Category: North

BONNERS FERRY- Starting this afternoon drivers along U.S. Highway 95 near McArthur Lake will notice that access at the southern McArthur Lake Rd approach has been restricted. The temporary left turn lane traffic shift does not safely accommodate the southern approach. Motorists should utilize the northern access for all McArthur Lake Rd travel. This access restriction will be in effect until the fall of 2024.

Drivers can sign up for project email updates here or get real-time traffic impact updates on any Idaho roadway at Idaho 511.

 

The Idaho Transportation Department will host an open house next week in Coeur d’Alene to present designs to modernize I-90 between State Highway 41 and 15^th Street. Plans are funded by Governor Little’s Leading Idaho initiative and include adding lanes to increase capacity on I-90 and modernizing infrastructure like interchanges that were originally built with the interstate in the 1960s and 1970s.

Details for the open house:

Date: Tuesday, August 22

Time: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Location: Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn

506 West Appleway Avenue, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814

The open house will feature designs from two projects: the overarching corridor study that will determine what the scope of improvements are between SH-41 and 15^th Street and the design for widening I-90 from SH-41 to U.S. Highway 95.

For those not able to attend the open house, an online option will share the same information and be available on August 22 at itdprojects.org/i90corridor. Comments submitted online before September 5 will be considered by the project team.

“Throughout the study, we have heard repeatedly that we need to make I-90 safer and more reliable by increasing capacity to address congestion,” Project Manager Erika Bowen said. “With a nearly 16-mile corridor to improve, we are moving forward with the study in the Coeur d’Alene area while simultaneously advancing the most congested section between SH-41 and US-95 to final design. This model of breaking the corridor into smaller projects will help to improve travel for residents where it is needed most, while we complete design plans and obtain funding for the rest of the corridor.”

The open house will feature both information on the larger corridor study and design plans to widen the most congested section between SH-41 and US-95. The design project is the first project to come out of the concurrent I-90 corridor study and is anticipated to begin construction in 2024.

The open house will not provide updates on other sections of the study, including the Post Falls area. With limited funding identified for the corridor, projects will be prioritized for design and construction based on traffic analysis and project readiness. Corridor-wide improvements are anticipated to take 10 to 20 years to build.

The I-90 corridor study is funded by Governor Little’s Leading Idaho initiative. The program allows ITD to accelerate project timelines to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure today that would otherwise take many years to fund and build. Preliminary estimates value the improvements needed for I-90 between Washington state line and Coeur d’Alene at nearly $1 billion, which includes design, right of way and construction costs.

To stay up to date on the I-90 corridor project, visit itdprojects.org/i90corridor and sign up for email updates.

Construction will begin Monday on State Highway 53 in Rathdrum to add a center turn lane in city limits. Once complete in 2024, the center turn lane will keep through traffic moving while providing other drivers a safe area to wait while trying to turn.

All lanes will remain open during construction, but the speed limit will be reduced to 25 mph. Drivers can expect minimal impacts during this first year of construction as crews replace a culvert for Rathdrum Creek and build ditches to help with drainage. Widening to add a center turn lane won’t start until next year.

“Although this project won’t be as impactful out of the gate, drivers should still plan extra time as there are several other work zones on SH-53,” Project Manager Steven Bakker said.

Commuters on SH-53 will continue to encounter reduced speeds in other work zones near Rathdrum, including widening efforts to the west near Hauser and intersection improvements at Ramsey Road to the east.

Travelers are reminded to check 511.idaho.gov to stay up to date on construction delays.

Impacts will change beginning Monday, August 7, in the work zone to upgrade the I-90 and State Highway 41 Interchange in Post Falls as work shifts to Seltice Way. The $78 million project is funded through Governor Little’s Leading Idaho program and is in its second year of construction.

Changes to traffic impacts include:

• Only one eastbound lane on Seltice Way will be open between Herborn Place and Ross Point Road. It will be shared by both through and turning traffic. This is expected to increase congestion for drivers heading north on SH-41 or east on I-90.
• Two westbound lanes on Seltice Way will be open between Herborn Place and Ross Point Road. Those lanes will be shared by both through and turning traffic.
• Two new temporary signals at the intersections of Seltice Way with Herborn Place and Ross Point Road will be turned on early next week. The permanent signals in the area will be deactivated and removed.
• Drivers will not be able to access Seltice Way from Herborn Place for the next two months.
• Left turns from Ross Point Road onto Seltice Way will be prohibited.

Drivers will still be able to access the freeway but should plan for congestion.

“Next week is a major shift in impacts and really the first time we will be closing lanes on Seltice Way,” Project Manager Shannon Stein said. “Travelers will still be able to access local businesses on the route.”

Bicycle and pedestrian pathways will remain open with occasional detours when necessary.

This phase of work on Seltice Way is expected to be complete by the fall of 2023. Crews will transition back Seltice Way to align it with the new I-90/SH 41 Interchange later in construction.

Crews continue to build temporary and permanent bridges on I-90. All construction is anticipated to be done in 2025. To learn about the future I-90/SH-41 interchange and how it will function, watch this video.

To stay informed on regularly scheduled nighttime closures, sign up for updates by emailing info@i90corridor.com or visit itdprojects.org/i90sh41ic for more information. Live traffic impacts can also be found at 511.idaho.gov.

Governor Little’s Leading Idaho initiative allowed the project to begin one year earlier than expected and has enabled ITD to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure today across the state that would otherwise take many years to fund and build.

Kootenai County travelers are being asked to comment on an ongoing study regarding a traffic management center (TMC) at two open houses in August or via a survey that is now available online.

Growth has strained existing infrastructure. Drivers consistently experience bottlenecks, unreliable travel times, an overall lack of readily accessible motorist information and unpredictable incident management on major routes, including I-90. That growth is projected to continue, with traffic volumes on I-90 alone expected to double by 2045.

“Our studies have already shown that a traffic management center is needed now,” said Glenn Miles, Director for the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization (KMPO). “The current phase of the planning study is evaluating what it would take to implement one.”

TMCs are a common tool used in urban areas in our region and country to address growth and congestion through shared technology and resources. They bring together resources from highway districts, cities and transportation departments to allow for joint management of traffic safety, mobility and information in a region.

“Traffic management centers are really about optimizing existing infrastructure,” District Engineer Damon Allen said. “They’re already in place in neighboring metro areas like Spokane and Boise.”

Kootenai County travelers are invited to learn more by either going online or attending one of the two open houses on August 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The same information will be shared at both open houses at the following locations:

• The Black Bay Depot in Post Falls at 1211 East 3^rd Avenue
• The Coeur d’Alene Public Library in the Community Room at 702 East Front Avenue.

The same material is available online now. Comments will be accepted through August 4.

No funding has been identified for implementing a traffic management center, though study results will identify what is needed and improve chances of securing grants.

The study is joint effort directed by the Idaho Transportation Department and the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization. Comments will be shared with board members of KMPO at the regular meeting on August 10.

Starting July 12, crews will start construction on a project that will sealcoat 37 miles of U.S. Highway 95 near Plummer this summer.

Crews will work on four miles at a time. Given the size of the project, work will take about one month to complete. Construction will start on the north end from Worley to Mica Creek (mileposts 404 to 421) and progress south through Plummer (mileposts 378 to 398) and then through Tensed.

For two-lane sections of US-95, only one lane will be open during the day, and pilot cars will guide traffic through the work zone. For four-lane sections of US-95, drivers can expect a single-lane closure in one direction at a time. Lane closures and reduced speeds will be in effect day and night.

Sealcoating is a surface treatment that takes place during the summer months and involves applying a layer of oil and rock chips to the roadway to add traction and protect the highway surface from the elements. The process requires hot temperatures and dry weather for chips to properly adhere to the oil.

Chips placed during sealcoats have the potential to cause windshield damage, so drivers are cautioned to slow down and pay attention to reduced speeds and no-passing zones throughout the work area.

Drivers should check 511.idaho.gov before traveling to plan for impacts from this project and other work zones.

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is seeking feedback on the just-released draft Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP). The 2024-2030 ITIP outlines the state’s transportation priorities and guides investment decisions for the next seven years. ITD encourages everyone to review the draft and provide comments from July 1-31.

Transportation projects included in the draft ITIP range from large-scale interstate improvements to smaller projects like the installation of a new guardrail. Projects are located throughout Idaho’s 44 counties and involve all modes of transportation. Project selection is determined through technical data, as well as input from local officials and residents.

To review the complete draft plan visit itd.idaho.gov/funding to view an interactive map that allows users to learn about projects in their local area as well as submit a comment through the portal.

Local projects added or modified in the program include:

• A project was added in 2030 to address State Highway 53 just west of Rathdrum from North Bruss Road to milepost 8.3. After construction of this project, SH-53 will be fully expanded to include a center turn left turn lane and right turn lanes at major intersections between Washington and Rathdrum.
• Design efforts will begin next year to make the intersection of U.S. Highway 95 and Schoolhouse Road near Naples safer. Possible solutions could include realigning the bridge over Deep Creek, widening Schoolhouse Road and adding lighting and turn lanes at the intersection. This project is only funded for design and not construction at this time.
• A $36 million grant allowed the Pleasant View Road Interchange at State Highway 53, previously slated for 2028, to be advanced and start construction in 2025 or earlier.

Comments will be taken from July 1-31 and can be e-mailed to itipcomments@itd.idaho.gov or mailed to:

ITIP – Comments
Attn: Office of Communication
P.O. Box 7129
Boise, ID  83707

Paper copies of the ITIP will be provided upon request by contacting the Idaho Transportation Department at (208) 334-8119.

All comments will be reviewed and incorporated into the ITIP where appropriate. Responses will be sent in September once the comment period has ended.

After approval by the Idaho Transportation Board in September, the ITIP will then be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency in October. Once finalized, ITD staff across the state will begin scoping new projects. Public input is crucial in ensuring that the ITIP reflects the needs and desires of Idaho’s communities.