8/4/2020
Megan Jahns
ITD Communication
208-772-1295
megan.jahns@itd.idaho.gov
US-95 south of Riggins opens for nighttime travel tonight
RIGGINS—Starting tonight, the Idaho Transportation Department will open US-95 at the slide area south of Riggins for nighttime travel. Moving forward, the temporary road around the base of the highway will be open 24/7 unless closures are required for safety concerns or future repairs.
“We have worked with our geotechnical experts to establish a monitoring and lighting system that allows us to continually observe and survey the slope,” Operations Engineer Jared Hopkins said. “Now that we can do it safely outside of daylight hours, opening up for nighttime travel will better serve our customers who need to make deliveries at night.”
Flaggers will be on site tonight to direct two lanes of traffic through the work area. After tonight, temporary signals will replace the flaggers. The signals will be controlled by a spotter who will observe the slope and coordinate with surveyors on site.
To preserve the route for future use as a detour, Old Pollock Road will continue to be posted for local traffic only.
“This slide has proven to be a complicated issue, and we would like to thank everyone for their patience as we work to resolve it in a safe manner,” Hopkins said.
The temporary road around the base of the slide has been open for daytime travel since July 27.
Download a photo of daytime traffic on the temporary road around the base of the slide.
Plans for long-term repairs are still being designed. They are not expected to be completed this week. Another update will be sent once a contractor has been hired.