6/29/2007
Southwest Idaho highway construction report for June 29 - July 6
ADA COUNTY
Interstate 84 Eagle westbound off-ramp rebuilding
Construction started March 29 to improve and widen the I-84 westbound off-ramp at Eagle Road. Improvements include a new off-ramp lane that will lengthen the ramp 1,600 feet. The ramp will divide into dual left and dual right turn lanes for turning south and north onto Eagle Road. A traffic signal was added June 27 to the right turn lanes. Once completed, the widened off-ramp will improve traffic flow at the intersection with Eagle Road, and reduce the amount of traffic that backs up while exiting I-84. Crews are working an aggressive schedule, including some nighttime work, to minimize impacts to motorists. The westbound off-ramp will remain open to motorists, but the transportation department urges commuters to plan extra time while traveling in the project area or use an alternate route. The outside shoulder on westbound I-84 will be closed to exiting vehicles during some construction. During the final weeks of the project, the outside lane of westbound I-84 will be closed between the Cloverdale Overpass and the Eagle Road Interchange. The transportation department will notify the public before the lane closes. Updates also will be available through the department's 511 service (call 5-1-1, or visit 511.Idaho.gov). The project is scheduled to be finished in late 2007.
Locust Grove Overpass construction
Work started in December 2006 on a new overpass that will connect Locust Grove Road and offer an extended route over Interstate 84 between Eagle Road and Meridian Road. Currently, Locust Grove Road south of Interstate 84 ends near the interstate. The north side of Locust Grove Road also ends near Interstate 84. There will be early morning detours on westbound Interstate 84 while the final five bridge girders are placed over the interstate. The section will close Saturday, June 30, from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. and possibly on Sunday, July 1, from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. Motorists will be directed off I-84 at the Eagle Road Interchange, north to Franklin Road, then west on Franklin to the Meridian Road Interchange. At the Meridian Road Interchange, motorists can continue westbound on I-84. The current Interstate 84 inside lane closures at the Locust Grove Overpass construction site will continue. The inside lane of the eastbound and westbound sections near the construction site closed March 22. The closure, for construction of the center overpass pier, will be in place into October. Eastbound traffic normally goes from two lanes to four lanes at the Meridian Interchange. With the closure, eastbound traffic is reduced from two lanes to three lanes at Meridian, then broadens to four lanes after the work zone at Locust Grove. Westbound traffic normally goes from four lanes to two lanes at the Meridian Interchange. With the closure, westbound traffic is reduced to three lanes prior to the work zone at Locust Grove, then to the usual two lanes at Meridian. There is temporary concrete guardrail around the lane closures to protect the work zone, and the speed limit is reduced from 65 miles per hour to 55 miles per hour. The new overpass, scheduled to be finished in the spring of 2008, will consist of two lanes in each direction, sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides of the overpass. Concrete Placing Co. of Boise is the contractor on the $5,845,000 project.
Cloverdale Road Overpass repairs
The Interstate 84 Cloverdale Road Overpass opened Friday afternoon, June 29. It had been closed to traffic and pedestrians since May 30 for repairs. The bridge was damaged in July 2006 when it was struck by an over-height vehicle traveling eastbound on I-84. The project removed and replaced two bridge girders that were severely damaged in the collision. McAlvain Construction was the contractor on the $442,000 project.
U.S. 20/26 (Chinden Boulevard), Cloverdale Road to Hewlett-Packard widening
Chinden Boulevard traffic between Cloverdale Road and Hewlett-Packard has shifted to the newly constructed lanes on the south side of Chinden. The traffic shift allows crews to work on the north side of Chinden as part of a widening project. Throughout the work zone, one lane of traffic is maintained in each direction during daytime hours. Periodic nighttime lane closures can be expected between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Flaggers will guide motorists through the work zone. Access to businesses and residences will be maintained. Left turns into the HP main entrance have been restored, and motorists can also access HP from either the Five Mile or Cloverdale entrances. Night and weekend traffic is required to use the Cloverdale entrance on the west side of the HP campus. Joplin Road is closed from the Chinden/Cloverdale intersection to Ancell Lane. Motorists can access Joplin at its eastern intersection with Chinden (near Mountain View Drive). Following completion of drainage work and pipe installation, the City of Boise will install underground sewer lines in the same area. After sewer work is complete, the Ada County Highway District plans to resurface Joplin Road. The Chinden project will add bicycle lanes to both sides of the roadway. Curb, gutter and sidewalk will be installed along the south side of the road. By the project's completion, pedestrian and bicycle facilities will extend from Eagle Road to the Joplin Road/Mountain View Drive intersection. In addition, a new half-mile-long frontage road will provide access to homes on the north side of Chinden between the west end of Joplin and HP. As a result, the Chinden/Joplin intersection will be reconfigured. To expedite the project, crews will work an aggressive schedule, including some night and weekend hours. Central Paving Inc. of Boise is the contractor on this $5.5 million project. Work is expected to be complete in late 2007.
BOISE COUNTY
Dunnigan Creek Bridge
Construction started in June to replace the Dunnigan Creek Bridge over Mores Creek. The bridge is located 14 miles south of Idaho City and seven miles north of High Bridge. Dunnigan Creek Bridge will be torn down and replaced with a taller, wider structure. The bridge is at least 70 years old. The new bridge will include new guardrail to improve safety. Slope stabilization will also be done along Idaho 21 before and after the bridge. There will be a temporary crossing over Mores Creek while the new bridge is built. The temporary crossing will maintain one lane in each direction for motorists. The speed limit in the construction area will be reduced to 25 miles per hour from 45 miles per hour, and signs will be posted informing motorists of the speed reduction. There will be occasional traffic stops at approximately 15-minute intervals at the construction site. There may be some construction activity on weekends. The work is scheduled to be finished late this year. McAlvain Excavation is the contractor on the $2.3 million project.
CANYON COUNTY
Interstate 84, Franklin Interchange, Caldwell rebuilding
The Franklin Road Interchange is being rebuilt to improve access to Caldwell from I-84, improve traffic flow and ease congestion. On May 24, the right lane of eastbound I-84 closed in the construction area. The closure, scheduled to last a month, is allowing crews to work on the lengthening and widening of the eastbound on-ramp from Franklin Road onto Interstate 84. The I-84 left lane will remain open at all times. There also will be lane changes on Franklin Road. The interchange rebuilding project, which started in early December 2006, will enhance several aspects of the interchange. The current two-lane Franklin Overpass will be replaced with a six-lane bridge. The new overpass will have two through lanes in each direction and dual left turn lanes in each direction. The interchange ramps are being lengthened and widened to two lanes at their intersection with Franklin. Work on this part of the project started April 10. Eastbound on-ramp traffic from Franklin Road onto Interstate 84 is using a temporary ramp. Westbound off-ramp traffic from Interstate 84 onto Franklin Road also is using a temporary ramp, just west of the current ramp. Both temporary ramps are a single lane each. Those ramps, scheduled to be in place for several months, will allow crews to rebuild the closed ramps. Once finished, the new ramps will offer two lanes each. The eastbound off-ramp and westbound on-ramp will have traffic shifted to temporary ramps at a later time. The project also involves widening Franklin Road from two to five lanes between the overpass and Specht Avenue. The new road will have a curb, gutter, sidewalk, bicycle lanes and shoulder. Aviation Way will be widened at the intersection with Franklin Road. A new traffic signal also will be added. Lanes may be reduced temporarily on Franklin Road and Aviation Way during the widening. Both roads will remain open during construction. One or both lanes of I-84 may be closed between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. for safety while crews replace the overpass. Traffic will be detoured. A new bridge and three new lanes will be constructed before the old overpass is torn down and traffic will use the new three lanes while crews replace the old bridge. At the project's completion, all six new lanes will be opened. Traffic updates will be posted to the transportation department's 511 service (511.Idaho.gov, or dial 5-1-1). Concrete Placing Co. is the contractor for the $25 million project. Construction is scheduled to be finished in the fall of 2008.
Interstate 84 resurfacing
Work started June 11 to resurface the section of Interstate 84 that crosses over Linden Road. The construction project is resurfacing the bridge deck above Linden Road to improve driving conditions on I-84, and upgrade guardrail to improve safety on the highway. The speed limit on Interstate 84 will be reduced to 55 miles per hour. The I-84 section that crosses over Linden Road is east of the Exit 29/Franklin Interchange reconstruction project, and is between milepost 28 and milepost 31. Motorists are advised to expect lane restrictions in the eastbound and westbound sections of I-84. Traffic management is being coordinated with the Exit 29/Franklin Interchange rebuilding project to minimize impacts to motorists. There will not be impacts to motorists using Linden Road. The $780,000 project is scheduled to be finished in early August 2007.
I-84B Blaine Street/Cleveland Boulevard repaving
Work is progressing on a project to replace curb and gutter on Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard, from 10th Avenue to 22nd Avenue in Caldwell. Through early July, crews are working on the north side (odd-numbered addresses) of Cleveland Boulevard. Work will then shift to the south side of Blaine Street (even-numbered addresses). In late July, work will return to Cleveland, on the south side (even-numbered addresses). Some construction activities are performed on both streets simultaneously. Curb and gutter work is scheduled for completion in mid-August. During construction, traffic is periodically reduced to one lane. Some street parking will be temporarily eliminated as the project progresses. The $1.8 million project also will improve drainage and eliminate dips at side street intersections. Braun-Jensen Incorporated is the project contractor. Following completion of curb and gutter replacement, work will begin on a companion project on Blaine and Cleveland, from 10th Avenue South to just east of South Florida Avenue. The project will reconstruct the roadway and pave to the edge of the new curb and gutter. Central Paving Company Inc. is the contractor for the $2.8 million project. During the roadway rebuild, parking and lane restrictions also will be necessary. To expedite the project, crews are working an aggressive schedule, which may include some night and weekend work. Completion is scheduled for late 2007. Both projects will result in improved sidewalk access. Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant pedestrian ramps will be installed at sidewalk street corners and ramps will be aligned to the center of crosswalks for easier access. Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard (Interstate 84 Business Route) are the two major east/west corridors that move traffic through a residential area to a commercial area farther east. These streets also are collectors for side streets and have a heavy traffic flow, particularly during rush hours.
I-84B Nampa/Caldwell Boulevard resurfacing
The Idaho Transportation Department is reconstructing two miles of Nampa/Caldwell Boulevard (I-84B) between Karcher Road and Northside Boulevard. The project will improve the road surface for commuters and local traffic entering downtown Nampa. In a partnership with the city of Nampa, the transportation department will add sidewalks, curb and gutter to the north side of the roadway. The city and its local improvement district will cover the cost of the additions. The majority of road work will occur at night. Two lanes in both directions will be open during certain times of the day, and there will be intermittent lane reductions to one lane of travel in each direction. At night and during some early-summer utility work, one lane may be closed in each direction. Access to businesses will remain open. The resurfacing is a companion project to the I-84 Karcher Interchange, which opened at the end of the 2006 construction season. The transportation department scheduled the boulevard resurfacing after the interchange project to give commuters another route during peak travel times. The boulevard surface has long outlived its 20-year lifespan and is badly deteriorated. Central Paving Co. of Boise is the contractor for the $5 million project.
Interstate 84, Notus Interchange to Sand Hollow Interchange repaving
Work started May 7 to rebuild a deteriorated section of Interstate 84 between the Sand Hollow and Notus interchanges. It will repair rutting and deterioration, and extend the life of the roadway. Pavement in the project area was originally built with the interstate in the 1960s, and received minor maintenance in 1985 and 1997. The project's first phase started in late May. It involved closing the Exit 26 (Notus Interchange) westbound off-ramp on May 30. It reopened June 20. On June 7, the Exit 26 eastbound on-ramp closed for repaving. It reopened June 22. Ramp traffic was detoured to Old Highway 30 and the Middleton Interchange (Exit 25) during those closures. In May, equipment was moved into the project area where two crossovers are being built to shift interstate traffic and a portion of the detour area will be paved. During the second phase, scheduled to start in late June, all I-84 traffic will be shifted to the eastbound lanes and reduced from two lanes to one lane in each direction in the eastbound section. The shift will allow crews to work on the westbound lanes. The westbound on- and off-ramp at Exit 25 (Idaho 44, Middleton Interchange), the westbound off-ramp at Exit 17 (Sand Hollow Interchange) and the westbound on-ramp at Exit 26 (Notus Interchange) will all be closed. Ramp traffic will be detoured to Old Highway 30. The eastbound section will then close to be repaved, and traffic shifted to the newly paved westbound section, which will be one lane in each direction. The speed limit will be reduced to 55 miles per hour through the construction area. Idaho Sand & Gravel is the contractor on the $14 million project, scheduled to be finished this fall.
ELMORE COUNTY
U.S. 20 repaving
Repaving started June 4 on a section of U.S. 20 between milepost 112.9 and milepost 124.6. Traffic will be directed through the area by a pilot car. The speed limit was reduced to 55 miles per hour starting June 4, and to 45 miles per hour at specific work zones. There will be intermittent lane reductions to one lane in the repaving area. The repaving is scheduled to finish in early August.
VALLEY COUNTY
Idaho 55 Rainbow Bridge rebuilding
Improvements to the historic Idaho 55 Rainbow Bridge north of Smiths Ferry resumed April 23. Traffic crossing the bridge will be restricted to one lane on weekdays from noon Mondays through noon Fridays. Combined tractor and trailer loads over 78 feet long or 12 feet wide should use U.S. 95 as an alternate route starting April 30. The speed limit through the work zone will be reduced to 25 mph.
Dial 5-1-1 for 24-hour highway driving conditions or visit the Idaho Transportation Department's Internet site at 511.idaho.gov.
Interstate 84 Eagle westbound off-ramp rebuilding
Construction started March 29 to improve and widen the I-84 westbound off-ramp at Eagle Road. Improvements include a new off-ramp lane that will lengthen the ramp 1,600 feet. The ramp will divide into dual left and dual right turn lanes for turning south and north onto Eagle Road. A traffic signal was added June 27 to the right turn lanes. Once completed, the widened off-ramp will improve traffic flow at the intersection with Eagle Road, and reduce the amount of traffic that backs up while exiting I-84. Crews are working an aggressive schedule, including some nighttime work, to minimize impacts to motorists. The westbound off-ramp will remain open to motorists, but the transportation department urges commuters to plan extra time while traveling in the project area or use an alternate route. The outside shoulder on westbound I-84 will be closed to exiting vehicles during some construction. During the final weeks of the project, the outside lane of westbound I-84 will be closed between the Cloverdale Overpass and the Eagle Road Interchange. The transportation department will notify the public before the lane closes. Updates also will be available through the department's 511 service (call 5-1-1, or visit 511.Idaho.gov). The project is scheduled to be finished in late 2007.
Locust Grove Overpass construction
Work started in December 2006 on a new overpass that will connect Locust Grove Road and offer an extended route over Interstate 84 between Eagle Road and Meridian Road. Currently, Locust Grove Road south of Interstate 84 ends near the interstate. The north side of Locust Grove Road also ends near Interstate 84. There will be early morning detours on westbound Interstate 84 while the final five bridge girders are placed over the interstate. The section will close Saturday, June 30, from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. and possibly on Sunday, July 1, from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. Motorists will be directed off I-84 at the Eagle Road Interchange, north to Franklin Road, then west on Franklin to the Meridian Road Interchange. At the Meridian Road Interchange, motorists can continue westbound on I-84. The current Interstate 84 inside lane closures at the Locust Grove Overpass construction site will continue. The inside lane of the eastbound and westbound sections near the construction site closed March 22. The closure, for construction of the center overpass pier, will be in place into October. Eastbound traffic normally goes from two lanes to four lanes at the Meridian Interchange. With the closure, eastbound traffic is reduced from two lanes to three lanes at Meridian, then broadens to four lanes after the work zone at Locust Grove. Westbound traffic normally goes from four lanes to two lanes at the Meridian Interchange. With the closure, westbound traffic is reduced to three lanes prior to the work zone at Locust Grove, then to the usual two lanes at Meridian. There is temporary concrete guardrail around the lane closures to protect the work zone, and the speed limit is reduced from 65 miles per hour to 55 miles per hour. The new overpass, scheduled to be finished in the spring of 2008, will consist of two lanes in each direction, sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides of the overpass. Concrete Placing Co. of Boise is the contractor on the $5,845,000 project.
Cloverdale Road Overpass repairs
The Interstate 84 Cloverdale Road Overpass opened Friday afternoon, June 29. It had been closed to traffic and pedestrians since May 30 for repairs. The bridge was damaged in July 2006 when it was struck by an over-height vehicle traveling eastbound on I-84. The project removed and replaced two bridge girders that were severely damaged in the collision. McAlvain Construction was the contractor on the $442,000 project.
U.S. 20/26 (Chinden Boulevard), Cloverdale Road to Hewlett-Packard widening
Chinden Boulevard traffic between Cloverdale Road and Hewlett-Packard has shifted to the newly constructed lanes on the south side of Chinden. The traffic shift allows crews to work on the north side of Chinden as part of a widening project. Throughout the work zone, one lane of traffic is maintained in each direction during daytime hours. Periodic nighttime lane closures can be expected between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Flaggers will guide motorists through the work zone. Access to businesses and residences will be maintained. Left turns into the HP main entrance have been restored, and motorists can also access HP from either the Five Mile or Cloverdale entrances. Night and weekend traffic is required to use the Cloverdale entrance on the west side of the HP campus. Joplin Road is closed from the Chinden/Cloverdale intersection to Ancell Lane. Motorists can access Joplin at its eastern intersection with Chinden (near Mountain View Drive). Following completion of drainage work and pipe installation, the City of Boise will install underground sewer lines in the same area. After sewer work is complete, the Ada County Highway District plans to resurface Joplin Road. The Chinden project will add bicycle lanes to both sides of the roadway. Curb, gutter and sidewalk will be installed along the south side of the road. By the project's completion, pedestrian and bicycle facilities will extend from Eagle Road to the Joplin Road/Mountain View Drive intersection. In addition, a new half-mile-long frontage road will provide access to homes on the north side of Chinden between the west end of Joplin and HP. As a result, the Chinden/Joplin intersection will be reconfigured. To expedite the project, crews will work an aggressive schedule, including some night and weekend hours. Central Paving Inc. of Boise is the contractor on this $5.5 million project. Work is expected to be complete in late 2007.
BOISE COUNTY
Dunnigan Creek Bridge
Construction started in June to replace the Dunnigan Creek Bridge over Mores Creek. The bridge is located 14 miles south of Idaho City and seven miles north of High Bridge. Dunnigan Creek Bridge will be torn down and replaced with a taller, wider structure. The bridge is at least 70 years old. The new bridge will include new guardrail to improve safety. Slope stabilization will also be done along Idaho 21 before and after the bridge. There will be a temporary crossing over Mores Creek while the new bridge is built. The temporary crossing will maintain one lane in each direction for motorists. The speed limit in the construction area will be reduced to 25 miles per hour from 45 miles per hour, and signs will be posted informing motorists of the speed reduction. There will be occasional traffic stops at approximately 15-minute intervals at the construction site. There may be some construction activity on weekends. The work is scheduled to be finished late this year. McAlvain Excavation is the contractor on the $2.3 million project.
CANYON COUNTY
Interstate 84, Franklin Interchange, Caldwell rebuilding
The Franklin Road Interchange is being rebuilt to improve access to Caldwell from I-84, improve traffic flow and ease congestion. On May 24, the right lane of eastbound I-84 closed in the construction area. The closure, scheduled to last a month, is allowing crews to work on the lengthening and widening of the eastbound on-ramp from Franklin Road onto Interstate 84. The I-84 left lane will remain open at all times. There also will be lane changes on Franklin Road. The interchange rebuilding project, which started in early December 2006, will enhance several aspects of the interchange. The current two-lane Franklin Overpass will be replaced with a six-lane bridge. The new overpass will have two through lanes in each direction and dual left turn lanes in each direction. The interchange ramps are being lengthened and widened to two lanes at their intersection with Franklin. Work on this part of the project started April 10. Eastbound on-ramp traffic from Franklin Road onto Interstate 84 is using a temporary ramp. Westbound off-ramp traffic from Interstate 84 onto Franklin Road also is using a temporary ramp, just west of the current ramp. Both temporary ramps are a single lane each. Those ramps, scheduled to be in place for several months, will allow crews to rebuild the closed ramps. Once finished, the new ramps will offer two lanes each. The eastbound off-ramp and westbound on-ramp will have traffic shifted to temporary ramps at a later time. The project also involves widening Franklin Road from two to five lanes between the overpass and Specht Avenue. The new road will have a curb, gutter, sidewalk, bicycle lanes and shoulder. Aviation Way will be widened at the intersection with Franklin Road. A new traffic signal also will be added. Lanes may be reduced temporarily on Franklin Road and Aviation Way during the widening. Both roads will remain open during construction. One or both lanes of I-84 may be closed between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. for safety while crews replace the overpass. Traffic will be detoured. A new bridge and three new lanes will be constructed before the old overpass is torn down and traffic will use the new three lanes while crews replace the old bridge. At the project's completion, all six new lanes will be opened. Traffic updates will be posted to the transportation department's 511 service (511.Idaho.gov, or dial 5-1-1). Concrete Placing Co. is the contractor for the $25 million project. Construction is scheduled to be finished in the fall of 2008.
Interstate 84 resurfacing
Work started June 11 to resurface the section of Interstate 84 that crosses over Linden Road. The construction project is resurfacing the bridge deck above Linden Road to improve driving conditions on I-84, and upgrade guardrail to improve safety on the highway. The speed limit on Interstate 84 will be reduced to 55 miles per hour. The I-84 section that crosses over Linden Road is east of the Exit 29/Franklin Interchange reconstruction project, and is between milepost 28 and milepost 31. Motorists are advised to expect lane restrictions in the eastbound and westbound sections of I-84. Traffic management is being coordinated with the Exit 29/Franklin Interchange rebuilding project to minimize impacts to motorists. There will not be impacts to motorists using Linden Road. The $780,000 project is scheduled to be finished in early August 2007.
I-84B Blaine Street/Cleveland Boulevard repaving
Work is progressing on a project to replace curb and gutter on Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard, from 10th Avenue to 22nd Avenue in Caldwell. Through early July, crews are working on the north side (odd-numbered addresses) of Cleveland Boulevard. Work will then shift to the south side of Blaine Street (even-numbered addresses). In late July, work will return to Cleveland, on the south side (even-numbered addresses). Some construction activities are performed on both streets simultaneously. Curb and gutter work is scheduled for completion in mid-August. During construction, traffic is periodically reduced to one lane. Some street parking will be temporarily eliminated as the project progresses. The $1.8 million project also will improve drainage and eliminate dips at side street intersections. Braun-Jensen Incorporated is the project contractor. Following completion of curb and gutter replacement, work will begin on a companion project on Blaine and Cleveland, from 10th Avenue South to just east of South Florida Avenue. The project will reconstruct the roadway and pave to the edge of the new curb and gutter. Central Paving Company Inc. is the contractor for the $2.8 million project. During the roadway rebuild, parking and lane restrictions also will be necessary. To expedite the project, crews are working an aggressive schedule, which may include some night and weekend work. Completion is scheduled for late 2007. Both projects will result in improved sidewalk access. Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant pedestrian ramps will be installed at sidewalk street corners and ramps will be aligned to the center of crosswalks for easier access. Blaine Street and Cleveland Boulevard (Interstate 84 Business Route) are the two major east/west corridors that move traffic through a residential area to a commercial area farther east. These streets also are collectors for side streets and have a heavy traffic flow, particularly during rush hours.
I-84B Nampa/Caldwell Boulevard resurfacing
The Idaho Transportation Department is reconstructing two miles of Nampa/Caldwell Boulevard (I-84B) between Karcher Road and Northside Boulevard. The project will improve the road surface for commuters and local traffic entering downtown Nampa. In a partnership with the city of Nampa, the transportation department will add sidewalks, curb and gutter to the north side of the roadway. The city and its local improvement district will cover the cost of the additions. The majority of road work will occur at night. Two lanes in both directions will be open during certain times of the day, and there will be intermittent lane reductions to one lane of travel in each direction. At night and during some early-summer utility work, one lane may be closed in each direction. Access to businesses will remain open. The resurfacing is a companion project to the I-84 Karcher Interchange, which opened at the end of the 2006 construction season. The transportation department scheduled the boulevard resurfacing after the interchange project to give commuters another route during peak travel times. The boulevard surface has long outlived its 20-year lifespan and is badly deteriorated. Central Paving Co. of Boise is the contractor for the $5 million project.
Interstate 84, Notus Interchange to Sand Hollow Interchange repaving
Work started May 7 to rebuild a deteriorated section of Interstate 84 between the Sand Hollow and Notus interchanges. It will repair rutting and deterioration, and extend the life of the roadway. Pavement in the project area was originally built with the interstate in the 1960s, and received minor maintenance in 1985 and 1997. The project's first phase started in late May. It involved closing the Exit 26 (Notus Interchange) westbound off-ramp on May 30. It reopened June 20. On June 7, the Exit 26 eastbound on-ramp closed for repaving. It reopened June 22. Ramp traffic was detoured to Old Highway 30 and the Middleton Interchange (Exit 25) during those closures. In May, equipment was moved into the project area where two crossovers are being built to shift interstate traffic and a portion of the detour area will be paved. During the second phase, scheduled to start in late June, all I-84 traffic will be shifted to the eastbound lanes and reduced from two lanes to one lane in each direction in the eastbound section. The shift will allow crews to work on the westbound lanes. The westbound on- and off-ramp at Exit 25 (Idaho 44, Middleton Interchange), the westbound off-ramp at Exit 17 (Sand Hollow Interchange) and the westbound on-ramp at Exit 26 (Notus Interchange) will all be closed. Ramp traffic will be detoured to Old Highway 30. The eastbound section will then close to be repaved, and traffic shifted to the newly paved westbound section, which will be one lane in each direction. The speed limit will be reduced to 55 miles per hour through the construction area. Idaho Sand & Gravel is the contractor on the $14 million project, scheduled to be finished this fall.
ELMORE COUNTY
U.S. 20 repaving
Repaving started June 4 on a section of U.S. 20 between milepost 112.9 and milepost 124.6. Traffic will be directed through the area by a pilot car. The speed limit was reduced to 55 miles per hour starting June 4, and to 45 miles per hour at specific work zones. There will be intermittent lane reductions to one lane in the repaving area. The repaving is scheduled to finish in early August.
VALLEY COUNTY
Idaho 55 Rainbow Bridge rebuilding
Improvements to the historic Idaho 55 Rainbow Bridge north of Smiths Ferry resumed April 23. Traffic crossing the bridge will be restricted to one lane on weekdays from noon Mondays through noon Fridays. Combined tractor and trailer loads over 78 feet long or 12 feet wide should use U.S. 95 as an alternate route starting April 30. The speed limit through the work zone will be reduced to 25 mph.
Dial 5-1-1 for 24-hour highway driving conditions or visit the Idaho Transportation Department's Internet site at 511.idaho.gov.