Bridge abutments and the pier, which serve as foundations for the bridge itself, are nearing completion on US Highway 95 near McArthur Lake. Once these are finished the next step in construction of the two-span bridge will be placement of the steel girders, which are support beams that span between the abutments and the center pier and support the concrete driving surface above.
A total of 8 steel girders will be placed, 4 at each span. The girders measure approximately 150 feet long, weigh approximately 69,000 pounds each, and will require the use of a large crane to lift and set them into place.
TRAFFIC IMPACT ALERT
Starting on Monday April 22, crews will begin the process of placing these beams which will require intermittent lane reductions and closures on US Highway 95 allowing a safe space for workers and drivers alike.
The crane will be positioned near the inside lane of the shoofly where girders will be delivered, and then utilize the boom to pick the beams from the trucks and swing them into place. During the time that steel girders are being picked and guided through the air, traffic will be temporarily blocked in both directions.
To help prepare local commuters for upcoming traffic impacts, electronic signs near the work zone will be updated to provide specific date and time information for these closures.
The most significant delays are anticipated on April 24, and April 29 while girders are actively being picked and placed.
Drivers should pay attention to local signage and use the Idaho 511 system for updates.
Work is scheduled to only occur during daytime hours and weekend closures are not anticipated at this time. This work is expected to last for approximately two weeks.
The Idaho Transportation Department is widening State Highway 53 and replacing existing sidewalks in Rathdrum to improve safety and mobility for drivers and pedestrians. Construction resumed in March and is anticipated to be complete by late fall. So far crews have intermittently reduced SH-53 to one lane with flaggers but that will be changing soon.
“In the next week, we plan to stripe the temporary lanes we built on the north side earlier this spring and shift traffic onto them,” Project Manager Steven Bakker said. “This will mean we can keep one lane open in each direction this year. Our goal is to get it done before the rain this weekend, but if it doesn’t happen tomorrow it’ll happen early next week.”
The widening between Rathdrum City Park (Latah Street) and Sylte Ranch Road will add a continuous center-turn lane and a designated right-turn lane to access Bingham Street. Both additions will keep through traffic moving while providing a safe area for turning drivers.
Drivers can expect the following conditions during construction:
One lane of traffic in each direction on SH-53 from early April through completion
Pedestrian access maintained through the work zone
Speed limit reduced to 25 mph
Short-term closures of side streets
Reduced parking along SH-53
Narrowed lanes
Later this year, Mill Street will be closed for up to four weeks as crews widen SH-53 past this intersection. Updates will be provided with more specific details regarding this closure at a later date. Drivers are asked to follow on-street signage for side-street closures, detour routes, and other construction impacts to safely pass through the work zone. Updates are also available on Idaho 511 to help drivers plan their travel.
“Our goal is to minimize impacts to local businesses and drivers,” Bakker said. “We are working to keep traffic flowing, while ultimately constructing a safer corridor for all users.”
The first stages of this project took place in 2023 as crews extended a culvert for Rathdrum Creek and built ditches to enhance drainage west of the city park.
This project is part of a larger effort to enhance safety on the SH-53 corridor between the Washington state line and Rathdrum. To sign up for email updates or for more information on this project or SH-53 corridor-wide plans, visit itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/sh53corridor or email info@sh53corridor.com.
North Idaho is a special place – pristine lakes, snowcapped mountains, and lush forests make it a destination for thrill seekers and those who love the outdoors. Fine restaurants, spas, and resorts bring in tourists and celebrities from around the world. Rugged refinement makes Idaho’s Panhandle one of the most unique places to live or visit in the state.
The combination of freedom-loving locals and visitors who come to let their hair down has a definite appeal, but it also has a dark side. In 2017, the biggest city in the region, Coeur d’Alene, was given the designation as the “Drunkest City in Idaho.” All too often, bad decisions in the region’s restaurants, bars, and breweries were turning into bad decisions on its roads.
Over the next two years, two very high-profile tragedies struck the panhandle community. The first came in 2017 when a Kootenai County Sheriff’s Deputy’s son was killed on Interstate 90 after being broadsided by a drunk driver. The second occurred in 2019 when the Allen family was returning home on US-95 when they were struck by a drunk driver. 39-year-old Ryan Allen, who lived a majority of his life confined to a wheelchair after having been paralyzed in a previous DUI crash at the age of 11, was killed. These incidents, coupled with the not-so-glamorous claim of being the booziest community in the state, served as a catalyst for change.
Outraged by the proliferation of overconsumption, flippant disregard for safety and heartbreaking, preventable losses, public safety agencies across northern Idaho banded together to take a collaborative approach to moving the needle on statistics when it came to serious injury and fatality impaired driving crashes in Kootenai County.
Agency leaders from the Idaho State Police, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, and four city police departments responded with the creation of the North Idaho DUI Task Force in 2019. The team’s inaugural enforcement operation kicked off on St. Patrick’s Day weekend and included a public briefing ceremony, local media coverage, and allowed officers the ability to work outside of their primary jurisdictions over the holiday weekend to target saturated enforcement efforts on the highest risk areas like the bar districts in cities across Kootenai County.
Since then, the DUI Task Force has grown to include 15 city, county, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies and has planned and executed similar enforcement operations surrounding major holidays and local events annually over the past five years. In that time, the team also recognized that in order to instigate a cultural shift toward sober driving, they also had to deploy a strategy for targeted education and engagement with the community.
“We realized this wasn’t a problem we were going to arrest our way out of,” said ISP Sergeant Justin Scotch. With that understanding, coupled with a healthy dose of support from the Office of Highway Safety, and armed with Idaho Transportation Department’s District 1 Public Information Officer as a liaison for community outreach, the team has become a buzzworthy presence on social media and at regional community events to engage with the public on the importance of safe decisions and sober driving.
Outreach efforts have built a following of over 4,500 people across all platforms, and in 2024 these outreach efforts consistently reach nearly a quarter million people from around the region.
Recognizing the success of the team’s innovative approach to targeted outreach, OHS has played a key role in supporting ongoing communication efforts by coordinating resources available through grants and partnership with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) to fund digital billboards, dynamic messaging signs on highways, electronic jukebox advertisements inside bars, and paid ad campaigns for social media. They also provide grant opportunities to law enforcement agencies that help to supplement overtime costs for additional officers during mobilizations throughout the year targeted not only at impaired driving, but also to enhance enforcement of behaviors like aggressive driving, distracted driving and seat belt use.
When it comes to the metric for measuring the success of this team, it’s difficult to pinpoint based on the theoretical value of the work that they do. No one will ever know who is living among us today because someone made the right choice to not drive impaired. However, when looking at statistics this data would suggest that the ongoing efforts and coordinated outreach by the DUI Task Force has inevitably made a positive impact on the local community and continues to drive behavioral changes.
Since the task force’s inception, District 1 has experienced an overall downward trend in the number of impairment crash deaths, while also experiencing a decrease in the number of DUI arrests being made collectively by police agencies.
Between 2022 and 2023, North Idaho (District 1) experienced an overall 8% increase in the total number of fatality crashes, regardless of the cause. However, during that same timeframe, North Idaho saw a 15% reduction in impairment-related crashes, a 33% reduction in the number of impairment-relatedfatality crashes, and a 38% reduction in deaths due to impairment related crashes.
While the total number of crashes, fatal crashes, and deaths due to impairment related factors was also on the decline across the state from 2022 to 2023, North Idaho experienced a reduction in those numbers at over twice the rate (based on preliminary data from the Office of Highway Safety).
The growing presence of this team, coupled with its apparent success, has caught the eye of other regional public safety entities, not only within Idaho, but in other states. In February, members of ITD and ISP were invited by the Oregon Transportation Department to join forces and provide training in eastern Oregon for regional police, safety and community partners aimed at aiding them in replicating a model of the DUI Task Force of their own.
In its early days, the Task Force was primarily enforcement-based and arrest-focused, but has since recognized the greater value in proactive education to help shape and shift social norms surrounding impaired driving.
“It’s not going to happen overnight, but being relentless in the use of our collective voice to shift social norms is something that’s entirely possible,” said PIO Heather McDaniel. “If you were to tell someone from 30 years ago that one day the thought of smoking in an airport or a restaurant would be completely taboo, they’d laugh in your face,” she said. “But look at us now! That’s the shift in mindset we are trying to create toward impaired driving.”
The saying goes that it takes a village, and over the years this team has learned time and again that holds true! When it comes to saving lives it’s not just law enforcement who is responsible for affecting change. From transportation, corrections, and judicial agencies to the healthcare community, education system, private enterprise, and even you and me, we all play a role in shaping the safety of our future.
By committing to the principles of partnership and taking a collaborative approach to combating the impaired driving epidemic, we are all one step closer to getting there.
ITD District 1 PIO Heather McDaniel delivering a presentation
Electronic messaging boards activated with safe driving messages on Idaho highways
Fair-goers in North Idaho participating in impairment simulation demonstrations.
Public briefing event in Coeur d’Alene in summer of 2023
2023 recipients of the Kootenai County Substance Abuse “Top Cop” challenge award for DUI enforcement
Law enforcement officers record a public safety announcement commercial for TV
Construction is underway on Interstate 90 for the second year between Osburn and Wallace to resurface the freeway with asphalt to replace existing concrete. Crews have closed the inside lanes for both eastbound and westbound traffic so they can work in the median.
Lane closures will be in place through the end of next week as crews prepare to shift all traffic to run on the eastbound lanes on April 1. One lane will remain open in each direction. Throughout the construction season travelers should also expect intermittent on- and off-ramp closures at Silverton and on the west side of Wallace. Advance notification of these closures will be given through signs posted near the work zone.
Later this summer, crews will transition to repave from Big Creek to Osburn and a short section of the interstate east of Wallace.
Work last year focused on the eastbound lanes, and construction this year will focus on the westbound lanes. This project is anticipated to be completed by fall 2024.
Additional work zones in the Silver Valley this season will include resurfacing the I-90 bridge over Pine Creek near Pinehurst, and adding the final layer to the driving surface on the eastbound bridges at Division Street and Elizabeth Park Road.
Both projects are slated to be completed in approximately one month from the time they start, which will likely be sometime in April, as weather allows.
Speed limits for all three construction zones will be reduced to 55 miles per hour for the safety of drivers and workers.
Drivers are encouraged to check 511.idaho.gov for impacts to traffic.
Beginning Monday, crews with the Idaho Transportation Department will close the eastbound off-ramp at Exit 15 on Interstate 90 in Coeur d’Alene to remove hazard trees. The ramp will be closed daily from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Thursday.
Removing unhealthy trees in the area will reduce the risk for them to fall during windstorms onto traffic, adjacent structures, and utilities. Taking out the trees will also mean less pine needles and debris that could build up and clog the drainage system.
During the closure drivers can access downtown by exiting the freeway at Exit 14 and taking 15th Street south to Sherman Avenue. The next available off-ramp for drivers is Exit 17 at Mullan Trail Road two miles to the east.
Signs are in place throughout the I-90 corridor in Coeur d’Alene to alert travelers of the closure.
Crews will perform similar work in the coming weeks on the eastbound off-ramp at Exit 14, which will also require intermittent ramp closures for safety. Messaging boards will be used to alert motorists and provide alternate route information.
The Idaho Transportation Department will reach the halfway point this spring in a four-year reconstruction of the I-90/SH-41 interchange in Post Falls. Motorists can expect several changes throughout the construction zone in 2024.
The 2024 construction season will include reconstructing multiple bridges on I-90 and constructing a temporary westbound bridge over SH-41. Crews will continue working on Seltice Way, I-90 and SH-41. Download an overview of 2024 construction activities.
“This is one of the most complex interchanges in the state, with multiple bridges and intersecting roadways,” said ITD Project Manager Shannon Stein. “Our crews have made outstanding progress while keeping the interchange open for daytime commuters.”
Traffic impacts in 2024 will include:
Ongoing nighttime closures on SH-41 for the next several weeks during pile-driving.
Lane closures on SH-41 and Mullan Avenue by late March or early April.
Speed limit reductions (55 mph on I-90 and 25 mph on SH-41, Mullan Avenue, and Seltice Way).
Intermittent lane restrictions on I-90 at night (8 p.m. to 5 a.m., and 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. during special events). Two lanes will remain open in both directions of I-90 during the day with reduced shoulder widths.
Additional delays, noise, and nighttime lighting when necessary. Live traffic impacts are posted at idaho.gov.
“The work zone will continue to change from day to day,” said Stein. “The best way to stay informed about construction is to sign up for email updates at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i90sh41ic or by calling 208-738-4190.”
To learn about the future interchange and how it will function, watch this video.
The Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds through Governor Little’s “Leading Idaho” initiative has allowed this $78 million interchange reconstruction project to begin earlier than expected. This program has allowed ITD to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure today that would otherwise have taken many years to fund and build.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2026 and will provide enhanced safety and mobility for motorists in North Idaho.
Beginning next week, crews will be installing the permanent traffic signal structure and advance warning lights at the intersection of State Highway 53 and Ramsey Road east of Rathdrum.
The existing temporary signal was originally installed in 2019 to help with congestion while traffic was detoured during construction of the interchange at SH-53 an US-95. Construction for roadway improvements and widening to this intersection were completed in 2023 with the addition of right and left turn lanes on both roadways to improve safety and accommodate increasing volumes of traffic.
This permanent signal installation will finalize the project and should be completed over the course of two weeks. During that time there may be temporary lane reductions or closures to accommodate crews and equipment as they work.
Plan ahead by using Idaho 511 online, on your phone or on the app for updates and delays.
Nighttime work on the Long Bridge south of Sandpoint is scheduled to begin in early March to reinforce and protect the driving surface.
Taking advantage of the mild winter weather, crews are getting a jump start on this project early in the season by first grinding down the existing roadway. Crews will then return in the summer to resurface the bridge to provide better traction and protect it from regular wear and tear from traffic and the weather.
This initial phase is expected to take up to two weeks, and all work will be completed overnight from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. to avoid slowing down traffic during the day. Flaggers will be staged at either end of the bridge allowing a single, alternating lane of traffic to pass while crews work their way across the structure. This work is largely dependent on weather conditions. Digital messaging boards will be used to alert drivers ahead of the anticipated start date.
Work later this summer will take approximately one month to complete. During this time, drivers will encounter a similar experience during nighttime hours with traffic reduced to a single lane.
Project Manager Steve Nettleton explains that this work is necessary upkeep on the bridge surface.
“By doing this work now, we’re able to take a different approach to grinding the deck and get the work done much quicker,” Nettleton said.
Drivers should pay attention to digital messaging boards, and plan ahead for delays by utilizing Idaho’s 511 system for real-time updates.
Winter weather has brought snowy driving conditions to much of Idaho. Unfortunately, the rise in snowy road conditions has also led to a sharp rise in snowplow strikes. Nine Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) plows have been hit so far this winter season. Five strikes happened over the last seven days.
Two of the most recent strikes happened this Wednesday in the Magic Valley, one on I-84 north of Twin Falls, and one on I-84 west of Wendell. Both involved a semi truck rear-ending a plow. The vehicles will be out of service for up to two weeks while they undergo repairs.
“It’s a major impact on maintenance sheds when equipment is taken out of service. We are limited on snowplows,” Jerome Foreman Brian Davidson said. “It makes it more difficult to keep roads clear.”
Another recent strike happened on Tuesday in Nampa. The plow was heading eastbound on I-84 near Karcher Road. A pickup pulling a trailer merged onto the interstate and lost control. The trailer swung out and hit the ITD vehicle’s wing plow. There was no lasting damage to the snowplow.
ITD wants to remind drivers how to be safe around snowplows.
Plows often operate in pairs to clear multiple lanes; never position yourself between tandem plows.
In case of a crash or if you need to stop on the side of the road, stay inside your vehicle for both your safety and that of our plow operators.
Last winter, there were 17 plow strikes, a number ITD does not want to repeat. Please be careful driving and mindful of our plows. Check 511.idaho.gov or the Idaho 511 App for road conditions before traveling. For more winter driving tips, visit itd.idaho.gov/travel.
*For real-time updates and photos of plow strikes, visit ITD’s Facebook or X pages.
CLARKIA — As of this morning the Idaho Transportation Department has closed the northbound lane of the bridge over the St. Maries River on State Highway 3 near milepost 57. A temporary traffic signal has been placed to allow alternating traffic over the bridge in the southbound lane, and load limit and width restrictions have been put in place for commercial vehicles.
Engineers recently completed a review of the structural integrity of this bridge and found the piers under the northbound lane showing an advanced rate of deterioration from seasonal fluctuations in water levels.
Crews are working on re-fortification of the piers, similar to work performed beneath the southbound lanes of this bridge in 2020, to renew the integrity of the structure and restore both lanes of traffic for normal use.
This bridge is currently scheduled for full replacement in 2027, but may be advanced to earlier years depending on the rate of deterioration.
The ability for crews to complete work will largely depend on weather and temperature conditions over the next few weeks.
Drivers are encouraged to check Idaho 511 for any delays caused by this closure and updated load restrictions for commercial vehicles.
Engineers recently completed a review of the structural integrity of this bridge and found the piers under the northbound lane showing an advanced rate of deterioration from seasonal fluctuations in water levels.
