New study taking broader look at Huetter Bypass, traffic flow in CDA area

Development encroaches on Huetter Road and surrounding farmland

A new study is now underway to take a broader look at the Huetter Bypass and traffic flow in the Coeur d’Alene metro area.

“With the rapid growth in the area causing a huge increase in traffic, our existing routes are experiencing low levels of service, and drivers don’t have quick ways to get around,” said Joey Sprague, who will manage the study for the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD). “With this study we’ll look at the way the local and state routes in the area work as a system, and that starts by evaluating the work that’s already been done so that we can chart a path forward.”

The first phase of the study will review work previously done by the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization on the idea to expand Huetter Road to serve as another north-south freeway connecting I-90 and U.S. Highway 95 north of Hayden.

The study is expected to encompass a larger area between I-90, US-95, State Highway 53 and State Highway 41 to identify the pain points and how to address them given growth in the area. Solutions may include a range of options, like modifying existing routes or building new ones.

“Right now it’s about understanding regional traffic and how it interplays with the original Huetter corridor study, especially since some studies are dated,” Sprague said. “For this first phase of the study, we’re just gathering data. In future phases of the study, we’ll let the data point to options including and beyond the bypass, and once we have vetted some of those ideas, we’ll ask the public to weigh in.”

ITD officially took over planning for the bypass in October and is managing the latest study being conducted by HDR, Inc.

“It took more time than expected to determine the scope of the study and hire a company to do the work, but the study will now officially kick off this month,” Sprague said. “We expect to have more information available on it later this summer.”

US-95 project in North Idaho named regional winner in America’s Transportation Awards

A project on U.S. Highway 95 in North Idaho was recently named the western regional winner of the America’s Transportation Awards announced Tuesday (June 7). Sponsored by AASHTO, AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the America’s Transportation Awards competition was created to showcase tremendous projects.

Work from 2019 through 2021 addressed skyrocketing growth in Coeur d’Alene and Hayden by adjusting signal spacing as well as access and capacity at intersections. Several intersections on US-95 lacked basic turn lanes to separate turning traffic from through traffic. To maximize mobility at these intersections – some of which were seeing 50,000 vehicles a day, nearly rivaling traffic counts on the interstate—ITD added eight turn lanes to six intersections.

“Adjusting the signals so that they were spaced one-half mile apart allows us to better manage traffic with what we already had and without building costly features like bypasses or interchanges,” Project Manager Carrie Ann Hewitt said. “Once we update the signal technology this fall, we expect to see even more seconds saving traveling through the corridor. Seconds may not sound like much, but throughout the corridor they add up.”

Other improvements included rebuilding the shared-use path to the east of the highway and placing noise walls near Carriage Court and Hayden Pines.

This project was also awarded the Excellence in Construction Partnering Award from the Idaho Transportation Department and Associated General Contractors of Idaho in December 2021. The high-priority project united many stakeholders in the area, bringing together the cities of Coeur d’Alene and Hayden, the Metropolitan Planning Organization, and the state in a shared goal of optimizing the congested US-95 corridor in the heart of the City of Coeur d’Alene and the City of Hayden. Changes were partially funded by a $5.1 million federal grant with match money from ITD and both cities.

As a regional winner, the project will be considered for inclusion into the competition’s “Top 12,” which will be announced Sept. 7. These 12 projects compete for two top prizes — the Grand Prize, chosen by an independent panel of judges, and the People’s Choice Award, determined by the public through online voting. Both awards carry a $10,000 cash prize to support a transportation-related scholarship or charitable cause. The winning project will be announced at the AASHTO Annual Meeting in Orlando this October.

I-90 nighttime lane closures planned between Post Falls and CDA for widening study

Nighttime lane closures on I-90 over the next two months will collect data for a study to widen Interstate 90 between the Washington state line and Sherman Avenue in Coeur d’Alene.

Crews will focus on the section between Spokane Street and Northwest Boulevard, closing either a shoulder or lane in one direction at a time. Work will be done at night between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., with the first closure scheduled for tomorrow night.

“The closure will move along the stretch as work progresses, spanning approximately one-quarter to one-half mile in length at any given time,” ITD Project Manager Erika Bowen said.

Drivers are asked to be aware of closures, to slow down and move to the open lane.

With traffic conditions congested now and volumes expected to double by 2045, ITD is studying I-90 from the Washington state line to Coeur d’Alene to identify improvements, modernize the system, reduce crashes and save drivers’ time. The study will evaluate needs and identify potential solutions like additional lanes and reconfigured interchanges to improve safety, capacity and mobility for current and future travel demands.

The work requiring this lane closure will investigate the pavement and foundations along the stretch using radar, drilling and other technologies to determine current surface conditions and the ability of the soil to support any potential new structures.

“Right now, we are collecting data to identify which improvements are needed and expect to bring options to the public this September,” Bowen said.

To learn more about the study and sign up for future updates, visit itdprojects.org/i90corridor.

This study is funded with Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds. This deliberate investment of Leading Idaho TECM funds allows ITD to accelerate project timelines to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure in the CDA area that would otherwise take many years to build.

Night work to begin Monday for SH-3 widening near St. Maries

Crews have excavated the southbound lane of SH-3 to widen it

Starting Monday, May 9, crews will start working at night to haul away waste materials for construction to widen three miles of State Highway 3 near St. Maries.

“This will really impact residents along the detour route, since trucks will need to use Goosehaven Road to access the site,” Project Manager Matt Heinichen said.

Crews will continue to work on SH-3 during the day, but now residents and other drivers will have to contend with increased truck traffic and noise on Goosehaven Road, starting at 8 p.m. each night. A pilot car will be in use during the day, but between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. trucks will travel in groups with traffic controlled by a flagger.

“Night work is expected to last one month until workers are done excavating the northbound lane,” Heinichen said. “Right now there’s not enough space to have trucks to efficiently deliver materials to the site and haul away waste at the same time.”

Download a photo of excavation on SH-3.

Plans call for the highway to be widened by 11 feet to the east, making room for 11-foot travel lanes and 3-foot shoulders. Guardrail will be installed along the east side, with the project set to be complete in August.

Learn more about the project at itdprojects.org/stmariesdike.

Public invited to learn about construction on US-95 later this summer

Drone shot of the southern end of the Long Bridge

The Idaho Transportation Department will host an open house on Thursday, April 21, for construction later this summer on U.S. Highway 95 between Sagle Road and Lakeshore Drive.

The open house will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Northern Lights building at 421 Chevy Street in Sagle. Information about the project’s timeline, construction impacts and future plans for the US-95 corridor will be provided. No formal presentation will be given, but the project team will be available to answer questions.

The first phase of the project started in fall 2021 and built a new acceleration lane for drivers turning from Lakeshore Drive to head south on US-95. Earlier this week, crews started installing signs in the area and plan to finish striping as soon as weather allows.

“We need two days of good weather to put down fresh paint, so pay attention to signage in the area to know when your commute will be impacted,” ITD Project Manager Phil Stout said. “Two-way traffic will be maintained while the crews work during during the day.”

Construction for the second phase of the project is anticipated to start in August 2022. This season a U-turn on US-95 will be built as an alternative for drivers wanting to turn left from Lakeshore Drive, and the highway will be repaved from Monarch Road in Sagle to the Long Bridge. Next spring, a signal will be installed at the US-95 and Sagle Road intersection with a detour in place for Sagle Road east of the intersection.

“We know drivers have been dealing with potholes all spring, so we added work to the project to address that concern,” Stout said. “Our operations staff will continue to fill them in as needed, but this should provide long-term relief.”

The median U-turn and repaving will be completed by winter. During the U-turn construction, two-way traffic will be maintained during daytime hours, but during nighttime repaving, the highway will be reduced to one lane.

“Some of these details are subject to change once we have a contractor on board, but we want drivers to be aware of what is coming and know how to use the new U-turn,” Stout said.

The open house will also share an unfunded, potential concept for improvements at Bottle Bay Road, as well a study now underway to provide more details on what US-95 will look like in the future.

Join the project team at the open house or visit the website at itdprojects.org/us95lakeshoredrive to view construction updates and more information.

Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down

National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 11-15

IDAHO – National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) will be observed April 11-15 with this year’s theme of “Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down.” The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is asking motorists to observe NWZAW and prepare to safely drive through work zones across Idaho.

As part of NWZAW, Idahoans are encouraged

to participate in Go Orange Day on April 13 by wearing orange as a visual reminder of work zones. Photos can be posted on social media using the hashtags #NWZAW and #GoOrange4Safety.

The awareness week ends with a moment of silence on April 15 for people killed in work zone incidents.

Statistics from the National Work Zone Safety

Information Clearinghouse demonstrate the importance of work zone safety and participating in NWZAW to spread the message that everyone has a role in getting roadway workers home safely.

There were 762 fatal crashes in work zones resulting in 842 deaths in 2019.
Of the 842 fatalities in 2019, 135 were roadway workers.
Most people killed in work zones were motorists, passengers, and pedestrians.

NWZAW has been observed for more than 20 years and was launched as a public awareness campaign to help everyone understand they play a role in keeping motorists and roadway workers safe.

As construction season kicks off around the state, it’s important for drivers to remember that work zones come in all shapes and sizes. They can be long or short duration and can occur anywhere, from the middle of a large city to even the most rural routes. ITD encourages all motorists to plan ahead, follow signs, and drive engaged each time they get behind the wheel.

To learn more about NWZAW, visit nwzaw.org.

Drunk driver cited after work zone incident on I-90 in January

This National Work Zone Awareness Week, ITD would like to remind drivers how to be safe in work zones.

Work zones aren’t just limited to the primary construction season – they can pop up at moment’s notice and times you wouldn’t expect to see them.

That was the case on January 15 when D1 operator Jed Henderson was dispatched to I-90 near Kellogg to fill in potholes.

“It was early evening and in the winter, so it was still dark out. The potholes were about 8 inches deep, and we needed to fix them,” Henderson said.

They were so deep that Henderson brought the mix to the site in the bucket of the loader so he could shovel it into the holes.

Ten minutes later and Henderson was cleaning up material on the shoulder when a driver blew past other equipment and ran into one of the tires on the loader.

The car then went sideways and was impacted by another car.

“We were lucky no one was hurt,” Henderson said. “Just minutes before we had been standing in that spot.”

Strapped in the seat of a 55,000-pound loader, Henderson said he barely felt the collision – but it has changed how he approaches the job.

“You spend every week working next to 70 mph traffic and you almost get used to it,” Henderson said. “You think it won’t happen to you and then it does.”

Idaho State Police investigated the incident and cited the driver for driving under the influence, which as a first-time offense is a misdemeanor with a penalty of a $1,000 fine and a one-year license suspension.

Safety project to start next week near St. Maries

Next week work will impact Goosehaven Road near St. Maries as crews prepare to start construction of a safety project on State Highway 3.

Starting Monday, April 18, the Idaho Transportation Department will improve Goosehaven Road by adding more material and then leveling the route so it may serve as a detour for construction on SH-3 this summer.

“That week drivers should prepare for delays on Goosehaven Road but not on SH-3,” Project Manager Matt Heinichen said. “We will also apply material to minimize dust created while traffic uses the detour.”

Major construction to widen three miles of SH-3 will begin the following week and take three months to complete. Weather may affect the schedule, so drivers should pay attention to signs in the area and check 511.idaho.gov for exact timing.

“Closing the highway completely will allow us to expedite construction,” Heinichen said. “We have been working with the county to minimize impacts, and this detour is critical to getting the work done.”

Plans call for the highway to be widened by 11 feet to the east, making room for 11-foot travel lanes and 3-foot shoulders. Guardrail will be installed along the east side.

Learn more about the project at itdprojects.org/stmariesdike.

Several bridges in CDA to be repaired this summer

Cars pass underneath US-95 on Northwest Boulevard in CDA

Several bridges in the Coeur d’Alene area will be repaired this summer, with work scheduled to begin first on the US-95 bridge over Northwest Boulevard.

Construction will start Monday, April 4, to paint the steel railing and remove and replace the surface of the US-95 structure. During the two months of work, southbound drivers will not be able to use the left turn lane on the bridge to access downtown via Northwest Boulevard.

As part of this project, other bridges will also be improved this season:

Starting in early May, crews will close one lane of the bridge on Potlatch Hill Road where it crosses over Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive and provides access to the Terraces at Lake Coeur d’Alene. Temporary signals will be in place for one month to control one lane of traffic.
Starting in June, Seventh Street over I-90 will close, and traffic will be detoured to Ninth Street for one month.
Starting in early July, the bridge on I-90 over Wolf Lodge Creek will be sealed to prevent damage from weather. Crews will close one lane in each direction for one month.
Starting in late July, crews will close one lane in each direction on the Greensferry Road overpass in Post Falls for a few days as they work on joints that allow the bridge to expand and contract with the weather.

Impacts will vary by bridge and by type of work, with some work zones scheduled to be in place for a few days to a few months.

Later this summer, a different project will also address repairs to another six bridges in the Coeur d’Alene area, including the Spokane River Bridge on US-95.

As more work zones begin to affect traffic, drivers should check 511.idaho.gov to plan their commutes.

Upgrades to US-95 in Bonners Ferry to begin next week

Traffic on US-95 in Bonners Ferry near Eisenhower Street

A two-year project will begin Monday, April 4, to extend the three-lane section on U.S. Highway 95 from Alderson Lane to Labrosse Hill Street in Bonners Ferry.

Drivers can generally expect a lane to be open in each direction. Most work will take place during the day, with some night work and detours possible as intersections and driveways are improved.

The first year of work is expected to wrap up in October and will focus on US-95 from Alderson Lane to Eisenhower Street.

After this project ends in 2023, this section of highway will also feature wider shoulders, sidewalks on both sides, new lighting and updated drainage.

Construction from 2018 to 2020 built similar improvements from the Kootenai River Bridge to Alderson Lane. Learn more about this project at itdprojects.org/us95bonnersferry.