Category: Southwest

The Idaho Transportation Department advises motorists to plan ahead for nighttime Interstate 84 closures starting this Sunday (Oct. 15) between the Garrity (Exit 38) and Ten Mile (Exit 42) interchanges. Crews are preparing the interstate for the next stage of construction at the future State Highway 16/I-84 interchange.

A full westbound closure and several nights of multiple lane closures on westbound I-84 will take place in the following weeks.

Oct. 15:

• Westbound I-84 will be closed between Garrity (Exit 38) and Ten Mile (Exit 42) interchanges from 10 p.m. (Oct. 15) to 5 a.m. Monday (Oct. 16). Motorists will be detoured to Franklin Road. View the detour map.

Oct. 11-24:

• Two of four lanes on westbound I-84 will close beginning Wednesday (Oct. 11) between the Garrity (Exit 38) and Ten Mile (Exit 42) interchanges. Work will occur between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. each night. The speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph at night.

Eastbound I-84 closures will be scheduled later this month.

During the closures, crews will shift and re-stripe the I-84 travel lanes away from the center median. The shift will make room to build a center pier supporting the new I-84/SH-16 interchange. All work is weather dependent as striping can be less effective during cold nighttime temperatures. To request updates text HIGHWAY16 to 1-866-483-8422.

ITD wants to remind you to slow down, pay attention and drive engaged.

For more information about the State Highway 16 project visit itdprojects.org/sh16corridor. You can also contact ITD at sh16corridor@itd.idaho.gov and (208) 334-8008.

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is asking drivers to plan ahead and expect slowdowns when traveling westbound on I-84 near the Simco Road Interchange as construction continues in the area.

Only one lane remains open for westbound travelers near the interchange as crews improve the westbound on- and off-ramps. This reduction in lanes will be in place until October 16.

Drivers on I-84 will be slowed to 65 mph, and traffic looking to cross the freeway via Simco Road will be detoured.

ITD is taking several steps to keep traffic flowing during the closure. Signs are up eight miles ahead of the work zone, and semitrucks will be directed to change lanes earlier. To encourage drivers to follow the posted speed limit, feedback signs are in place, and law enforcement will be conducting patrols in the area.

The department wants to remind drivers to have patience when traveling through the area, slow down, and obey all posted signs.

Construction on this project began in July to rebuild the bridge over I-84, which was built in 1959. Work is expected to be complete next summer.
Travelers are reminded to know before they go and check 511.idaho.gov for traffic impacts.

Tree removal efforts will resume Monday on State Highway 55 between Banks and Horseshoe Bend to make it safer for drivers and improve overall forest health. Travelers should plan for 30-minute delays as crews cut down dead and dying trees on the highway between mileposts 72 and 79.

Crews will be on site each weekday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the next several weeks. No work will take place on Fridays or weekends.

This phase of tree removal has been contracted with Falling Timber Enterprise, LLC. Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) workers will provide traffic control and clean up the trees.

“We hope to cut down up to 100 trees on SH-55 with this phase,” Operations Field Manager Eric Copeland said. “Impacts will be very similar to the work we completed in this same area in July.”

ITD anticipates preparing another contract in the future to thin trees in the Smiths Ferry area.

Travelers are encouraged to check 511.idaho.gov for any delays before leaving.

The westbound on- and off-ramps at the I-84 Simco Road Interchange (Exit 74) will close tomorrow morning as crews continue rebuilding the interchange.

The closure is expected to last more than one month, with drivers detoured to the nearest interchange to the west at Exit 71 to access the freeway. The eastbound on- and off-ramps at Exit 74 will remain open.

Construction began in July to rebuild the bridge over I-84, which was built in 1959. While being reconstructed in place, the bridge will have one lane open so that motorists can cross over the freeway. Work is expected to be complete next summer.

Travelers are reminded to know before they go and check 511.idaho.gov for traffic impacts.

Repaving has been rescheduled to start next week due to equipment availability. Drivers should pay attention to road signage or check 511 for exact timing of impacts.

This week maintenance workers with the Idaho Transportation Department will resurface part of I-84 between Eisenman Road (Exit 59A) and Blacks Creek Road (Exit 64).

Crews will repave the worst sections of the slow lane heading eastbound. Once repairs begin tomorrow near Eisenman Road, the eastbound on-ramp and one lane on I-84 will be closed. The ramp closure is expected to last one day, though work will continue on I-84 for up to three days. Workers will time repairs to avoid morning and evening commutes.

Westbound travelers will not be affected. Access to the Blacks Creek Rest Area will remain mostly open, save for a few hours tomorrow.

Travelers are reminded to know before they go and check 511.idaho.gov for traffic impacts.

Reconstruction work requiring the closure of the westbound I-84 off-ramp at Franklin Road (Exit 29) in Caldwell is finished, and the off-ramp is now open to traffic.

The Idaho Transportation Department thanks motorists for their patience during the closure that allowed the contractor to safely expedite reconstruction of the off-ramp over the past six weeks. The work contributes to ongoing improvements to U.S. Highway 20/26 between I-84 and Middleton Road.

The contractor completed the work requiring the closure yesterday afternoon. Workers may still be in the area periodically, so drivers are asked to be aware and engaged in the project area.

Motorists will see changing traffic patterns in the coming weeks on US-20/26 between I-84 and Middleton Road. Travel lanes will shift to the north as work is focused on the south side of the highway. Drivers should pay particular attention to the lane configuration between Aviation Way and Smeed Parkway by slowing down and following construction signs.

Reconstruction of US-20/26 between I-84 and Middleton Road is scheduled to be complete in 2024.

To learn more about the project and sign up for construction updates, visit itdprojects.org/projects/chindenwest.

NAMPA – The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is sharing the finalized design plans for the State Highway 55, Farmway to Middleton Road project, which is part of Governor Brad Little’s Leading Idaho Transportation initiative.

An online meeting will be available July 20-27 to ensure everyone can learn about the project and provides an opportunity to give feedback. The open house took place on July 20 in Nampa.

Interested parties can participate online and learn more about the project at https://itdprojects.org/projects/state-highway-55-farmway-to-middleton-road/.

The SH-55, Farmway to Middleton project involves rebuilding and widening several miles of SH-55 west of the Karcher Interchange in Nampa and Caldwell. Improvements being constructed as part of the project include:

• Two lanes in each direction
• Raised center median between Middleton Road and 10th Ave.
• Wider shoulders
• 10 ft. bicycle and pedestrian pathway on both sides of the highway

Some changes have been made to the design since last summer’s public meeting. These include removal of mid-mile U-turns and widening the SH-55/Middleton Road intersection. ITD has determined that the design will still meet the needs of motorists through 2045.

Construction is expected to begin in 2024 and is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2026.

Funding for the design stage comes from the Leading Idaho initiative, which allows ITD to build critical infrastructure today that would otherwise take many years to build.

A Spanish interpreter and Spanish-language materials was available at the July 20 open house. Community members can request additional materials in Spanish by calling 208-334-8002.

Drivers should plan for delays while tree removal efforts are underway on State Highway 55 between Banks and Horseshoe Bend over the next several weeks.

In conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, the Idaho Transportation Department is cutting down dead trees along the highway between mileposts 72 and 79. Crews will be on site each weekday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to clear dead and dying trees to minimize risk to drivers and improve overall forest health.

“While we’re dropping trees on the highway, it isn’t safe to allow traffic to pass underneath,” Operations Field Manager Eric Copeland said. “Crews will temporarily close the highway, remove several trees, clear the road and then let traffic through.”

Travelers should expect delays of up to 30 minutes and are encouraged to check 511.idaho.gov for any delays before leaving. No work will take place on Fridays or weekends.

“We are in regular discussions with our partners on how to make this route as safe as we can, not just in the winter but during every season,” Copeland said.

In late 2022, ITD and these agencies started discussions on the issues and more recently to remove the immediate hazards this summer and work together on a long-term solution to manage the highway right of way, which is maintained under an easement. Hazard tree removal is one of several maintenance actions that are authorized through ITD’s existing easement.

“The Forest Service is providing tree cutting expertise for ITD’s current operations along SH-55,” Emmett District Ranger John Wallace said. “We are happy to support ITD in their work to keep highways safe by reducing hazards within their right of way.”

ITD and the city of McCall were recently awarded a RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant of $2.9M for the SH-55 and Deinhard/Boydstun corridor design to address improvements that will create a more efficient intrastate highway system for travelers. and create affordable multi-modal transportation options. Project planning is expected to begin in 2024/25. The picture above shows pedestrians navigating a portion of the existing SH-55 corridor that lacks sidewalks.

The RAISE grant program supports communities of all sizes as part of the President’s Investing in America agenda.

ITD applied for the grant on February 17 and received word from the Federal Highway Administration on June 28 that the grant had been awarded.

“ITD District 3 looks forward to working with the city of McCall to enhance quality of life through transportation,” said D3 District Engineer Caleb Lakey.

The project will specifically address reduction of energy consumption, air and water quality improvement, greenhouse gases reduction, increased safety, support for local and regional commerce, and the promotion of public health. The picture to the right shows how the lack of adequate drainage facilities during periods of heavy rainfall or snowmelt causes flooding that compromises water quality and safety.

Safety will be paramount, as the project focuses on the SH-55 route through town that was home to 84 crashes from 2017-2021 due to conflicts between heavy trucks navigating a tight 90-degree corner and pedestrians crossing the road to access lakeside destinations. Property damage was the most frequent result of these crashes, which also included a pair of serious, incapacitating injuries. The proposed alternate route had just 27 incidents within that same five-year timeframe, none of which involved fatalities or pedestrians. Pictured at left is an exhibit from the 2021 Corridor Exchange Feasibility Study illustrates the tight turn radius of the existing SH-55 route in downtown McCall.

“This project will include study and planning of strategies and infrastructure improvements needed to improve safety for all transportation types, whether McCall is a final destination or users are just passing through,” the application states.

It also would protect Payette Lake, McCall’s sole source of drinking water and a primary tourist attraction, against the transport of hazardous materials by re-routing those trucks away from the downtown corridor and lakefront. This is especially important because increased mining in the southwest corner of Valley County is estimated to increase by 52-66 trips per day the number of loads rolling past the lake containing HazMat.

The project improves mobility and community connectivity, energy efficiency, quality of life, environmental considerations, and even benefits to housing affordability through development of transportation options geared toward a workforce largely located outside the town.

Identification of appropriate locations for EV charging stations also will be considered as part of the project.

It is the result of a close working partnership between ITD and the city of McCall that works collaboratively toward shared goals of providing a safe and efficient highway route for freight and intrastate traffic while providing safe and effective multi-modal transportation options in the McCall downtown core.

The project also aligns with Valley County’s vision for regional transportation, and dovetails with the city’s “Access McCall” and “Complete Streets” principles.