Untitled Document

Construction Award

U.S. 95 Milepost 536 to Idaho/Canada Border
and Upper Moyie River Bridge

Submittal: URS – Washington Division
Contributing partner: ITD, District 1
Key personnel: Jim Baker (URS – Washington Division), Rob Gronowski (URS – Washington Division), Ken Sorensen (ITD, D-1), Dave Suhr (former ITD, D-1), Phil Davis (ITD, D-1), Jeff Spohn (ITD, D-1)

Project details: The most northerly 2.5 miles of U.S. 95, ending at the entrance to the U.S. Customs Station in Eastport was reconstructed to include the replacement of two very old steel arch truss bridges and the elimination of a dangerous at-grade railroad crossing.

The challenge was to design and construct a new roadway and bridge without adversely impacting the daily operations at the northerly Port of Entry, the Moyie River, the Union Pacific Railroad crossing and local residents.

Staged bridge construction caused minimal traffic impacts. The new railroad grade separation structure required straightening the U.S. 95 alignment, raising the highway grade over the tracks, raising the grade of the southern bridge crossing over Moyie River and revising intersection and access locations.

Partnerships were essential for minimizing impacts to the project that finished within the two-year construction schedule and under budget. Partners included ITD, the design team, contractor, Union Pacific Railroad, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Port authorities, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, Boundary County, the Idaho State Historical Society and local residents.