Category: North-Central

The maintenance crew at the distant Powell ITD shed in north-central Idaho are quite accustomed to late-night calls. It is not uncommon to hear the radio in the background as they keep an ear out for alarming chatter while ‘off duty.’

The Powell yard is located nearly 90 miles down the scenic US-12 corridor in the heart of the Clearwater/Bitterroot National Forest. It is known by many for both its pristine beauty and rugged terrain that takes you deep into Idaho backcountry.

Unfortunately, a hiker in distress became an emergency call on the radio in the late evening of February 28. The hiker had taken a serious fall during her visit to Weir Creek Hot Springs (pictured below), sustaining major injuries while tumbling down a 200-foot embankment off the edge of the trail and into the creek. Unable to move and in desperate need of help, her companions pulled her from the freezing water to the nearby rocky bank until help could arrive.

ITD District 2 employees Bill Foust and Casey Zeimantz were the first to arrive on scene, followed by Mitch Miller. The response included Idaho State Police Trooper David Wesche, three U.S. Forest Service personnel, Lowell’s Quick Response Team, Idaho County Sheriff Deputy and an ambulance from Kooskia.

The terrain can be described as ‘super steep, narrow and super slick.’ After locating the hiker, Foust, Zeimantz and Trooper Wesche were trying the determine the best way to get down to her at the creek. “I was just glad it wasn’t snowing,” Foust said. “It would have made it even more challenging.”

Foust assisted the injured hiker by keeping her spirits up and performing a basic medical assessment to determine if she could be moved. “It was difficult to assess because she had been partially submerged for so long. She was extremely cold and hypothermic,” described Foust.

Indications were pointing to something broken, like a possible neck or back injury. Caution dictated that she wasn’t going to be moved without advanced medical care and proper immobilization techniques.

The medical team arrived from Kooskia and got her situated on a backboard. “We placed heat packs around her and wrapped her up in thermal space blankets. She couldn’t feel the heat which started to make us nervous,” shared Foust.

Next, a qualified rope team secured her to be carried back up to the trail. Foust estimated that it “took 12 or 13 of us to hoist her out of there inch by inch and with excellent teamwork.”

She was extracted at around 4:30 a.m. and en route to the hospital. Her condition was looking grim, but the team was relieved to get her to advanced care in Missoula, Montana.

A tip of the cap to these gentlemen for their eagerness to assist someone in need and for their professionalism under pressure. It was a delicate situation handled with the utmost care.

As a token of their commitment to safety, D2 Operations Engineer Jared Hopkins and Powell Foreman Richard Baerlocher awarded ITD Safety Challenge Coins to Bill, Casey and Mitch.

Knife River Corporation received the bid for the project that will construct an interchange on U.S. Highway 95/U.S. Highway 12 at the east entrance to Aht’Wy Plaza for $24.77 million.

With a contractor now on board, work could work could begin by mid-May and is expected to take less than two years. The four-lane highway will be separated by concrete barrier and the existing median, turn lanes and acceleration lanes will be eliminated.

Download renderings of the design of the interchange.

“The interchange will allow drivers to safely access the businesses in the plaza without any conflicts with drivers already on the highway traveling at 65 mph,” said Doral Hoff, District Engineer for the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD).

In April the Nez Perce Tribe and ITD had announced the joint project would be delayed due to increased costs of essential materials. To cover rising costs, the NPT and ITD applied for additional funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of Tribal Transportation Bridge Funding, which was approved in November. The project will still make use of the original $19 million in FHWA FY2020 BUILD grant funding.

“The Nez Perce Tribe set Aht’Wy Interchange project as a priority for the past 18 years; “Safety” along this corridor has been the primary concern. It is exciting to see this project in Construction Phase!” said Samuel N. Penney, Nez Perce Tribe Executive Committee Chairman.

A tentative groundbreaking event is scheduled for April 12th. Learn more and sign up for updates at itdprojects.org/ahtwyinterchange.

ITD and many other interagency partners are pleased to announce that the hazardous incident on U.S. Highway 95 between New Meadows and Riggins has been cleared, and the highway is officially back open for travel.

On Thursday morning a propane truck overturned on the highway at milepost 177, rupturing the tank. First responders from multiple agencies worked both day and night to clean up thousands of gallons of propane, which is a highly flammable material, to allow the highway to safely reopen.

The department would like to thank everyone for their patience during the emergency response and wish travelers a safe drive to their final destinations. All travelers should continue to check 511.idaho.gov/ for conditions and closures on state highways and interstates.

February 10 update

US-95 between New Meadows and Riggins closed until further notice

Both lanes of U.S. Highway 95 will remain closed until further notice between New Meadows and Riggins due to a crash involving hazardous materials.

Yesterday around lunchtime a propane truck overturned on US-95 at milepost 177, rupturing the tank. First responders continue to clean up thousands of gallons of propane, which is a highly flammable material.

“This is a developing situation,” District 3 Field Operations Manager Eric Copeland said. “Depending how well recovery of the vehicle and propane goes, the highway could reopen as early as tomorrow or take until early next week.”

The highway is closed between mileposts 161 and 180. Local accesses to residences in the area is being provided, but no detour through the crash site exists.

Drivers should find alternative routes, including through Oregon and Washington, if they need to travel between New Meadows and Riggins at this time, and check 511.idaho.gov for updates. Another update will be sent tomorrow morning.

February 9 update

Extended closure of US-95 expected after crash south of Riggins

Both lanes of U.S. Highway 95 are currently closed south of Riggins due to a crash involving hazardous materials. The closure is expected to be in place until late evening.

Drivers should check 511.idaho.gov for updates.

The 2023 construction season began today for U.S. Highway 95 south of Moscow. Work will take place near Eid Road and will include building a rock embankment for the site of the two new bridges and excavation on the north side of Reisenauer Hill. Controlled blasting is expected to resume weekly and continue throughout the spring.

Work in 2023 and 2024 will build two bridges over Eid Road and pave the new set of lanes. Each season of construction will generally occur between April and October.

Last year, earthwork was completed on more than 2.5 miles of the new alignment, putting the project at about 30 percent complete. More than $17 million has been spent so far on the project.

Expanding the highway to four lanes on a new alignment will not only add capacity and reduce travel times but also significantly improve safety.

It is anticipated that drivers will be able to take the new route in fall of 2024.

More project information is available at itdprojects.org/us95thorncreektomoscow.

As part of Governor Brad Little’s Leading Idaho initiative, the 2021 Idaho Legislature dedicated $126 million of one¬time funds from Idaho’s budget surplus to transportation projects statewide. The funds were split 60/40 between ITD and local jurisdictions. This project is partially paid for with ITD’s portion of the funds that will accelerate projects to replace bridges, restore pavements, and improve mobility in communities across Idaho.

U.S. Highway 12 east of Kooskia is now open. No avalanches reached the highway during the closure.

The gates at Fish Creek (milepost 126) and Saddle Camp Road (milepost 139) closed Monday afternoon. Avalanche specialists with ITD were on site today to help local maintenance crews assess conditions and check the closure.

“The risk is no longer considerable and nothing came down, so we can safely reopen the highway,” Operations Engineer Jared Hopkins said.

Monday, Dec. 26

Several miles of U.S. Highway 12 east of Kooskia will close today at 3 p.m. PT due to considerable avalanche hazard. It is unknown when the road will reopen.

The gates at Fish Creek (milepost 126) and Saddle Camp Road (milepost 139) will close, and ITD crews are working with the U.S. Forest Service to notify any recreationists or drivers within the corridor of the impending closure.

Avalanche specialists with ITD will be on site to help local maintenance crews reassess conditions and reopen the highway. Another release will be sent once a determination to open the road is made.

“The rapid upswing in temperatures in such a short time is concerning,” Operations Engineer Jared Hopkins said. “We will keep the road closed until it is safe to reopen. In the meantime, this will mean significant delays for holiday travelers between Idaho and Montana.”

The last avalanche to reach the highway was in January. A major storm triggered an avalanche and dropped trees, closing US-12 for roughly four days.

Download a photo of road signage from last year.

Drivers should use 511.idaho.gov to stay updated on road conditions.

Gov. Brad Little’s Leading Idaho initiative recently helped fund $75,000 in new snow-removal equipment for the Orofino Municipal Airport in north-central Idaho. The newly purchased truck is set up for sanding, deicing, and plowing.

Orofino averages 21.4 inches of snow each winter season. The airport is located about a mile northwest of town, on the south side of the Clearwater River. It is located in a steep canyon, with high-terrain approaches both north and south of the airport.

“This new truck will make a huge impact,” said Ryan Smathers, Orofino City Administrator. “The airport has been basically out of service during major snow events, and this will help us respond in a timely manner.“

“We had to rush to get the runway cleared with a front-end loader for Life Flight to land in winters past. This will help keep the runway open during all types of weather conditions. Having the capability to spray deicer and sand, along with the scoop plow, will be a game-changer.”

Jennifer Schildgen, Airport Planning Manager with the Idaho Division of Aeronautics, agrees.

“The Leading Idaho Initiative has provided airports statewide with greatly needed grant funds to support the Idaho Aviation System,” she stated. “The Orofino Airport’s Snow Removal Equipment project is a wonderful example of how the State is supporting our transportation system.”

After the next two weeks, drivers will no longer be slowed by construction to build a passing lane on U.S. Highway 95 between Culdesac and Winchester as the project shuts down for winter.

The original schedule included the opening of a new passing lane for southbound drivers in November, but challenges with environmental resources has delayed completion.

A few months into construction the contractor discovered important sensitive resources within the project limits and stopped all work on that portion of the project.

The Idaho Transportation Department works with the Nez Perce Tribe and other entities on certain projects to avoid, minimize or mitigate impacts to these sensitive resources. On some projects with potential cultural resources, the department hires resource monitors to observe construction activities.

During construction, monitors identified sensitive resources and stopped work in that area until further investigation could be completed, and mitigation could be approved. At this time, the department is still working with the Tribe to finish the investigation, so construction in the area is not yet allowed to proceed.

Then in late August, while the contractor was building a retaining wall near Lapwai Creek, some steelhead trout were stranded and subsequently died. Steelhead trout in the region are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Construction plans were approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the project was approved for some fish being harmed or killed, though to a lesser extent.

“After the incident this year, we partnered with the Tribe and the NMFS to revise the plan for the remainder of construction. We will also discuss the remainder of work so that the fish are better protected when we resume work,” Resident Engineer Curtis Arnzen said.

Arnzen believes collaboration on this project will improve construction practices for future projects as well.

“Given the environmental challenges of the project, we do not know exactly when construction will begin next year, but we hope to start next July, which is a good time of year for in-water work in Lapwai Creek relating to the protection of threatened fish,” Arnzen said.

This project is part of a corridor-wide plan to finish building an 11-mile passing lane in Culdesac Canyon to provide safer opportunities for drivers to pass.