ITD and ISP team up to host free winter driving classes

As winter approaches, the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho State Police are teaming up to offer free winter driving classes in the Treasure Valley.

Three sessions are currently scheduled for Oct. 29, Nov. 12, and Nov. 26, beginning at 7 p.m. each evening. Classes will take place in person at ITD’s District Office in Boise at 8150 W Chinden Boulevard.
Last year, ITD and ISP helped more than 170 Treasure Valley residents prepare for winter driving through similar classes. These sessions focus on tips, preparation, and safe driving techniques but do not include hands-on or behind-the-wheel training.

The classes are designed to help drivers prepare for Idaho’s winter conditions covering topics like vehicle readiness, proper equipment, defensive driving techniques, and how to safely share the road with snowplows. Instructors include state troopers and ITD employees who bring firsthand experience from years of working on Idaho’s roads during severe weather.

The courses are open to all drivers but are especially useful for:

New drivers (ages 14–17) including those who are currently enrolled in a driver’s education course
Young drivers with limited winter experience
New residents facing their first winter on Idaho roadways

Each participant must register online in advance. Details and registration links are available on ITD’s Travel page at itd.idaho.gov/travel.

Teen traffic safety week: October 19–25, 2025

Young woman with blonde hair driving a car, both hands on the steering wheel, focused on the road ahead

BOISE — The Idaho Transportation Department and Office of Highway Safety are joining communities statewide to recognize Teen Traffic Safety Week, October 19–25, 2025. The week raises awareness about safe driving habits among teens and their families.

Teen drivers face unique risks on the road and are 2.6 times more likely to be in a crash. OHS encourages families, schools, and organizations to focus on four key safety reminders:

Buckle up: Seat belts save lives. Every trip, every time.
Avoid distractions: Keep phones and other distractions out of reach.
Drive sober: Alcohol and drugs impair judgment and reaction time.
Practice patience: Teens gain confidence through experience and mentorship.

“Teen drivers are among the most vulnerable on Idaho’s roads,” said Josephine Middleton, Highway Safety Manager. “By educating young drivers and their families, we can reduce crashes and make our roads safer for everyone.”

Middleton adds, “Our children are always watching and learning from us. If we tell our teens not to text and drive but they see us doing it, how much credibility do we really have? The best way to teach safe driving is to model it ourselves.”

OHS promotes safe driving through several initiatives:

Backseat Driver’s Manual: Created with local students, this activity book teaches kids about safe driving and encourages family conversations.
SHIFT Idaho: A statewide platform offering resources, materials, and community involvement opportunities focused on safe teen driving.
Parent-Teen Driving Contracts: Helps families set clear expectations and responsibilities behind the wheel.
Alive at 25: A defensive driving course that teaches young drivers how to make safe, responsible decisions.
Driver Education Partnerships: In collaboration with the Idaho Department of Education and local driving schools, OHS supports quality driver education statewide.

Learn more about these programs and resources.

US-95 work starts up again near Riggins on Monday

Picture of a rocky slope by US-95 near Riggins.

Starting Monday crews will resume work on rocky slopes near Riggins on U.S. Highway 95.

South of Riggins at milepost 189 in the vicinity of the Sheep Creek Rest Area, scalers will install reflective prisms on the rock face above the roadway to monitor slope movement and will remove loose rocks for safety.

Intermittent delays of up to 20 minutes between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. are likely for the next week. Flaggers will hold traffic in both directions to keep everyone safe with rocks coming off the slope. Crews will periodically allow one lane of traffic through the work zone.

North of Riggins at milepost 196.5, in the vicinity of “Bull’s Eye Corner,” crews will also close the shoulder and replace damaged signs as part of safety efforts that started last fall.

Rocks may be present in the roadway and motorists should always exercise caution when traveling though this river corridor.

Live traffic impacts across the region can be found by visiting 511.idaho.gov. Travelers can also dial 5-1-1 or download the app.

Right-turn lane closure on US-95 in Sagle begins

The Idaho Transportation Department will close the southbound right-turn lane on U.S. Highway 95 at Dufort Road starting at 5 a.m. tomorrow through 5 p.m. on Monday while crews widen it to make it easier and safer for traffic to turn.

Drivers will still be able to turn right onto Dufort Road, but they will do so from the southbound through lane. Because of this, ITD reminds all drivers to use extra caution. Through traffic should be prepared to slow for turning vehicles, and drivers entering the highway from Dufort Road should watch closely for oncoming traffic.

A reduced speed limit of 45 mph will be in place through the work zone on US-95.

This safety improvement follows consultation with regional agencies and law enforcement, who identified widening the turn lane as a quick, low-cost fix to help reduce crashes. The added width will shift turning traffic so it no longer blocks the view of oncoming traffic. This will improve sight distance for drivers on Dufort Road trying to turn onto US-95 and reduce the risk of collisions.

An interchange is planned for this intersection as part of the environmental re-evaluation of the Sagle corridor and ITD’s Proposed Action between Dufort Road and Lakeshore Drive. However, there is no funding for design or construction of that large-scale, long-term improvement at this time. As an added safety enhancement, Bonner County also recently installed flashing stop signs on Dufort Road.

Friendly reminder: time is running out to name an Idaho snowplow!

Snowplow positioned outside a school with the name "Antisnowcial" on the blade.

BOISE – There’s still time for Idaho students to help name one of ITD’s hard-working snowplows! The Idaho Transportation Department’s 2nd annual ‘Name a Snowplow’ contest is open through the end of October.

Classrooms in grades 6–12 can team up to submit creative snowplow names and learn about winter driving safety along the way.

“Our snowplow drivers are thrilled to see students getting involved in this fun, educational opportunity that also highlights the importance of winter driving safety,” said Scott Stokes, Director of ITD.

Two plows in each of ITD’s six regions will receive student-chosen names, voted on by ITD employees. The winning names will be displayed right on the plows, and each winning classroom will get a special visit from “their” snowplow and driver for a winter safety presentation.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this fun Idaho tradition in the making!

Teachers of grades 6–12 can submit entries or ask questions by emailing itdcommunication@itd.idaho.gov.

See full contest rules and view last year’s winners.

Reckless driving in Carey construction zone risking safety of workers, other drivers

The Idaho Transportation Department is reminding drivers to plan ahead for delays on U.S. Highway 93 near Carey after roadway workers and equipment were nearly struck in the last two weeks by impatient drivers trying to pass in the work zone.

Crews are resurfacing US-93 to make it smoother and easier to drive. To complete the improvements, traffic has been reduced to a single lane with a pilot car and flaggers to guide drivers during the day. At night traffic relies on temporary signals. Impacts are expected to last until the end of September.

ITD has witnessed numerous incidents of drivers illegally trying to pass other vehicles and the pilot car. Some drivers have nearly struck flaggers and equipment.

“Our biggest concern is the risk to workers and other drivers in the work zone; the pilot car is intended to show traffic the path to follow and the appropriate speed to go,” District Engineer Jesse Barrus said. “Even beyond that, this could undo progress that’s been made, which means construction could go longer than needed.”

Drivers need to plan an extra 10 – 15 minutes to their commute times. Delays like this are shared via the 511 app or 511.idaho.gov so that drivers can plan ahead and know before they go.

Four-lane section of US-95 south of Moscow fully open

View of the new pavement near the southern section on the US-95 Thorn Creek to Moscow route.

Starting Sunday drivers will be able to take all six miles of the new four-lane section of U.S. Highway 95 from Reisenauer Hill to Moscow.

Drivers had only been able to travel the first five miles that opened in early July as crews needed to finish work at the Thorn Creek Bridge. With the bridge now complete, drivers can experience the route with minimal delays. Some construction will continue over the next several weeks as crews finish installing permanent barrier, signs, delineators and rumble strips.

Construction of this nearly $90 million realignment began in 2022 to shift the curving, two-lane highway to the east and expand it to four lanes. The new route was funded partially by Governor Little’s Leading Idaho program and was designed to be safer with a flatter grade, fewer curves and better access control.

“We are honored and pleased to provide this much-needed expansion to the region,” District Engineer Doral Hoff said. “Completing this last portion between Lewiston and Moscow gives drivers a safer and more efficient route.”

The project first began in 1999 when the Idaho Transportation Department started efforts to expand all of US-95 to four lanes from the top of Lewiston Hill to Moscow. This six-mile segment was the last to be improved, with most of the corridor undergoing construction in the early 2000s.

Idaho state agencies collaborate to save time and money, accomplish missions

Workers from ITD and IDOC doing hazardous tree removal on SH-31, showing a loader hauling large logs and people on the ground on the roadway around the equipment.

State agencies in Idaho each handle their own areas of expertise, but not necessarily alone. It’s well known that Idaho State Police and Idaho Fish and Game work particularly close with the Idaho Transportation Department. Another partner you might not have realized is the Idaho Department of Correction.

Each summer ITD becomes one of the job alternatives for non-violent inmates in certain minimum-security facilities. In east Idaho, individuals at the St. Anthony Work Camp join ITD crews to accomplish tasks that are better completed with more hands to help. ITD then becomes their mentor for learning skills they’ll use forever.

“The whole idea behind the work camp is to give them skills that they can use to help them become effective pillars of society,” ITD Facilities Manager Korby Hansen said.

Inmates at St. Anthony Work Camp have various options of places they can work while at the facility. In east Idaho, ITD pays $50,000 to IDOC for two months of work from a ten-man crew and guard.

This summer, work camp crews, or “Red Shirts” as they’re often called, have assisted with bridge repairs in Ashton, hazardous tree removal on State Highway 31, fencing in Dubois, geological drilling efforts district wide, utility and landscaping improvements in Rigby and more.

“For just the hazardous tree work alone, if we were to hire privately, it would easily cost the district $250-300,000,” ITD Business Manager Jesse Olivas noted.

ITD submits the needs they have in eastern Idaho for the year to IDOC in advance of the working season. Those overseeing the program, like Olivas and Hansen, also attend a spring training where IDOC states the expectations for working with inmates.

From that point on, we schedule what gets done when and where over the course of the two months that the Red Shirts are committed. This allows all eight east Idaho foremen and others to utilize the extra hands efficiently.

“It would take just our crew months or years to get done what they helped us do in just a few weeks,” ITD Driggs area Operations Technician Ray McMinn said.

He and fellow crew member Kyler Fullmer worked together to advance the inmates’ sawyer certifications while working on SH-31 this summer. A flagger class was also offered for them to serve in that role while on ITD projects, as well as at jobs throughout the future after their sentence has been served.

“ITD gives them some real skills they can use when they return to the community,” this year’s IDOC Correctional Officer, who goes with and watches the inmates on all jobs, stated.

This dynamic partnership between IDOC and ITD is a great example of Idaho’s state agencies working together to substantially save money and accomplish their missions in the process.

SH-39 intersection project completing at American Falls

Work is wrapping up on the new intersection of Pocatello Avenue and State Highway 39 on the northeast side of American Falls. Construction is scheduled to be completed this Friday, minus the installation of a new traffic signal in the spring.

Motorists need to be aware of the new traffic pattern as they drive through the intersection. Traffic on SH- 39 will not need to stop to continue west or east. Traffic entering the intersection from Pocatello Avenue will have a stop sign. Those wishing to travel west on SH-39 will enter the center acceleration lane, speed up to match traffic, and then merge with westbound traffic.

The $3.5 million project redesigned the busy intersection to improve safety and address truck traffic backing up on SH-39 while waiting to turn.

Once the signal is installed next spring, lights will control traffic from all three directions.

For project updates and travel information, drivers can visit 511.idaho.gov or download the Idaho 511 app.

Repairs to Vineyard Bridge begin Monday

The Idaho Transportation Department will begin repairs on Monday to the Vineyard Bridge over Interstate 84 west of the Kimberly Interchange.

The bridge has been closed to traffic since being damaged last year by a driver hauling equipment that exceeded height restrictions and struck the bridge. Work is expected to be completed by mid-December after which the bridge will reopen to traffic.

The project will replace four girders, which are horizontal support beams for the bridge, and install a new bridge deck over the affected section. The total cost of the work is approximately $605,000. The expense will be reimbursed to ITD by the private entity responsible for the damage.

“We knew it was going to take about a year to get this bridge repaired,” Project Manager Kenny Lively said. “With the bridge being important for some farmers, it is great to be able to get this bridge back up and running.”

For project updates and travel information, drivers can visit 511.idaho.gov or download the Idaho 511 app.