Construction will resume for the median U-turn on U.S. Highway 95 next week near Sagle. Impacts to traffic will begin Monday, March 27.
Work in the coming months will include finishing the retaining wall, paving the widened portion of the highway and rebuilding the Serenity Lee Trail. Users can expect the following impacts:
- One lane will remain open in each direction.
- Flaggers will intermittently stop traffic for trucks entering and exiting the work zone.
- The turn lane for Bottle Bay will remain reduced in length.
- A detour for path users will be marked along county roads.
The median U-turn will give drivers trying to turn from Lakeshore Drive onto the highway another option to travel northbound; after construction ends in June, drivers will be able to either make an immediate left turn onto US-95 or turn right to join southbound traffic and perform a U-turn a half-mile away from the intersection to head north.
“Providing the U-turn option will reduce delays for drivers trying to get on the highway at Lakeshore Drive, as well as reduce the likelihood of near misses at this intersection,” Project Manager Phil Stout said.
Closer to Sagle, construction on a new signal at Sagle Road will continue. Work began last fall as crews started to build the signal arm and light pole foundations. Delays to traffic are anticipated to be minimal and limited to lane shifts and shoulder closures until a detour is posted in late April.
In late April, crews will close Sagle Road between US-95 and Lignite Road for up to one month. This closure will be in place for all traffic. Drivers can expect the following impacts:
- Drivers on US-95 will not be able to turn eastbound onto Sagle Road.
- Westbound drivers on Sagle Road will not be able access US-95.
- Drivers will be detoured along Lignite Road and Bottle Bay Road to access US-95.
- Only local traffic, such as school buses, emergency vehicles and residents living in the area, will be allowed through via Monarch Road.
Drivers will be encouraged to continue to use the detour even after Sagle Road opens at US-95 as not all lanes will be open to traffic until the project is complete.
“Our goal is to minimize the traffic impacts while allowing the contractor to complete the work safely,” Stout said. “We have put an incentive in the contract to encourage early completion.”
Visit the website at itdprojects.org/us95lakeshoredrive to sign up for construction updates and for more information, or check 511.idaho.gov for live traffic impacts.