainbow Bridge improvements on hiatus for winter months
BOISE - Improvements to the often-photographed and historic Rainbow Bridge north of Smiths Ferry are scheduled to stop this week for the winter, the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
This year, work has been done on the arch piers, floor beams, deck joints and columns. In the spring, construction crews will begin replacing the bridge's rails.
Work will be suspended to protect motorists and construction workers during the winter months from potentially dangerous conditions. Both lanes will be open through the winter. Work is scheduled to resume, weather permitting, in April. The amount of snow and precipitation in the area will play a role in when construction starts again in the spring.
The project was originally scheduled to be completed this year. During construction this summer, it was determined the deteriorated, historic structure would require additional work to ensure it is restored to its original integrity.
"There are two priorities," Idaho Transportation Department construction manager Bruce MacEwan said. "One is to preserve the historical integrity of the bridge, and the other is to maintain traffic safety for the future and during the project."
Exposure to the elements over the years has caused the bridge to deteriorate. Travelers could see the pockmarked rails and that the deck was uneven.
The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its engineering design. Built in 1933, the open-spandrel concrete arches reach 410 feet across the North Fork of the Payette.
Mowat Construction Co. is overseeing the project. It is currently scheduled to be finished in September 2007.