Winter weather has brought snowy driving conditions to much of Idaho. Unfortunately, the rise in snowy road conditions has also led to a sharp rise in snowplow strikes. Nine Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) plows have been hit so far this winter season. Five strikes happened over the last seven days.
Two of the most recent strikes happened this Wednesday in the Magic Valley, one on I-84 north of Twin Falls, and one on I-84 west of Wendell. Both involved a semi truck rear-ending a plow. The vehicles will be out of service for up to two weeks while they undergo repairs.
“It’s a major impact on maintenance sheds when equipment is taken out of service. We are limited on snowplows,” Jerome Foreman Brian Davidson said. “It makes it more difficult to keep roads clear.”
Another recent strike happened on Tuesday in Nampa. The plow was heading eastbound on I-84 near Karcher Road. A pickup pulling a trailer merged onto the interstate and lost control. The trailer swung out and hit the ITD vehicle’s wing plow. There was no lasting damage to the snowplow.
ITD wants to remind drivers how to be safe around snowplows.
- Do not pass a plow on the right. Plows have a 10-foot extendable wing plow on the right side that may be difficult to see in snowy conditions.
- Provide ample space for plows to work and steer clear of their blind spots. This also means increasing your following distance behind the plow.
- Practice patience and stay behind the plow for the safest road conditions.
- Plows often operate in pairs to clear multiple lanes; never position yourself between tandem plows.
- In case of a crash or if you need to stop on the side of the road, stay inside your vehicle for both your safety and that of our plow operators.
Last winter, there were 17 plow strikes, a number ITD does not want to repeat. Please be careful driving and mindful of our plows. Check 511.idaho.gov or the Idaho 511 App for road conditions before traveling. For more winter driving tips, visit itd.idaho.gov/travel.
*For real-time updates and photos of plow strikes, visit ITD’s Facebook or X pages.
BOISE – Jim Kempton, who has served the eight south-central Idaho counties as the District 4 representative on the Idaho Transportation Board since March 2012, is set to retire at the end of the month. At nearly 12 years of service, Kempton is the longest-serving board member. He succeeded Gary Blick as the District 4 representative.
A native of Albion, Kempton is a graduate of the University of Idaho. Kempton was a decorated Air Force fighter pilot who served two tours of duty in Vietnam. Kempton served five terms in the Idaho House of Representatives, including as the chairman of the House Transportation and Defense Committee.
Kempton also represented Idaho for seven years on the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, was a former member of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission – including two years as its president — and served as assistant professor of physics at the Air Force Academy. He also was liaison between the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon.
He chaired the Forum on Transportation Investment during his time on the board, and was a key member of former Governor Otter’s Task Force on Transportation Investment.
At Kempton’s appointment in February 2012, Governor Otter said, “You’re just not going to get any smarter, better informed or committed to public service than Jim Kempton.” During his 11 years on the transportation board, Kempton proved that to be true time after time.
“Jim’s commitment to Idaho and its citizens is unrivaled,” said Idaho Transportation Board Chairman Bill Moad. “It’s evident his time in the Idaho Legislature and with the Public Utilities Commission has been invaluable as he helped guide us on critical issues addressing growth and investment in transportation. I personally will miss the wit and wisdom that was apparent in the support he gave me and the other board members.”
Julie DeLorenzo, who started on the board just a month after Kempton, becomes the longest-tenured member when Kempton steps down.
The Idaho Transportation Department will close State Highway 21 from Grandjean to Banner Summit this afternoon due to high avalanche risk.
A weather system bringing rain and snow is likely to trigger avalanches in this section of highway. The anticipated closure will begin at 4 p.m. today. However, actual weather impacts may require an earlier closure.
Motorists needing to use the roadway are advised to make the trip immediately or plan to use alternate routes. The alternate route between the Treasure Valley and Stanley area is to travel east on Interstate 84, exit in Mountain Home at Exit 95 to U.S. Highway 20 and then head north on State Highway 75.
The ITD avalanche crew monitors the snowpack along this section of highway in order to forecast the risk of avalanches large enough to reach the roadway. This practice allows the department to keep the highway open during the winter months with a reasonable confidence of safety for the traveling public.
There are around 70 avalanche paths in this 11-mile stretch of SH-21. Avalanches can be triggered without warning. For this reason, there is no parking or stopping within this section of road during the winter.
The highway will reopen when the snowpack has stabilized and the risk of active avalanches is reduced. Updates on closures and openings will be posted on 511.idaho.gov.
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will host an open house next Wednesday to share construction plans to replace the signal and culvert on State Highway 27 and G Canal.
The meeting will be held between 5 – 7 p.m. on Jan. 24, at Mountain View Elementary at 333 W. 27th Street in Burley. This meeting follows an open house format, and individuals can stop by at their convenience to visit with ITD staff and learn more about the project.
ITD also offers an online option for individuals unable to attend in person. Please visit itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/sh27and27th between Jan. 24 – Feb. 7 to view project material and comment. Construction is planned to start in mid-October. If individuals have questions or comments about the project and are unable to attend the in-person or online meeting, contact Project Manager Brock Dille at (208) 544-7906 or brock.dille@itd.idaho.gov.
Blizzard conditions across much of the state has caused the Idaho Transportation Department to close several routes.
Current closures include:
Southwest Idaho:
- State Highway 21 from Grandjean Junction to Banner Summit
- State Highway 21 from Idaho City to Lowman
South-Central Idaho:
- U.S. Highway 93 from Jerome to Shoshone
- U.S. Highway 20 from Fairfield to Mountain Home
- U.S. Highway 30 from Hansen to Murtaugh
- State Highway 75 from Shoshone to Timmerman
- State Highway 46 from Gooding to Fairfield
Southeast Idaho:
- State Highway 34 from Conda to Wyoming
- State Highway 36 from SH-34 to Ovid
East Idaho:
- State Highway 47 from Ashton to Bear Gulch
- State Highway 32 from Tetonia to Ashton
- State Highway 33 from Newdale to Tetonia. Note that Teton Pass in Wyoming is also closed.
- U.S. Highway 26 from Ririe to Swan Valley
- State Highway 31 from Swan Valley to Victor
Plows will be out in full force today and until the winter weather subsides. The department asks that those who do not need to travel stay home or time their trips around weather conditions.
To share the road safely with plows, travelers are reminded to:
- Never pass a plow on the right.
- Give plows room to work by maintaining at least a three-second following distance.
- If multiple plows are working in tandem, do not attempt to move between them.
- Stay out of the blind spots.
- Drive for conditions.
- Allow extra time to travel.
More closures could be possible as the system moves through the state. Road conditions are updated 24/7 at 511.idaho.gov. Drivers are reminded to know before they go and visit the website or check the 511 app before traveling.
Maintenance continues to advance along the Perrine Bridge with crews expected to transition to the south end of the bridge starting Monday.
Crews will begin building an enclosure underneath the bridge in advance of sandblasting scheduled to start Jan. 16. During this time, the pathway underneath the bridge will remain open, but the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) reminds residents to be patient and cautious around the construction zone. The enclosure is estimated to take around a week to build.
Sandblasting will prepare surfaces for painting and will require the closure of the walkway underneath the bridge during the evening hours when crews are working and foot traffic is light. The walkway will reopen each day. Bridge users should expect loud noises and check 511.idaho.gov for updates.
The scheduled work includes sandblasting, bolt replacement, and painting with no anticipated impacts to traffic on the bridge.
The Perrine Bridge was constructed in 1976, and these repairs play a vital role in extending the life and maintaining the bridge’s safety for years to come. Repairs to the bridge are expected to continue into the spring of 2024.
Work will begin today to widen one mile of U.S. Highway 93 north of Twin Falls. Drivers should expect minor delays while crews start moving utilities and working on the shoulders. Major work and impacts won’t start until early January.
Construction will expand US-93 to four lanes between 200 South Road and 400 South Road. Other changes include reconstructing the railroad crossing, widening highway shoulders and building left and right turn lanes at 300 South Road and other business developments.
Once utilities are relocated, canal reconstruction will start and take through early March and be followed by roadway work in the spring. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained throughout construction with minor detours of intersecting roads later in the project. New lanes are expected to be open to traffic in October.
This will be the fourth and final segment of the overall corridor, between Twin Falls and Jerome, to be widened, with previous widening projects completed every year since 2018.
See the US-93, 300 South Road project website for more information.
With a winter storm forecasted for the weekend, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) wants to remind drivers to share the road with snowplows.
Snowplows push snow off the road and deploy a variety of salt products to keep roadways bare and wet most of the time during storms. Drivers also need to do their part to keep everyone safe on the road.
“Slow down in snowy conditions, and give yourself extra time to get where you need to go this weekend,” Foreman Chuck Sharp said.
Aside from leaving early and using caution when driving in the snow, here are five tips to help share the road with snowplows:
- Don’t crowd the plow. Stay back around 50 feet.
- A snowplow has a 12-foot front plow and 10-foot wing plow and takes up the entire lane. Don’t crowd the centerline.
- The safest spot is behind the plow. Only pass when safe to do so.
- Never pass on the right.
- Before traveling, check 511.idaho.gov for road conditions that are updated 24/7.
While operators work in the worst weather, often the biggest threat to their safety is other drivers. Last winter, 17 plows were hit in Idaho.
“Plows weigh around 58,000 pounds fully loaded,” Sharp said. “Drivers who run into this heavy equipment trying to pass are risking their own safety, and the safety of others on the road when the plow isn’t able to continue working due to damage.”
Top 10 Winter Driving Tip
Drivers should plan for alternating lane closures next week as crews continue making repairs to the Perrine Bridge.
Next week workers will apply a sealant to both sidewalks on the bridge to protect them from weathering. The closures will be staggered so only one lane or one sidewalk will be closed at a time. Lanes will be closed so that the contractor can access the sidewalks and will be open at night when workers are not present.
- Wednesday through Friday (Nov. 15-17)
- The sidewalk on the west side of the bridge will close for repairs. The adjacent southbound lane will be closed.
- Friday through Sunday (Nov. 17-19)
- The sidewalk on the east side of the bridge will close for repairs. The adjacent northbound lane will be closed.
Maintenance will last through spring of 2024 and includes repairs to the sidewalks, the railing and cracks to extend the lifespan of the bridge. Some of the steel supports will also be painted for protection from weathering.
Activities are dependent on weather conditions. Travelers should stay up to date on impacts by visiting 511.idaho.gov or downloading the 511 app.
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) invites the public to attend an open house next Wednesday to share input on the replacement of the Dry Creek Bridge located on U.S. Highway 30.
Originally built in the 1930s, the existing bridge is a two-lane structure that crosses Dry Creek just north of Murtaugh Lake. Proposed plans include updating the guardrail and widening the shoulders, as well as building the new bridge in the same spot or shifting the structure slightly to the north or the south. The department is also seeking comment on ways to preserve historical aspects of the bridge.
The open house will run from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on October 11 in the Murtaugh High School Cafeteria at 500 Boyd Street. An online option will be available at ITDProjects.org/US30DryCreek from October 11 to October 18 to give members of the public who cannot attend in person a chance to participate.
“The bridge has served the community for nearly 100 years and is nearing the end of its lifespan,” ITD Project Manager Brent Brumfield said. “It is important that we preserve the history of the bridge while ensuring the public can cross Dry Creek safely.”
The bridge is scheduled for replacement in 2026. For more information, or to participate in the online open house, visit ITDProjects.org/US30DryCreek.
