Category: North-Central

One lane of U.S. Highway 95 north of Riggins near Fiddle Creek is open after a mudslide closed the road completely. A lane has been cleared, and drivers can expect a pilot car with alternating directions of traffic through the slide zone.

Drivers should be prepared to stop and use caution when approaching the area. ITD crews continue to perform cleanup work with heavy equipment in preparation to open the roadway completely.

“We are very pleased to announce that after many hours of hard work that there is a safe pathway through the mudslide,” Field Operations Manager Larry Tillinghast said. “Even on holidays, our operators heed the call and are ready to tackle any emergency thrown at them. Please give them a wave for they have more work to do before returning to their families.”

ITD remains committed to keeping our state network open and thanks everyone for their patience during this emergency clean up.

Additional updates will be posted to 511.idaho.gov. Travelers can also dial 5-1-1 or download the app.

U.S. Highway 95 north of Riggins near Fiddle Creek is currently closed in both directions until further notice due to a mudslide. The highway is closed from milepost 200 to milepost 201.

Drivers should be prepared to stop when approaching the closure from either direction. It is unknown when the road will reopen, but ITD crews are bringing in heavy equipment to clear a lane through. Besides clearing significant debris, the road will then need to be evaluated for structural damage from the washout.

“Our crews are out and ready to clear a lane through as a priority,” Field Operations Manager Larry Tillinghast said. “Please use caution when approaching the barricades to help keep everyone safe including the operators who have important work to do. We ask at this time that all motorists be prepared to turn around or find an alternate route if possible.”

Updates on this closure will be posted to 511.idaho.gov. Travelers can also dial 5-1-1 or download the app.

Resurfacing operations are slated to start next week on portions of U.S. Highway 95, Washington Street and State Highway 8 in Moscow.

US-95 will be repaired between SH-8 and Rodeo Drive. SH-8 will be repaired from W. 7th Street east to the concrete section at East Veatch Street.

At least one lane will remain open through the work zone at night. Lanes will mostly be open during the day. Most of the work will be performed at night between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Parking on Washington Street will not be allowed during these hours.

Some sidewalk sections near the northeast corner of Seventh Street may be temporarily closed, and pedestrians will be rerouted for minor curb and sidewalk work. A map of the impacted areas can be downloaded here for reference.

Construction costs $2.9 million. Work is expected to end in late August.

Live traffic impacts across the region can be found by visiting 511.idaho.gov. Travelers can also dial 5-1-1 or download the app.

Later today drivers will be able to take the new four-lane section of U.S. Highway 95 from Reisenauer Hill to Moscow as work wraps up on this nearly $90 million realignment.  

Construction began in 2022 to shift the curving, two-lane highway to the east and expand it to four lanes. The new route was funded partially by Governor Little’s Leading Idaho program and was designed to be safer with a flatter grade, fewer curves and better access control.

“We are very appreciative of the patience of the public with our construction as we complete this long-awaited and outstanding addition of infrastructure to our system,” District Engineer Doral Hoff said. “This improvement will make travel significantly safer, especially as we see Idaho’s population grow. This project and others are evidence of ITD’s commitment to safety and efficiency for the traveling public. We take your safety on the road seriously.” 

The project first began in 1999 when the Idaho Transportation Department started efforts to expand all of US-95 to four lanes from the top of Lewiston Hill to Moscow. This six-mile segment was the last to be improved, with most of the corridor undergoing construction in the early 2000s.  

After highway traffic is shifted on to the new alignment, North Latah Highway District will assume ownership of the old section that will be renamed Reisenauer Road. Construction of the bridge over Thorn Creek at the southern end will continue impacting traffic through the fall, and drivers will only be able to access Reisenauer Road at the northern end near Moscow. 

Beginning Saturday, traffic on the U.S. Highway 12 Clearwater Memorial Bridge will be reduced to one lane in each direction in preparation for a new surface that will provide a smoother ride for drivers.

Crews will start on the northbound lanes and then shift to the other lanes of the bridge. Each side will remain closed for a few days while crews complete their work. After the new surface is complete, lanes will be striped.

The public should expect minimal traffic delays through the work zone and into next week. Sidewalks will remain open. Crews will work sunrise to sunset.

The work will wrap up before the Fourth of July. Touch up work such as fastening, patching, and painting have been ongoing since the spring. Last winter in 2024, crews finished pouring concrete on the new deck allowing the bridge to be fully opened to traffic.

The newly renovated bridge provides larger travel lanes, shoulders, median and sidewalks. In addition, the construction brought the bridge up to current standards, eliminating weight restrictions for heavy loads that use the bridge daily.

Live traffic impacts across the region can be found by visiting 511.idaho.gov. Travelers can also dial 5-1-1 or download the app.

Today at its regular monthly meeting the Idaho Transportation Board accepted staff recommendations on priority corridors across Idaho using TECM funds to address congestion, including the Spalding Bridge on U.S. Highway 95 east of Lewiston. Since Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation funds were first used by the department for bonding and advancing major projects in 2022, ITD has delivered timely construction of expansion projects across the state. Today’s actions are a continuation of that.

Funding came from House Bill 25, which was passed by the Idaho Legislature earlier this year. The legislation provides an additional $20 million a year to the Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation fund for the next three years and allows the department to invest an extra $1 billion in the Idaho transportation system.

Prior to House Bill 25, no funding was available for construction; now it could begin at the earliest in 2028. This project will replace the existing Spalding Bridge with two wider bridges and add capacity to the existing US-95 and US-12 Interchange.

With this project now included in the draft Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP), the public will have the opportunity to give feedback on this project and the department’s full list of planned projects from 2026-2032 during the annual comment period in July. Then the draft ITIP will be presented to the board for approval in September.

The board’s action today reflects continued investment targeting congestion and capacity in major corridors that were previously funded by TECM bonds as authorized by the Idaho Legislature. In North-central Idaho, TECM funds had previously allowed ITD to start design of this bridge and the nearby Arrow Bridge.

This project and others were identified because they are existing high-priority corridor needs that will improve traffic flow and increase safety.