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As winter sets in the Idaho Transportation Department marks a major milestone for the historic rebuild of the System Interchange in Pocatello, with crews set to shift traffic and open all bridges this weekend.

Beginning tomorrow crews will restripe the new southbound lanes of Interstate 15. Once complete the new southbound lanes will open to traffic. On Sunday crews will also restripe the new northbound lanes of I-15. When this work is complete both northbound and southbound traffic will be on the new mainlines through the project area. This will mean that all the new bridges will be open to traffic. Additionally, the new northbound I-15 to westbound Interstate 86 ramp will also be opened to traffic.

Begun in July of 2022, the project required building eight new bridges while maintaining traffic through the interchange. This necessitated numerous traffic shifts to utilize old and new bridges. With this latest milestone, most of the major traffic shifts will be complete.

However, construction will continue into next summer. A new detour will be put in place for traffic using the Pocatello Creek on-ramp to head west toward Chubbuck. Traffic will be routed through the Northgate Interchange while crews rebuild the old mainline roadway to match the grade of the new road. That work will continue into early spring.

In addition, work will continue on Chubbuck Road which is scheduled to partially open to traffic in late December. Additional work will need to be done next spring to complete the Chubbuck Road segment of the project after the partial opening.

“We’re really excited to finally have all the I-15 traffic moved to the new mainlines,” Project Engineer Greg Roberts said. “We can’t express enough thanks to the community for their patience as we’ve worked through the logistics of such a large project.”

Originally built in the 1960s, the I-86 and I-15 System Interchange is undergoing $112 million of redesign work to improve safety and replace aging infrastructure.

Motorists should carefully follow signs and posted speed limits while traveling through the construction area. With crews working day and night at the System Interchange it is especially important that drivers be alert and travel safely.

Motorists are encouraged to use 511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours. Project details are available on ITD’s projects website at itdprojects.idaho.gov/i-86i-15-system-interchange.

Work on the new four-lane segment of U.S. Highway 95 between Moscow and Thorn Creek Road will continue as planned into 2025, opening to traffic by the end of that year. Speed restrictions of 45 miles per hour remain in some areas on the existing US-95 as drivers travel near the project through the winter.

While crews have constructed 4.8 miles of the new six-mile highway project including two large bridges over Eid Road since work began in 2022, wetland bridge and retaining wall work is needed on the south end while pavement construction is planned on both connections next year.

The paving operation production rate of the contractor was good this summer but not to the extent ready to consider a partial opening for traffic use.

“Overall, I am impressed with M.A. DeAtley Construction, Inc. and their teams working with ITD on this safety project, helping to expedite restarting the work since we received our new Army Corps permit update in 2023,” District Engineer Doral Hoff said.

Portions of this project are funded as part of Idaho Governor Brad Little’s Leading Idaho transportation funding initiative. The Leading Idaho money allows ITD to take a deliberate approach to advance large projects that will enhance safety, improve mobility, further strengthen Idaho’s economy and positively impact communities across the state for years to come.

Travelers are reminded to check for live traffic impacts across the region including this one by visiting 511.idaho.gov, dialing 5-1-1 or downloading the app.

 

An interim operational plan is now in place at the intersection of State Highway 16 and Substation Road in Emmett, following a crash in October. 

On Oct. 16, a large truck collided with the traffic signal at this busy intersection, causing significant damage to both the foundation and the electrical conduit of the signal. As a result, the intersection has now reopened with an interim traffic pattern to ensure safety and mobility until the permanent repairs are made.

Under this interim operational plan, stop signs have been installed to facilitate traffic flow. Drivers can make the following movements:

• Westbound SH-16 to Substation Road (right turn)
• Eastbound SH-16 to Substation Road (left turn)

Drivers on Substation Road can only turn right onto the highway. Those wanting to cross the highway or go left will be detoured to South John Avenue. Rerouting traffic to a signalized intersection is best to mitigate safety risks at the intersection.

The Idaho Transportation Department anticipates that these interim measures will remain in place until late November. This timeframe will allow for the ordering of new parts, as well as the demolition and reconstruction of the foundation, and to restore the electrical connections.

ITD appreciates the public’s patience and encourages drivers to always check their route at 511.idaho.gov.

The Idaho Transportation Department invites the community to attend one of two upcoming public meetings for a study evaluating the state and local roadway system across the Rathdrum Prairie. Input will help develop a range of alternatives for consideration that will improve mobility and connectivity, enhance safety, and address growth. 

This study began in 2023, and since that time the public has participated in the screening process by providing input about the environment, growth, and their unique perspective on a variety of community issues. The input provided during the June public meetings has been incorporated into the current transportation alternatives that will be presented at the meetings next week.  

ITD will also share more information about the Planning and Environmental Linkages study process and timeline of events. 

Identical information will be shared at both meetings, which will be held in an open-house style to allow participants to drop in at their convenience anytime between 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to review the information, talk with project staff, and provide feedback 

Public Meetings 

November 13, 2024 

4:30 p.m. -7 p.m. 

Lake City Center 

1916 N. Lakewood Drive 

Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 

November 14, 2024  

4:30 p.m. -7 p.m. 

Trailhead Event Center at Q’emiln Park 

12361 W. Parkway Drive 

Post Falls, ID 83854 

For those who are unable to attend in person, an online version of this public meeting, including the same content, will be available from November 15-29 at https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/rathdrum-prairie-pel. 

Recommendations from the PEL study, and public and agency input, may be adopted, or incorporated into future National Environmental Policy Act studies. 

Cultural discoveries on a highway construction project in northern Idaho that changes the narrative for Native American heritage in the area, and the state’s first wildlife overpass, were the catalysts for a pair of awards Oct. 31 from the nation’s premiere transportation governing body.

The awards were presented to the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) at the annual meeting Thursday of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“These two AASHTO national awards again prove that our employees are fantastic,” confirmed ITD Chief Deputy and Chief Operations Officer Dan McElhinney. “The SH-21 Lucky Peak wildlife crossing is a great partnering example, and the U.S. 95 McArthur Lake Bridge showcased excellent Tribal teamwork. Partnerships solved wildlife safety with cultural preservation success.”

The cultural award was received by Jyl Wheaton of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho (KTOI) and ITD Project Manager on the construction, CarrieAnn Hewitt.

The project itself was fairly straightforward – an $11M project in Boundary County that rebuilt an existing two-lane section, adding wider shoulders, and replacing a box culvert over Deep Creek, which provides an outlet to McArthur Lake. The existing width-restricted box culvert was replaced with a 300-foot span bridge to provide safe animal passage under the highway. During excavation, tribal artifacts were found, requiring an orchestrated approach to planning for the preservation of these key cultural resources. A one-of-a-kind partnership was forged between ITD, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, and contractors to preserve the rich history of the area’s indigenous people. One of the discoveries was a game-changer in terms of traditional thought. Native American artifacts were found that pre-dated the earliest-known timelines – these artifacts showed that the earliest human existence in the upper Columbia River Basin came some 4,000 years earlier than previously thought!

ITD’s Scott Rudel managed the wildlife overpass project, built on State Highway 21 just east of Boise. The $7.5M project constructed a 150-foot long wildlife overpass and more than a mile of big-game fencing parallel to the highway to guide animals to the overpass, significantly reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions on this busy highway section. Improving motorist safety and protecting the well-being of residents and commuters, along with wildlife alike benefits the traveling public, hunting and recreational heritage, and helps sustain the benefits our valuable wildlife resources and public lands provide. ITD wildlife-vehicle crash safety data and Dept. of Fish and Game GPS data determined the location of the overpass by finding where most migrating mule deer and elk crossed the highway. This is the next step in the long-range vision to promote safety, mobility, and economic opportunity along SH-21 between Lucky Peak and Idaho City. The goal is to reduce wildlife collisions in the area by 80%.

The AASHTO President’s Transportation Awards are considered the highest honor for state departments of transportation. It is proof positive that ITD consistently produces great projects on behalf of the taxpayers of Idaho. The two awards mark 23 President’s Awards received since 2014.