EAST IDAHO— With snowy conditions foreseeably here to stay, the Idaho Transportation Department is committed to keeping motorists safe. In eastern Idaho, maintenance crews are now working around the clock shifts from the Utah to Montana state lines as needed.
These 17 crews across eastern Idaho keep more than 4,300 lane miles of state highways and interstates as clear as possible all winter long. Plowing that amount of roadway means patience and caution from the public are important.
“We have high confidence in our plow teams,” ITD Operations Engineer Jeremie Pettingill said. “Winter driving does take some planning though. Slow down and be aware. Know that we’re prepared and doing the very best we can.”
ITD aims to keep roads bare 70% of the time during storms. The wind conditions in east Idaho often make that unrealistic and are the primary cause of road closures through the winter.
Closures are put in place only when conditions are unsafe. Roads are also only closed as long as necessary. Closures allow operators to be more efficient getting snow cleaned up, braving the elements as they do.
ITD reminds motorists across east Idaho to use common safe winter driving practices:
- Brush and scrape your windows before driving. Starting the defrost in your vehicle well before you leave is very helpful.
- Slow way down! Speed limits are based on ideal conditions and aren’t appropriate during winter weather.
- Maintain substantial distance between yourself and other drivers—don’t follow closely.
- Stay calm and don’t make sudden wheel movements in icy conditions.
- Don’t use cruise control in the winter.
- Obey posted road closure signs and lights—finding a back way to access closed roads is dangerous and delays plow work to get them re-opened! Remember roads are only closed for good reason. Unexpected traffic and crashes significantly delay getting the road re-opened.
- Keep a winter emergency kit in your vehicle with supplies like water, lights, warm clothes and blankets, etc.
- When you see plows, give them room to work. That means leaving plenty of following distance, not crowding them and letting them lead the way. Last winter, 17 plow strike occurred across Idaho, most often due to drivers attempting to pass.
- Know before you go by checking conditions at 511.idaho.gov or on the Idaho 511 app. Cameras can show you exactly what to expect on certain roadways, and conditions are updated multiple times a day.
As winter sets in the Idaho Transportation Department marks a major milestone for the historic rebuild of the System Interchange in Pocatello, with crews set to shift traffic and open all bridges this weekend.
Beginning tomorrow crews will restripe the new southbound lanes of Interstate 15. Once complete the new southbound lanes will open to traffic. On Sunday crews will also restripe the new northbound lanes of I-15. When this work is complete both northbound and southbound traffic will be on the new mainlines through the project area. This will mean that all the new bridges will be open to traffic. Additionally, the new northbound I-15 to westbound Interstate 86 ramp will also be opened to traffic.
Begun in July of 2022, the project required building eight new bridges while maintaining traffic through the interchange. This necessitated numerous traffic shifts to utilize old and new bridges. With this latest milestone, most of the major traffic shifts will be complete.
However, construction will continue into next summer. A new detour will be put in place for traffic using the Pocatello Creek on-ramp to head west toward Chubbuck. Traffic will be routed through the Northgate Interchange while crews rebuild the old mainline roadway to match the grade of the new road. That work will continue into early spring.
In addition, work will continue on Chubbuck Road which is scheduled to partially open to traffic in late December. Additional work will need to be done next spring to complete the Chubbuck Road segment of the project after the partial opening.
“We’re really excited to finally have all the I-15 traffic moved to the new mainlines,” Project Engineer Greg Roberts said. “We can’t express enough thanks to the community for their patience as we’ve worked through the logistics of such a large project.”
Originally built in the 1960s, the I-86 and I-15 System Interchange is undergoing $112 million of redesign work to improve safety and replace aging infrastructure.
Motorists should carefully follow signs and posted speed limits while traveling through the construction area. With crews working day and night at the System Interchange it is especially important that drivers be alert and travel safely.
Motorists are encouraged to use 511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours. Project details are available on ITD’s projects website at itdprojects.idaho.gov/i-86i-15-system-interchange.
EASTERN IDAHO – The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD), Idaho State Police (ISP), as well as Chubbuck and Bonneville County Police Departments are teaming up to provide free, informative and engaging winter driving safety classes through November as the region prepares for icy roads and adverse weather.
While these courses are beneficial for drivers of all ages and skill levels, they are especially geared to young drivers and anyone new to the area who may be preparing for their first winter driving season.
The course will be taught by ISP Troopers, local law enforcement officers and ITD Operators, covering a wide range of topics from proper vehicle preparation, equipment, road conditions, driving tips, crashes, and snowplow safety.
Participants who attend the course will receive a certificate of completion and be eligible for a 10% discount on a set of new snow tires at participating Les Schwab Tires locations.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Rocky Mt, Middle School Auditorium
3443 N. Ammon Rd.
Idaho Falls, ID
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Chubbuck City Hall
290 East Linden Ave.
Chubbuck, ID
Seating is limited and classes are filling up quickly! Attendees should register online-click here for the Idaho Falls class or click here for the Chubbuck class to reserve a seat. Additional courses may be scheduled at a later date.
Beginning tomorrow at 9 a.m. the Pocatello Creek Road on-ramp to northbound Interstate 15 will be closed to allow crews to remove pavement and to prepare to pave the new on-ramp. The closure is expected to last until approximately 2 p.m. Detours will be in place to guide traffic to the Northgate Interchange or to the Clark Street Exit.
Beginning tomorrow the Idaho Transportation Department will repair a wildlife underpass on U.S. Highway 30 near Fish Creek Summit. Work will consist of patching the bridge deck.
During construction traffic for both the eastbound and westbound lanes will be restricted to single lanes. Work should be completed in about a month.
Motorists are encouraged to visit 511.idaho.gov or use the 511 app to keep track of delays.
Beginning tomorrow night at 10 p.m., the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 will be closed underneath the Woodville Overpass so crews can replace a damaged girder. A detour will be in place until 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
Traffic will be detoured off the interstate at Exit 108 to U.S. Highway-91 and then will return to the interstate at Exit 113.
The girder was damaged in November when a towed excavator travelling on I-15 struck the bridge. Traffic on the overpass has been limited to one lane while ITD prepared for the repair. Work will continue until the end of the month when the overpass will be fully open to two-way traffic.
Motorists are encouraged to visit 511.idaho.gov or use the 511 app to keep track of project detours.
Beginning tomorrow night, the northbound to westbound ramp of the Interstate 86/Interstate 15 System Interchange will be closed to allow for demolition of the old eastbound to northbound bridge. Traffic intending to travel westbound on Interstate 86 from northbound Interstate 15 will be detoured through the Northgate Interchange. Work will continue until Thursday when the ramp reopens at 7:30 a.m.
Originally built in the 1960s, this is the last existing bridge of the System Interchange that will need demolition as part of the $112 million redesign. The project is scheduled to be completed next summer.
Motorists should carefully follow signs and posted speed limits while traveling through the construction area. With crews working day and night, it is especially important that drivers be alert and proceed safely through the work zone.
Motorists are encouraged to use 511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours. Project details are also available at https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-86i-15-system-interchange
Three railroad crossings on State Highway 38 near Malad will close for repairs for up to three weeks starting Sept. 19, with some work beginning next week. Detours will be posted and message boards will be in place to alert the public to the coming road closure.
Preliminary work at the crossings will consist of delivery of materials and prebuilding new rail track panels outside the roadway and will not cause full closures.
Crews will replace the concrete pads and rails to make the crossings smoother. New drains will also be installed to address ponding issues.
Traffic impacts from this project and others are always available at 511.idaho.gov
Beginning tomorrow at noon the eastbound Interstate 86 to southbound Interstate 15 ramp will be closed while crews construct a temporary road to the new eastbound to southbound ramp. Eastbound traffic on I-86 looking to travel south on I-15 will be detoured north through the Northgate Interchange (Exit 73). The closed ramp will reopen late Sunday.
This work will allow the eastbound lanes to be adjusted to the grade of the new ramp. Doing the work this weekend will limit traffic impacts during the peak Labor Day weekend.
Originally built in the 1960s, the I-86 and I-15 System Interchange is undergoing $112 million of redesign work to improve safety and replace aging infrastructure. The project is scheduled to be completed next summer.
Motorists should carefully follow signs and posted speed limits while traveling through the construction area. With crews working day and night at the System Interchange it is especially important that drivers be alert and proceed safely through the work area.
Motorists are encouraged to use https://511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours. Project details are available here on ITD’s projects website —https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-86i-15-system-interchange
