Category: North-Central

BOISE – Commerce within Idaho has been improved as restrictions to most legal loads have been reduced for the 538-mile stretch of US-95 within Idaho, which travels through 13 counties from the Oregon Border north to the Canadian Border. This is the result of a multi-year effort by the Idaho Transportation Board, based on information from industry leaders on the need to allow greater ease of commerce on the highway.

US-95 is the state’s primary north-south route, and was established as one of the country’s first national highways in 1926.

Recent improvements to the highway, particularly between Council and Grangeville, have resulted in a reduction of restrictions to the route. Because of those improvements, the highway will now allow up to 53-foot trailers without a permit and permitted vehicle combinations up to 115 feet in overall length, with a 6.5-foot off tracking and weight limit of up to 129,000 lbs.

“These improvements allow all of US-95 to have the same legal and permitted requirements from one section to the next, thus increasing the safety, mobility and economic opportunity for commercial vehicles specifically, and all motorists in general,” said Idaho Transportation Board Chairman Bill Moad.

Previously, permitted vehicle combinations were only allowed in loads up to 95 feet long and a 5.5-foot off track — a 21% increase in allowable length and 18% increase in allowable off-tracking — allowing more freedom in the movement or goods and services while also maintaining a safe roadway.

Off-tracking refers to the different paths that the front and rear wheels take when cornering. The rear or trailer wheels will take a shorter path around the curve, corner or turn. Thus, the driver has to compensate for this by taking the curve, corner or turn wider. So, the 6.5-foot off-track is the difference in the path of the first inside front wheel and of the last inside rear wheel as the vehicle negotiates a curve.

Idaho Highway 8 will be resurfaced from Bovill east toward Elk River over the next two months, with work set to begin Tuesday, August 4. Resurfacing seven miles of the highway from its intersection with Idaho Highway 3 and Ruby Creek will provide a smoother ride for drivers.

Crews will work 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday through Saturday. During working hours only, the highway will be reduced to one lane.

A nearby project to fill in cracks and resurface 13.5 miles of ID-9 between Harvard and Deary is expected to wrap up in mid-August.

Visit 511.idaho.gov before traveling to see what impacts you may encounter on your route.

Crews will begin sealcoating portions of US-12 and US-95 starting Wednesday, July 22 to protect the roadway surface and provide greater traction for motorists. This work is expected to extend into early August.

The work will take place in a 30-mile stretch of US-12, from Spalding Bridge to the west end of Orofino, and a five-mile stretch of US-95, from the Spalding Bridge to the west end of Aht’Wy Plaza. The work will begin near Orofino and progress west.

Delays of up to 15 minutes can be expected, with east- and westbound traffic reduced to one lane each through four-lane sections and all traffic reduced to one lane through two-lane sections during working hours. A pilot car will be used to safely guide traffic. It will be a “rolling” work zone, progressing in two-mile segments as the work moves.

Crews will work a weekday schedule of 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. No weekend work is anticipated but may be required in order to achieve a timely completion of the project.

Sealcoating is a surface treatment performed during the summer months to preserve and extend the life of Idaho’s roadways by applying a layer of oil and rock chips. The process requires hot temperatures and dry weather for rocks to properly adhere to the oil.

Rock chips placed during sealcoats have potential to cause windshield damage so drivers are cautioned to slow down when traveling to and from these areas.

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is surveying the community this month in relation to plans for replacing the Clearwater Memorial Bridge on US-12 in Lewiston.

A survey will be open until August 3 at itdprojects.org/us12memorialbridge. The department will also conduct in-person surveys of pedestrians and bicyclists on the bridge this Sunday and Monday.

“We recognize that the Clearwater Memorial Bridge is an important asset to this community,” Project Manager Curtis Arnzen said. “As plans are finalized we will speak with stakeholders to learn how we can best accommodate them during construction.”

Construction will include building a new bridge deck over the existing piers. The new deck will feature the same number of lanes but also provide wider sidewalks, shoulders and a painted median.

Design plans will be completed in 2021, and construction is anticipated to begin in 2023.

A pavement rehabilitation project in which crews will repair significant cracking, grind off the top layer of the roadway, and replace it with new paving material will start Monday (July 13) from Deary to Harvard on Idaho Highway 9. The work on this 13-mile project will provide a smoother, safer ride for motorists by eliminating cracks and ruts on the road’s surface.

During this project, crews are scheduled to work Monday through Saturday during daylight hours, but may be asked to work some nights to finish the job on time. Drivers can expect a “rolling” work zone, progressing in two-mile sections as the road work progresses.

Crews will finish by applying a double sealcoat on the new stretch of road to seal the surface and provide greater traction for drivers.

Knife River Construction is the prime contractor on this $1.5-million project.

The Idaho Transportation Department is asking for input on the just–released draft Idaho Transportation Improvement Program (ITIP). The 2021-2027 draft ITIP is a seven-year plan of the state’s transportation improvements, and all stakeholders are encouraged to participate.  

Projects can range from large-scale interstate improvements to smaller projects like the installation of a new guardrail. In all, the draft ITIP includes projects in all 44 counties and all modes of transportation. Projects were selected based on technical data, as well as input from local officials and residents. 

A complete breakdown of the draft plan can be found at  itd.idaho.gov/funding, as well as an interactive map that allows users to learn about projects by narrowing it down to specific categories and locations.

A few of the major projects in North-Central Idaho include:

• US-95 expansion from Thorn Creek Road to Moscow in 2021 – 2022
• Replacement of the East Kooskia Bridge on Idaho Highway 13 in 2027 
• Turn lanes on US-95 north of Moscow at Estes Road and North Foothills Road in 2027

Notable changes to projects already in the program include the delay of two bridge replacements in Potlatch from 2021 to 2022 and another project to add turn lanes at US-95 and County Road in Grangeville from 2021 to 2023.

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

ITIP – Comments
Attn: Aubrie Spence
P.O. Box 7129
Boise, ID  83707  

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

All comments will be reviewed, incorporated into the ITIP where appropriate, and responses will be sent in August 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. 

June 12

Since Governor Little lifted restrictions on restaurants as part of his economic recovery plan, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will discontinue the temporary permits for food trucks at Idaho rest areas, with the last day for food trucks set as June 12.

Food trucks have been stationed at rest areas since mid-April to offer hot meal services to essential travelers.

“More than 30 permits have been granted since we developed this provisional program,” said Nestor Fernandez, ITD’s Mobility Services Engineer. “Now that hot meals on the road will be easier to find, those permits will expire so that ITD may be in compliance with federal rules.”

In early April the Federal Highway Administration announced it would momentarily relax enforcement of rules that prohibit commercial activity on state-owned, federally-supported right of way like rest areas.

April 16

An emergency exemption by the Idaho Transportation Department will allow permitted food trucks to set up at rest areas and offer hot meals to truck drivers and other travelers.

“We heard truck drivers were having difficulties finding hot meals with the restrictions placed on nonessential businesses during the stay-at-home order,” said Nestor Fernandez, ITD’s Mobility Services Engineer. “Our goal is to support them as best as we can during this pandemic, especially long-haul drivers delivering goods across the U.S.”

ITD worked with the Idaho Trucking Association to identify opportune times for vendors to stage at rest areas as well as the Southern Idaho Food Truck Association to solicit appropriate vendors.

Food trucks will be permitted at rest areas around the state, with up to two vendors allowed at each site. They will not be permitted at rest areas that already offer these services and are under public-private management. Learn more about the temporary program.

“These temporary services are targeted at truck drivers and other essential travelers,” Fernandez said. “We don’t want to attract crowds and will advise permitted vendors to follow healthcare guidelines.”

Earlier this month, the Federal Highway Administration announced it would temporarily relax enforcement of rules that prohibit commercial activity on state-owned, federally-supported right of way like rest areas.

Once the stay-at-home order is lifted in Idaho and restrictions on nonessential businesses are eased, food trucks will no longer be permitted at rest areas.