Of the many things that Idahoans know a lot about, one of them is how to be prepared. Prepared for the big game, prepared for the campout, and prepared for the road. Whether you’ve lived in Idaho your whole life or are a new resident, it’s important to do everything you can to prepare for an Idaho winter. As the cold weather sets in, so do winter road conditions.
So how do you prepare for Idaho winter travel? We recommend starting by calling or visiting 511.idaho.gov to check road conditions and alerting friends and family of your travel plans (especially if you are traveling through areas with poor cellular service). Take time to review a map and make sure you know your path of travel as opposed to relying solely on GPS navigation which can occasionally be incorrect. Once you’ve checked those things off your list, ensure you are prepared for whatever comes your way by packing a winter car emergency kit.
Keeping a winter car emergency kit on hand won’t just benefit you, but it could come in handy for others you come across while traveling. Here are some items we recommend you include when building your winter car emergency kit:
- Flashlight with extra batteries to use as a light source and signal for help.
- Jumper cables to jump your own vehicle or assist other motorists.
- Tire pressure gauge to ensure you are driving with the optimum inflation.
- Cat litter to use as traction on slick surfaces.
- Small camping shovel to assist with removing snow around tires and tailpipes.
- LED flares to alert motorists of a broken down vehicle or roadway obstruction.
- First Aid Kit for minor injuries and emergencies.
- High protein food and bottled water to keep you hydrated and give you energy should you be stuck for a period of time. If your food items are in cans, make sure you also have necessary items like a can opener and utensils in your kit as well.
- Winter coats and gear such as hats, gloves, etc. to help keep your body temperature up.
- Blanket or a small sleeping bag for warmth in freezing conditions.
Some of the items may seem excessive but if you run off the road, breakdown or simply get stranded during an extreme storm, these items will help keep you warm and safe until roadside or emergency services are able to reach you.
For those that already have a winter car emergency kit in a vehicle, make sure you do an annual check of items to ensure they are in good condition and working order – remember, food expires and batteries don’t hold their charge forever. Also, if you do find yourself stuck in the snow, don’t run your vehicle without first ensuring the tailpipe and up to three feet behind your vehicle is free of snow; this, along with opening your windows, will prevent deadly carbon monoxide from building up inside the automobile.
As a parting note, be sure to replace worn windshield wipers, keep gas in your car and have the proper tires on before driving in winter weather conditions. Keeping all of that in mind, you’ll be well on your way to being prepared for an Idaho winter.
The Idaho Transportation Department is launching the annual winter safety campaign “Idaho Ready” to help drivers prepare for challenging conditions on the state’s highways. This launch comes as winter weather is expected to bear down on much of the state and holiday travel begins.
The campaign offers information via social media and a page on the department’s website to help drivers safely arrive at their destinations.
“Short videos will present information on using Idaho’s 511 Traveler Information system as a resource before heading out on the highway, how to maintain your vehicle during winter months, and driving safely in winter conditions,” said Reed Hollinshead with ITD’s Office of Communication. “Important safety information will be posted regularly to Facebook, Twitter, and the ‘Idaho Ready’ web page. New information this year will address new drivers on Idaho roads — those who recently moved here or have recently been licensed.”
Additional information on winter safety can be found at itd.idaho.gov/road-mtce.
Follow ITD’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IdahoTransportationDepartment, or the department’s Twitter account at IdahoITD.
Drivers are also encouraged to check the new and improved Idaho 511 Traveler Information website at 511.idaho.gov for the latest road conditions and for updates as those conditions change.
The Idaho Transportation Department invites the public to view and give comment on the selected design of the Interstate 90 and Idaho Highway 41 interchange at an open house next Wednesday, November 20.
Members of the public may arrive at any time between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel in Post Falls.
Since the last public meeting in November 2018, ITD has coordinated with the city of Post Falls and other stakeholders to select the preferred design to improve safety and mobility. The latest plans feature an offset single-point urban interchange (SPUI).
View proposed plans for the interchange.
Earlier this year another project originally planned for 2025 to address similar concerns on ID-41 between Seltice and Mullan avenues was combined with this 2023 project. Additional lanes will be added at the Mullan Avenue intersection, and a raised curbed median will limit left turns from side streets onto the highway.
ITD will also ask the public to share concerns about construction of this $39-million project.
Those unable to attend may visit the project website to learn more and to comment. Comments will be accepted from November 20 to December 4.
Weather permitting, highway construction in Bonners Ferry is expected to end before Thanksgiving.
Minor work on sidewalks and landscaping will continue through the month but highway traffic will not be stopped.
Over the last two years, the highway has been rebuilt from Kootenai River Bridge to Alderson Lane with a continuous center turn lane through town and pedestrian facilities on both sides.
A second phase of construction between Alderson Lane and Labrosse Hill Street is scheduled for 2023 and 2024 and will extend a similar design to better serve mobility and safety in the area.
The Idaho Transportation Department has closed Interstate 90 in the eastbound direction at Lookout Pass to allow drivers to turn around and avoid a closure on I-90 in Montana.
Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) closed I-90 at milepost 26 near St. Regis following a semi crash resulting in a hazmat spill early this morning (Wednesday, Oct. 16). One westbound lane is open, but both eastbound lanes are closed. At this time it is not clear when the route will reopen but an extended closure is possible.
Drivers are advised to use US-2 or Idaho Highway 200 to cross into Montana. For travel conditions on Idaho routes, visit 511.idaho.gov. For travel conditions on Montana routes, visit roadreport.mdt.mt.gov.
ITD is in contact with MDT to open the route as quickly and as safely as possible.
All lanes of Interstate 90 over Blue Creek Bay will reopen in November for the upcoming winter season. The speed limit will revert back to 65 mph, but drivers should expect a rougher traveling surface until repairs to both bridges are complete.
Underwater work will continue until the lake drops to freezing temperatures, and crews will return in early spring next year to finish repairs. ITD anticipates project completion in summer 2020.
“When work concludes for this season, we’ll be around 90 percent done,” said Ryan Hawkins, resident engineer for ITD.
Since work began in spring 2018, crews have focused on the supporting structures underneath and replacing the upper portion of the concrete decks with new concrete. Construction challenges have hindered progress on the bridges, requiring a third season of work that was not originally planned.
“Although we are close to being done, it’s more important to do it right and wait for better weather conditions,” Hawkins said. “It’s a good investment—after we’re done, the bridges will last another fifty years.”
Next year, permanent joints to allow portions of the bridge to safely expand and contract with the weather will be completed, and the final driving surface will be put down.
Record Steel & Construction, Inc. is the primary contractor on this $10.9-million project.
Starting Wednesday, October 9, traffic will be detoured around a closure on Idaho Highway 97 nine miles north of Harrison as contractors repair damage from a March 2017 slide.
The detour will last for three weeks, with drivers directed to Asbury Road and Half Round Bay Road as alternate routes.
Work includes excavating underneath the highway at milepost 76.9 and adding material to support the slope before replacing the pavement.
Repairs are partially weather-dependent, so drivers are advised to check 511.idaho.gov for the latest impacts.
Drill crews will gather soil samples near the junction of I-90 and ID-41 in Post Falls through the month of October to gather data for the interchange’s redesign.
Sample collection will affect drivers next week (Sept. 30) as crews start working nights.
Nighttime work between 7:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. will require single-lane closures on the highway and Seltice Avenue for one week. Drills will then move to the interstate, with one to three weeks of nighttime, single-lane closures possible.
No work will take place on weekends, and on- and off-ramps will remain at least partially open.
The interchange is planned to start construction in 2023, with another opportunity for public comment scheduled for this winter. To learn more about the new design for the interchange, visit itdprojects.org/id41corridor.
Final repairs will begin next week to US-95 near Rock Creek north of Bonners Ferry to address the failing slope, depending on weather and the completion of the contractor’s other slide repairs at milepost 498 near Naples.
Work will last through mid-October and will involve excavating material and installing drains to stabilize the area. A temporary signal will control traffic through the single-lane work zone.
Since the area first slid in April 2017, it has experienced additional rock fall, further undermining the pavement. Maintenance crews provided barriers and signage near the slide while the final fix was designed. To identify why the hillside continued to move and to what extent, ITD authorized a geotechnical investigation and monitored the movement.
To learn more about how ITD responds to slides, visit itdprojects.org/us95rockcreek.
