Flooding sends debris crashing into bridges

ITD crews in the Treasure Valley are on high alert around the clock as prolonged flooding sends debris down river, creating blockages on bridges.

Entire trees have been uprooted by Boise River flows that well exceed the average. Currently, the river is at 8800 cfs at the Glenwood St. measuring station. This brings the water level close to the bottom of the bridge. You can watch a video of crews clearing debris from the ID-52 bridge in Emmett below.

Increased debris and higher water levels create more hazards to bridges. Branches can catch on the supports or bridge girders, which can lead to a domino affect of accumulating debris. This debris can raise the river levels more and adds pressure to the bridge supports. Left unchecked, this could lead to catastrophic failure.

To combat this threat, ITD has crews monitoring the bridges. They routinely check for debris build up and signs of stress on the bridge. Several excavators are also parked by bridges, which can be used quickly to break up any build up.

By patrolling regularly and stationing equipment nearby for ready use, ITD is positioned to keep this year’s record flooding from causing disaster to our road system.

Idaho Transportation Board moving ahead with I-84 work via GARVEE

The Idaho Transportation Board has approved funding to repair and add lanes on Interstate 84 between Franklin Boulevard and Karcher Road in Nampa in order to reduce congestion and improve safety in the region.

In a unanimous decision, the board approved $150 million in GARVEE (Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle) bonds. This allows the department to advance a widening project to reconstruct existing lanes, add a third lane in each direction, and upgrade bridges between Franklin and Karcher.

“We recognize this I-84 corridor presents immediate safety and congestion concerns,” said chairman of the board Jerry Whitehead. “ITD engineers have shown a readiness to tackle the project and the board supports moving quickly to improve this section of road.”

This Franklin to Karcher project is moving fast, thanks to ITD staff completing initial planning and environmental assessment.

“We have known this corridor is a top concern that affects all of Idaho,” said ITD Director Brian Ness. “By adding lane miles, we can move more goods and services to businesses while reducing crashes. We thank the board for the opportunity to move forward as quickly as possible on this project.”

The $150 million authorization from the board is only half of the amount lawmakers allotted with Senate Bill 1206. Board members are reviewing other authorized corridors the bill outlined for GARVEE bonds.

“As we determine which projects to prioritize, we need the best information on all applicable corridors,” said Whitehead. “We look forward to getting that data from ITD engineers and moving forward in future board meetings.”

In future board meetings, the members will consider how best to spend the other revenue streams lawmakers created this year. That includes the surplus eliminator, one percent of sales tax, and a portion of the cigarette tax.

Bridge replacements and pavement rehabilitation to begin on U.S. 95 near Parma in mid-April

Reconstruction of two bridges on U.S. 95 in Parma will begin in mid-April.

Work will occur at the junction of U.S. 95 and U.S. 20/26 and include the reconstruction of the Union Pacific Railroad overpass, Sand Hollow Creek Bridge and nearby pavement rehabilitation.

*The project is scheduled to be complete this winter.

*A posted detour will be in place during the project. A separate truck detour will also be posted. The speed limited will be reduced to 45 mph in the work zone. The speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph on U.S. 20/26 when shoulder or median work is occurring. Flaggers will assist motorists through the work zone during different phases of the project.

*Most work will occur Monday through Friday, and some Saturdays.

Motorists are encouraged to check 511.idaho.gov for construction updates and detour information. For a full list of construction projects scheduled to begin across southwest Idaho, please visit our website at itd.idaho.gov/d3 and click on the construction tab. Some updates will also appear on Twitter and Facebook.

With nearly 45 projects scheduled across the region this year, please plan ahead, slow down, and give yourself enough time when traveling through each work zone.

Nampa Road Closure Alert: Section of Karcher Road to close Feb. 24-27

Karcher Road between Midway Road and Lake Avenue in Nampa will close at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24 and reopen at 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 27. Flaggers will direct traffic through a detour route.

During the detour, motorists traveling east on Karcher Road will turn south on Lake Avenue, east on Orchard Street and north on Midway Road back to Karcher Road. Motorists traveling west on Karcher Road will turn north on Midway Road, west on Homedale Road and south on Lake Avenue back to Karcher Road.

Truck traffic will be directed to use Farmway Road and Interstate 84 to avoid the closure.

ITD needs to replace the Isaiah drain pipe that runs under Karcher Road before making future improvements to the roadway later this year.

Karcher-Midway closure details

Questions or comments about the project can be directed to Jennifer Gonzalez at (208) 334-8938 or Jennifer.gonzalez@itd.idaho.gov.

ITD Extends Pavement Resurfacing Limits from Nampa to Caldwell

BOISE–The Idaho Transportation Department will repave Interstate 84 from Nampa to Caldwell (Franklin Boulevard to Franklin Road) this summer.

The department has been working to accelerate construction and reduce costs in order to extend the project limits following a mid-January ITD Board vote to advance a project to repave a smaller segment of I-84 between Karcher Road and Franklin Road.

With design support from ITD’s Pocatello office, work originally slated to begin in 2018 and 2019 will be constructed this summer. Also, key to moving this project forward is support from the cities of Nampa and Caldwell, along with the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS).

The project includes resurfacing the entire stretch of both east and westbound I-84 between Nampa and Caldwell with the majority of the work occurring over the course of four weekends. This timeline is significantly less than the anticipated four-month construction timeframe if work were to follow traditional construction and scheduling methods.

Staging work over four weekends provides a much safer work zone for crews. The weekend work also reduces the impact to the traveling public, the overall time to complete the work, and the cost of the project through less traffic management during construction. These cost savings allow ITD to extend the project to Franklin Boulevard.

“We recognize the importance of this corridor and have focused our efforts on completing this resurfacing work as swiftly as possible,” said ITD District 3 Engineer Amy Revis.

Details and impacts of the project will be shared through outreach with stakeholders, commuters, businesses and community members, and media in the coming weeks.

While this maintenance work addresses deterioration of the roadway due to age and extensive pothole damage suffered this winter, it does not include widening. Widening I-84 from Nampa to Caldwell is estimated to cost $330 million. ITD’s available funding statewide for pavement maintenance, bridge replacements and safety improvements is approximately $300 million annually.

Due to current transportation funding levels, ITD is focused on preservation and maintenance of the existing system. In the interim, ITD and COMPASS continue to aggressively pursue grants to start expansion of that roadway.

Contact:
Jennifer Gonzalez
District 3 Communication
208-334-8938
jennifer.gonzalez@itd.idaho.gov

Broadway Bridge rebuild wins Government Leadership Award

ITD’s replacement of Boise’s Broadway Bridge was recognized Dec. 19 with a 2016 Leadership in Government award from the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho. The award recognizes individuals, businesses and projects that demonstrate leadership supporting Communities in Motion 2040, the regional long-range transportation plan for Ada and Canyon counties.