Category: North

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.

Work has started to further connect Garwood and Athol by building nine miles of a paved shared use path along the east side of US-95 to tie into existing facilities.

Construction will last until late October with minimal impacts to drivers. A shoulder or lane closure on US-95 near Garwood in late September might be necessary for guardrail work along the highway.

The new path is planned to be 12 feet wide and will allow bicyclists and pedestrians to reach Farragut State Park and Silverwood from Coeur d’Alene.

Other project features include flashing beacons and raised concrete refuge islands at crossings near Abbott Road interchange, Bunco Road interchange, Parks Road and Idaho Highway 54.

A small portion of the path near Garwood will not be built until the new overpass is constructed in 2020/2021. Until that section is built, pedestrians and cyclists are encouraged to use Pope Road to access the next section.

For more information, visit itdprojects.org/us95garwoodpath.

The signal at US-95 and ID-53 is planned for removal starting Monday, August 26 to allow construction of a new interchange at that location to improve traffic flow between Garwood and Sagle.

View a video of the design for the US-95, ID-53 interchange. 

The removal process will take approximately three nights, during which US-95 will be reduced to one lane in each direction from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Idaho Highway 53 will also be closed to the west of the intersection as crews replace the bridge over the railroad and realign the highway to tie into the new interchange.

Starting Monday night, traffic will be detoured around the ID-53 closure via Old US-95 to Garwood Road to access US-95. This closure is expected to last until fall 2020 when the new railroad bridge and interchange open to traffic.

Government Way will continue to be closed at the US-95 intersection.

This project is part of a larger vision to maximize mobility on US-95 between Garwood Road and Sagle. Since construction began in July, a temporary signal has been installed at ID-53 and Ramsey Road to accommodate the change in traffic patterns, and ID-53 has been widened.

In 2020 and 2021, frontage roads and an overpass at Garwood Road will be constructed as part of this project. Total improvements, though not all awarded to contractors, are funded primarily with an estimated $41 million from the GARVEE program and another $13.9 million in federal aid.

Email updates are available at itdprojects.org/us95id53.

Idaho Transportation Department maintenance workers will repair US-95 near the Lincoln Avenue/Walnut Avenue intersection for the next two weeks.

Work will start Monday, July 29 at the US-95 interchange with Northwest Boulevard. Drivers leaving the downtown area on Northwest Boulevard will not be able to take the northbound ramp to US-95 for approximately two days as it is repaved. The ramp will open at night, but during the day drivers will be directed to use Lacrosse Avenue as a detour to the highway.

After ramp work is complete, crews will patch the bridge deck. One lane in each direction will be open, but drivers should expect short delays when traffic must be stopped to move equipment on and off the bridge. Drivers will also not be able to turn left from US-95 onto Northwest Boulevard.

Work will progress north to the Lincoln Avenue/Walnut Avenue intersection. Flaggers at the intersection will guide alternating traffic.

Repairs will address the deteriorating pavement in advance of the planned intersection redesign, which has been delayed to 2026 as part of an update to ITD’s seven-year program.

The program is out for public comment until Aug. 2.

Construction is underway on Idaho Highway 53, reducing the highway to one lane with flaggers on scene as crews widen the shoulders between US-95 and Ramsey Road.

Lane closures are expected during the day for approximately two weeks, and trees west of US-95 will also be removed to accommodate a new alignment for ID-53.

This is the beginning of construction to reconfigure several roadways near the current US-95 junctions with ID-53 and Garwood Road north of Hayden, with project completion planned for fall 2021.

Work in August includes the installation of a temporary signal at ID-53 and Ramsey Road to help with extra traffic during later detours. Signal installation is scheduled to take a week, with intermittent lane closures and flaggers expected in the area at that time. A permanent signal will be placed in 2022 under a different project.

Following the temporary signal installation, traffic will be detoured in late August as the bridge over the railroad and the new interchange for US-95 and ID-53 are built, with work expected to end fall 2020.

View a video of the design for the US-95, ID-53 interchange.

Traffic on US-95 will not be impacted for the majority of construction, but traffic on ID-53 will be detoured around the bridge and interchange construction to Garwood Road via Old US-95.

In 2020 and 2021, frontage roads and an overpass at Garwood Road will be constructed. Total improvements, though not all awarded to contractors, are funded primarily with an estimated $41 million from the GARVEE program and another $13.9 million in federal aid.

Email updates are available by subscribing at itdprojects.org/us95id53.

Traffic on US-95 will be reduced to one lane as repairs to a slide near Naples start Monday, July 15.

Temporary signals and flaggers will control traffic over the next two months as crews excavate the existing slope and place rocks to improve drainage and stabilize the hill.

Work this week will improve Starlight Road for use during construction but will not affect US-95 traffic.

The hill slid onto the road in March 2017 and was captured on video by an ITD employee.

Watch the video.

Earlier improvements to the slide area included removing material, installing a barrier to catch debris and investigating subsurface conditions. Permanent repairs were designed and bid last fall, with construction timed this year to avoid springtime moisture and high water tables.

Read more about emergency repairs online at itdprojects.org/us95naplesslide.

Two projects will begin this week in the Coeur d’Alene area.

• Nighttime resurfacing of Interstate 90 between the state line and the Northwest Boulevard exit will eliminate rutting. Starting Wednesday night (July 10), drivers can expect single-lane closures on I-90, with the first lane closed in the eastbound direction. Ramps will be closed as they are repaved. Conditions will revert to normal during the day, with resurfacing lasting until September. More information is available atorg/statelineresurfacing.
• A two-year project to maximize mobility on US-95 in CDA and Hayden will start today (July 8) with surveying of the adjacent path. Traffic impacts are not expected until the following week when ADA upgrades begin. Changes are funded by a $5.1 million federal grant with match money from ITD, the city of Coeur d’Alene and the city of Hayden to create uniform signal spacing and add capacity on side streets. Lane closures will be possible during turn lane construction, and turning/through movements will not be allowed at non-signalized intersections during and after curbed median installation. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be affected for most of the season with detours and closed crosswalks. Work this year is planned to end in November. More information, specifically on scheduling and pedestrian impacts, is available at org/us95intersections.

Travelers may subscribe for email updates on the US-95 intersections project online. Traffic impacts across the state are available at 511.idaho.gov.

Starting Monday, July 15 work will start to resurface approximately seven miles of ID-41 between Roberts Lane near Blanchard to Old Priest River Road near Oldtown. Nearly all permitted approaches will be paved during construction, which is planned to start in mid-July and end in August.

Crews will be on site during the day, with a pilot car leading alternating, one-way traffic. Flaggers will be stationed at each approach as work progresses. Both lanes of ID-41 will open at night when crews are not on site.

To learn more, visit itdprojects.org/id41blanchardoldtown.

The Idaho Transportation Department is seeking public comment from July 2 – August 2 on the FY 2020-26 draft of the Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP), and all transportation stakeholders are encouraged to participate.

The ITIP is a seven-year “roadmap” for planning and developing transportation projects, including:

• Highways and bridges
• Bicycle and pedestrian facilities
• Highway safety
• Railroad crossing safety
• Airports
• Public transportation
• Transportation planning
• Freight

The transportation department is offering an online, interactive map that allows users to choose specific project categories and learn about work that is planned for the area of Idaho they’re interested in. It’s called the Idaho Transportation Project Map.

View the draft ITIP and interactive map.

The draft ITIP document lists projects by highway route and location, identifies projected years for right-of-way acquisition, preliminary engineering, construction and estimated project costs. It also lists local construction projects that are federally funded.

The projects start in 2020, and go through 2026. Notable upcoming projects in North Idaho include:

• Idaho Highway 41 expansion between Post Falls and Rathdrum beginning in 2020. More information is available at itdprojects.org/id41corridor.
• US-95 expansion at Granite Hill north of CDA beginning in 2020. More information is available at itdprojects.org/us-95-granite-north-improvements.
• Addition of an eastbound lane on Interstate 90 between Atlas Road and Government Way in 2026. More information is available at itdprojects.org/i90atlastogov.

As part of balancing the budget and the needs of the northern five counties, some project schedules were adjusted, including the redesign of the US-95/Lincoln Way/Walnut Avenue intersection in CDA. That project was delayed from 2021 to 2026.

Public comments will help the department determine if proposed projects meet the department’s three main objectives of improving safety, mobility and economic opportunity.

Production of the ITIP is a year-round process that relies on input from elected officials, citizens, tribal governments, other state and federal agencies, Idaho’s metropolitan planning organizations, the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council, and other interested organizations.

Comments can be e-mailed to adam.rush@itd.idaho.gov or mailed to ITIP – Comments, Attn: Adam Rush, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, ID  83707-1129. Paper or CD copies of the ITIP will be provided upon request by contacting Rush at (208) 334-8119 or by e-mail at adam.rush@itd.idaho.gov.

A request for a paper copy or CD also can be mailed to: Idaho Transportation Department, Adam Rush, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, ID  83707-1129.

A printed copy can be reviewed at any of ITD’s district offices in Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston, Boise, Shoshone, Pocatello and Rigby.

All comments on the draft will be reviewed after Aug. 2. After approval by the Idaho Transportation Board, the ITIP is submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.