TRAVEL ADVISORY: Motorists urged to use caution on ID-55 between Banks and Cascade

BOISE – The Idaho Transportation Department is warning motorists to use caution on Idaho Highway 55 between Banks and Cascade due to rapidly deteriorating pavement.

Harsh winter weather has caused the pavement in this stretch to break up, leaving significant potholes and frost heaves. ITD maintenance crews have been working non-stop to fill potholes with a cold patch material, but inclement weather is causing new potholes to rapidly form and some patches to fail.

“Crews are out plowing snow and patching potholes around the clock,” said ITD Southwest District Maintenance Manager Michael Garz. “But it’s not doing the trick. Rain, snow, and temperature swings are popping out patches, leaving the road in rough shape.”

ITD has placed several warning signs on the road, urging drivers to use caution and reduce their speed. More signs are currently being deployed. Using alternate routes, such as U.S. 95 is strongly encouraged.

The Department has a project funded to repave this stretch of road this year. That work will begin as soon as weather allows this spring. For more information on the project, visit https://itdprojects.org/id55smithsferryrepave/

Construction of ID-55 improvements in Marsing begins; open house Jan. 24

Construction of improvements to Idaho Highway 55 through downtown Marsing has begun. The project will rebuild the Snake River Bridge and repave the highway from the river to the U.S. 95 Junction. When complete, the project will enhance local business opportunities and improve safety and mobility through the area.

Initial work on irrigation lines began Monday, January 14. Major work includes replacing the School Drain pipe and C-Line Canal pipe. Traffic will be reduced to one lane and a temporary signal will direct alternating traffic. Work will be limited to daytime hours, though the lane closure and signal will operate 24/7 for the next 3-4 weeks.

ITD invites the public to an open house to review the final construction plans for this project. The open house will be held Thursday, Jan. 24 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in Marsing (126 2nd Ave. W). Attendees will have an opportunity to view construction plans for the new Snake River Bridge and ID-55 improvements, ask questions of project staff, and learn how to stay informed during construction.

“We are encouraging motorists to plan extra time when driving through the areas during construction,” said David Barrett, ITD Project Manager. “We are improving a major route used to haul agricultural products and move people to and through a beautiful part of Southeast Idaho.”

Work to rebuild the bridge will begin in earnest this spring. During construction, one lane of the bridge will be open to traffic with a 14-foot width restriction. The new bridge is expected to be complete by the summer of 2020.

The contractor for this $20.9 million project is Wadsworth Brothers Construction out of Salt Lake City, Utah.

For more project information and to sign up for updates, visit ITDprojects.org/Marsing55improvements or text Marsing55 to 22828.

I-84 overnight closures as work begins to replace Cloverdale Road Overpass

BOISE – Construction is underway on improvements to the Cloverdale Overpass bridge and Cloverdale Road between Franklin Road and Camas Drive.

The Ada County Highway District and the Idaho Transportation Department transportation are joining together to replace and widen the damaged Cloverdale overpass bridge, and widen and improve the sections of road adjoining the bridge. Cloverdale Road will remain closed between Franklin Road and Camas Drive during construction, but one lane of travel in each direction will be open by June 15, 2019. Details of the improvements are listed below.

The public will experience immediate impacts of the construction as crews demolish the damaged bridge over Interstate 84. All eastbound lanes and two westbound lanes of I-84 will be closed overnight Monday (December 3) from 9 PM to 5 AM Tuesday morning. All westbound lanes and two east bound lanes of I-84 will be closed overnight Tuesday (December 4) from 10 PM to 6 AM Wednesday morning. Please refer to the map below for detour routes.

Idaho State Police will increase patrols to promote safe driving behavior in the work zone. The work zone may contain hidden hazards and the public is advised to stay out of the area. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic has been allowed to use the existing Cloverdale Overpass, but following demolition that route will be unavailable.

Throughout construction, access to local businesses and residences on Cloverdale Road will remain open. The work will include, but not be limited to: general construction noise, dust, equipment backup alarms and ground vibration. There may be some night work, but typical work hours on Cloverdale Road will be 7 AM to 8 PM.

This project will construct the following improvements:

Replace and widen the Cloverdale overpass bridge
Widen Cloverdale Road to two travel lanes in each direction with a center turn lane
A raised bike lane, curb, gutter and sidewalk on both sides of the roadway
Install an upgraded pedestrian signal at Emerson Drive and Cloverdale Road
Expand the bridge over the Ridenbaugh Canal

This joint project has been awarded to Concrete Placing Company, Inc. out of Boise for $10.3 million. Project information and the opportunity to sign up for email updates can be found online at: http://www.achdidaho.org/Projects/proj_road_cloverdale-road-franklin-road-to-camas-drive.aspx.

Plan ahead and slow down if you’re hitting the road this Thanksgiving

With the Thanksgiving holiday and the potential for winter weather moving through Idaho later this week, the Idaho Transportation Department wants to remind citizens to slow down and pay attention before heading out.

ITD encourages everyone to check 511.idaho.gov before their journey. Whether by desktop or the free app, this tool offers updated road conditions 24 hours a day.

Additionally, ITD offers many more resources on staying safe during your holiday trip, or anytime you hit the road. For a full list of what items motorists should have in their vehicles, as well as details on how ITD crews keep highways clear of ice and snow, visit our website at https://itd.idaho.gov/road-mtce/

From everyone at ITD, have a safe and memorable Thanksgiving.

ITD offers holiday safe-driving tips

BOISE—Thanksgiving is a time for food, family, friends, and for many of us, travel. It’s also one of the deadliest times of year on our roadways because of drunk and impaired drivers.

That’s why this Thanksgiving weekend, the Idaho Transportation Department’s (ITD) Office of Highway Safety is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to remind everyone: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive Sober During Thanksgiving.

“We know that for many folks, holiday celebrations involve some adult beverages,” said Highway Safety Manager John Tomlinson. “It’s okay for adults to choose to have a drink with their Thanksgiving dinner. What’s not okay is getting behind the wheel after drinking.”

Drunk-driving-related crashes spike during the Thanksgiving holiday season. According to NHTSA, from 2013 to 2017, more than 800 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday period (6 p.m. Wednesday to 5:59 a.m. Monday), making it the deadliest holiday on our roadways.

In fact, during 2017, more than one out of every three traffic fatalities during the Thanksgiving Holiday period involved an alcohol-impaired driver.

Excessive drinking is prevalent over Thanksgiving due in part to cultural phenomenons like “Blackout Wednesday,” that highlights and even encourages the heavy consumption of alcohol throughout the holiday weekend.

“It’s a combination of a couple different things,” said Tomlinson. “We see a lot of young adults coming home for the holiday who choose to catch up with friends at a bar. There are also people who plan to cook all day Thursday who choose to go out for dinner and drinks on Wednesday.”

Tomlinson offered the following tips to stay safe on the road:

Plan a way to safely get home before the festivities begin.
If you are impaired, take a taxi, use a ride share, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, which helps you identify a sober ride home and your location for pick up.
Passengers should never ride with an impaired driver. If you think a driver may be impaired, do not get in the car.
If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make safe travel arrangements to where they are going.
If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.

Overnight ramp closures scheduled at Franklin, Northside interchanges in Nampa next week

The westbound on-ramps at the Franklin and Northside interchanges will be closed on several occasions next week while the Idaho Transportation Department rebuilds the interstate shoulders near the ramp.

The westbound I-84 on-ramp at Franklin Boulevard will be closed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 5 and Tuesday, Nov. 6. Motorists can use the ramps at the Garrity and Northside interchanges during the overnight closures.

The westbound on-ramp closure at Northside Boulevard will occur from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8. Motorists will be directed to use the ramps at the Franklin and Karcher interchanges during the overnight closure.

ITD is widening the I-84 shoulders between the Karcher Road and Franklin Boulevard interchanges this fall in preparation for major construction next spring. Download the project fact sheet for details.

“By moving swiftly to prepare the shoulders this fall, we will be positioned to start the expansion work next year,” said ITD Program Manager Amy Schroeder. “This is the first step of the $330 million investment in I-84 in Canyon County over the next several years. The expansion is a statewide priority to improve safety, mobility and economic opportunity.”

To request email updates about construction activities, text 84CORRIDOR to 22828. For more information on the I-84 expansion project, visit itdprojects.org/i-84-karcher-to-franklin.

Rules of the Road: Temporary Signs

Idaho Highways are some of the heaviest-populated areas of the state, making them great places to reach people with messages. But, improper placement of signs or banners can compromise the safety of the road and its users. Here are some things to remember when it comes to placing signs along the highway.

The #1 best practice is to place signs outside the right-of-way (ROW). ITD’s ROW is the land beneath and beside the pavement that is needed for the highway to function well and safely. For most of our roads, the ROW includes shoulders and low drainage areas. Posting signs in this area can negatively impact safety as they can block required sight distances, create distractions and hinder maintenance activities; such as mowing and litter pick-up.

This also applies to posting signs on fences along the highway or bridges over the highway. Generally, those fences mark the edge of ITD’s ROW and posting signs in these places poses similar concerns as stated above.

There are a couple of features you can look for to help guide proper placement of your signs. If there’s a fence running along the highway, you probably shouldn’t place signs anywhere between the fence and highway. If you don’t see a fence, but see power poles along the highway, those are generally placed just inside the ROW. So, you can use power poles as a general marker and not post signs between them and the highway.

Protecting these areas is codified in Idaho law. You can read more in §18-7029 and §40-1910, Idaho Code.

It probably goes without saying, but before placing signs on private property, be sure to ask the property owner if it’s okay.

ITD’s maintenance crews have limited resources to address illegally placed signs or posters. However, when ITD maintenance crews are working in the general area, they will remove signs that pose a visual obstruction, create a safety hazard or generate complaints.

The most popular time for temporary signs is before an election. Besides placing your signs in the proper location, the next best thing you can do is collect your signs after the polls close. We’d prefer not to send out our crews to collect signs, but if they remain posted we will grab them for you. We’ll hold them for 10 days after an election, so you can collect them.

Help us keep our highways safe and follow these simple guidelines when posting temporary signs. Questions? Call ITD at (208) 334-8000 and we can help with any specifics.

Interstate 84 expansion project in Nampa begins Sept. 26

The outside shoulders of I-84 will receive temporary widening to accommodate traffic during future construction.

The Idaho Transportation Department will begin reconstructing and widening the shoulders of I-84 between the Karcher and Franklin Boulevard interchanges on Wednesday, Sept. 26. This is the first step of widening I-84 through Nampa.

All traffic lanes will remain open between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. as crews will work primarily at night. Speeds will be reduced to 55 mph during the day and night. Traffic will be down to one lane in each direction during construction times. The work will continue until mid-November.

The newly reconstructed shoulders will be used to keep two lanes of traffic flowing in each direction when I-84 is widened to three lanes between Karcher Road and Franklin Boulevard starting next spring.

In 2019 and 2020, ITD will replace the Karcher Overpass, redesign and reconstruct the Northside Interchange, and rebuild the bridges over the railroad and Mason Creek. Improvements are expected to improve safety, capacity and traffic flow in Canyon County for many years.

A separate environmental study is underway to identify needed improvements between the city of Caldwell and the Karcher Interchange.

For more information on the I-84 expansion project, please visit itdprojects.org/i-84-karcher-to-franklin or text 84CORRIDOR to 22828.

Child Passenger Safety Week reminds us to keep young ones safe

Keeping children safe on the road means making sure they are buckled up in the right seat at the right age. That’s the message for next week’s National Child Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 23-29).

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is partnering with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to remind parents to properly secure their children in the right proper restraint any time they get in a car.

“Car seats, booster seats, and seat belts are often used incorrectly,” said Sherry Jenkins, with ITD’s Office of Highway Safety. “No parent ever wants to get it wrong when it comes to his or her child’s safety. “

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading killer of children ages 1 to 13. She added that using age- and size-appropriate child restraints are the best way to reduce these deaths.

“In 2016, 3 of 4 child passengers under 7 years old killed in Idaho car crashes weren’t in car seats, booster seats, or wearing seat belts,” she said. “Those kids would have had a better chance of surviving had they been buckled up.”

“When children under 7 years old grow out of car seats, their greatest risk is not being placed in booster seats,” Jenkins added. “Booster seats can save lives and are as important as any of the other restraints.”

From 2012 to 2016, 22 children under age 7 were killed in Idaho passenger vehicle crashes. Of those, 13 were unrestrained.

Child Passenger Safety Week is dedicated to teaching parents and caregivers about the importance of correctly installing and using car seats, booster seats, and seat belts. Parents also will be reminded of the importance of registering car seats with the manufacturer so they can be notified in the event of a recall.

NHTSA recommends keeping children rear-facing as long as possible up to the top height or weight allowed by their particular seats. Once a child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, he or she is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness. After outgrowing the car seats, children should be placed in booster seats until they are big enough to fit seat belts properly without help from a booster seat.

NHTSA and ITD recommend keeping children in the back seat until at least age 13. It’s the safest place for kids to ride.

To help parents and caregivers in Idaho select the right car seats for their children, certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will hold free car seat-check events around the state.

“These are events where parents can come out and know for sure that their kids are as safe as possible when riding in a car,” Jenkins said. “If you have questions at all about your car seats please attend one of these events.”

National Child Passenger Safety Week Events:
Friday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at Nell J Redfield Memorial Hospital, Malad, (208) 766-5368
Saturday, Sept. 29, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at St. Luke’s Children, Nampa, (208) 381-3033
Saturday, Sept. 29, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., at Meridian Fire Dept, Station One, Meridian,
(208) 888-1234
Saturday, Sept. 29, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at Walmart Supercenter, 2470 Pullman Road, Moscow,
(503) 523-6902

That’s why the car seat-check events are scheduled during National Child Passenger Safety Week and the month of September. Parents can come out and know for sure that their kids are as safe as possible when riding in a car.”

Wildfires & drones don’t mix

Check out this short video from Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter about not flying drones near wildfires to avoid interference with the firefighting efforts underway. The public service announcement comes after it was widely reported that drones had interfered with, and hampered, wildfire-fighting efforts this past weekend.