POCATELLO – Due to recent inclement weather, the daytime closure of the north-to-west ramp at the System Interchange will continue into Wednesday. The additional time is needed to complete placement of the steel girders for new bridges.
Traffic will be directed to the Northgate Interchange, adding approximately five minutes to travel times. Drivers will exit at Northgate, cross over I-15, and then proceed south on I-15. The detour will be in place starting at 5 a.m. until work is be completed. The same detour has been in place for the last 3 weekdays.
Girders are horizontal steel beams designed to support the bridge deck. As the beams are placed over the northbound to westbound ramp it is necessary to close the roadway beneath for the safety of the travelling public.
Ongoing construction at the System Interchange will improve safety and mobility while replacing bridges built in the 1960s. Work is expected to be complete in 2025.
Motorists should exercise additional caution while travelling through the construction zone. Those wishing to receive email updates about the System Interchange project can sign-up at this link – https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/g9MMkN9. Drivers can also check or download the 511 app for the last traffic conditions on all state highways and freeways.
POCATELLO – Drivers on I-15 northbound heading west on I-86 toward Chubbuck will be detoured several days in the next week as crews install girders at the System Interchange. Ongoing construction at the System Interchange will improve safety and mobility while replacing bridges built in the 1960s.
Girders are horizontal steel beams designed to support the bridge deck. As the beams will be placed over the northbound to westbound ramp it is necessary to close the roadway beneath for the safety of the travelling public.
Traffic will be directed to the Northgate Interchange, adding approximately five minutes to travel times. Detours are expected to be in place from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. the following days:
- Thursday, Aug. 17
- Monday, Aug. 21
- Tuesday, Aug. 22
Motorists should exercise additional caution while travelling through the construction zone. Those wishing to receive email updates about the System Interchange project can sign-up at this link – https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/g9MMkN9. Drivers can also check or download the 511 app for the last traffic conditions on all state highways and freeways.
The detour through the Northgate Interchange will exit at Northgate, cross over I-15, and then proceed south on I-15.
POCATELLO – To facilitate construction of the new bridge at Fort Hall Exit 80 on I-15, night closures of the northbound lanes will occur tonight (Aug. 15), Wednesday Aug. 16, Monday Aug. 21 and Wednesday Aug. 23. During tonight’s construction forms will be placed from 9:30 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. The other three nights girders will be erected from 9:30 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Northbound traffic will be diverted over the old overpass.
Motorists should plan for delays and exercise additional caution while travelling through the construction zone. Check 511.idaho.gov or download the 511 app to your phone for the last traffic conditions.
POCATELLO – Beginning Monday August 7, the Idaho Transportation Department will be resurfacing Interstate 15 from the Rose Interchange 7 miles north to North Lava Rocks. Crossovers will be used to move traffic to the other side of the interstate while work is being done. Motorists should expect reduced speeds during construction. Construction will pause each Friday morning to accommodate weekend traffic.
Work will continue until September 1 when it will be paused for a week to accommodate increased traffic during the Eastern Idaho State Fair. Afterward the project will resume for four additional weeks.
Motorists should check https://511.idaho.gov or download the 511 app for the latest information on road construction.
IDAHO FALLS- The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will begin micro-surfacing on several Idaho Falls area roads beginning Tuesday, July 25.
Micro-surfacing is a process that improves the surface of the road by sealing small cracks and surface imperfections, waterproofing the surface, and protecting the pavement structure. This will help extend the life span of the roads.
Traffic will be affected at the following roads:
- South Yellowstone Highway from 65th Street to Sunnyside Road
- Sunnyside Road from I-15 to South Yellowstone Highway
- Broadway Avenue from Bellin Road to North Yellowstone Highway
- North Yellowstone Highway from Lomax Avenue to Canal
- North Holmes Avenue from North Yellowstone Highway to US-20
The roadways will be reduced to one lane in each direction from the hours of 8pm to 7am until the project is completed August 18.
Please remember to obey traffic laws, traffic signs, and construction signs.
For updates on traffic impacts on state highways and interstates, drivers should check 511.idaho.gov before traveling.
Photo: Street view Sunnyside Rd from I-15 to South Yellowstone Hwy
POCATELLO — The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is seeking feedback on the just-released draft Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP). The 2024-2030 ITIP outlines the state’s transportation priorities and guides investment decisions for the next seven years. ITD encourages everyone to review the draft and provide comments from July 1-31.
Transportation projects included in the draft ITIP range from large-scale interstate improvements to smaller projects like the installation of a new guardrail. Projects are located throughout Idaho’s 44 counties and involve all modes of transportation. Project selection is determined through technical data, as well as input from local officials and residents.
To review the complete draft plan visit itd.idaho.gov/funding to view an interactive map that allows users to learn about projects in their local area as well as submit a comment through the portal.
Important to Southeast Idaho is the replacement of a series of I-15 bridges in Inkom including the west Inkom interchange, Main Street bridges, and bridges over the Union Pacific Railroad. In addition, the Rapid Creek bridge on the Inkom business loop is slated for replacement.
Another project of importance for Southeast Idaho is a pavement fix on I-15 between the Blackfoot Interchange and the Rose Road Interchange.
Comments will be taken from July 1-31 and can be emailed to itipcomments@itd.idaho.gov or mailed to:
ITIP – Comments
Attn: Office of Communication
P.O. Box 7129
Boise, ID 83707
Paper copies of the ITIP will be provided upon request by contacting the Idaho Transportation Department (208) 334-8119.
All comments will be reviewed and incorporated into the ITIP where appropriate. Responses will be sent in September once the comment period has ended.
After approval by the Idaho Transportation Board in September, the ITIP will then be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency in October. Once finalized, ITD staff across the state will begin scoping new projects.
Public input is crucial in ensuring that the ITIP reflects the needs and desires of Idaho’s communities.
POCATELLO – The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is hosting an open house on June 29 to share information and gather public input about improvements being developed for Interstate 15 (I-15) between the Northgate Interchange (Exit 73) and the Fort Hall Interchange (Exit 80).
“The interstate is in need of improvement as traffic volumes continue to increase in southeast Idaho,” said ITD District 5 Engineering Manager, Eric Staats. “ITD has determined that additional lanes are needed to enhance safety and to meet continued growth and travel demands.”
The I-15 Northgate to Fort Hall Project is part of a multi-year planning process to improve I-15 between Pocatello and Idaho Falls.
“This project between the Northgate Interchange and the Fort Hall Interchange is the first step toward widening I-15 between Pocatello and Idaho Falls,” said Staats. “We would like to get the public’s input on the designs that have been developed for the Northgate to Fort Hall segment.”
The public is invited to stop by the open house anytime between 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 29, at the Shoshone-Bannock Convention Center, Chief Targhee Room (777 Bannock Road) in Fort Hall. Project staff will be available to discuss the project and proposed design plans.
The same information will also be available online between June 29 – July 14. Participants are invited to review materials and submit comments online. For more information, please visit the project website at https://itdprojects.org/projects/i15northgatetoblackfoot/
Elements of this project are being funded with Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds as part of the Leading Idaho Program. The program allows ITD to accelerate project timelines to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure today that would otherwise take many years to fund and build.
BLACKFOOT – Beginning Monday the Idaho Transportation Department will begin work on pavement preservation projects in the Blackfoot area on Interstate 15 and US Highway 91. Motorists should plan for single lane closures and reduced speed limits in the work zones.
Interstate 15 will receive a micro-surfacing treatment north of the Blackfoot rest area. Micro-surfacing improves and protects the road surface.
On US-91 from Shelley to York Road, ITD will begin chip sealing. Chip sealing, also called seal coating, maximizes the taxpayers’ investment by extending the lifespan of the pavement. Hot temperatures are needed to ensure a successful application. Chip sealing protects pavement from sun, oxidation, weather, water, oil and gas, and improves traction for drivers.
As work progresses, the I-15 Business Loop through Blackfoot will also be improved. All work is scheduled to be completed by mid-July.
Please check 511.idaho.gov or the 511 app for the most recent information on road work.
AMERICAN FALLS – The Idaho Transportation Department has restarted work on I-86 bridges near American Falls. This work necessitates the American Falls Interchange 40 westbound on-ramp to be closed until mid-July. Westbound traffic from American Falls and State Highway 39 is being detoured to Exit 36.
ITD asks all motorists to remember to slow down and obey flaggers and construction signs in construction areas. To be kept up to date on construction, road closures, and road conditions check 511.idaho.gov or download the 511 app.
The Idaho Transportation Department is joining states across the country for National Work Zone Awareness Week. The national and state campaigns this week are designed to raise awareness and educate the public about the safety measures we can all take in work zones, and how we are all responsible for work zone safety.
From 2017 to 2021, Idaho saw 3,119 crashes in work zones resulting in 36 deaths, stressing the need for this year’s theme: “You play a role in work zone safety. Work with us.”
This special week includes a schedule of activities; everyone is encouraged to go orange for safety on Wednesday and observe a moment of silence on Friday for those who have died in work zones.
“Work zone safety is drivers and highway workers cooperating together to slow down and improve safety,” said Dan McElhinney, Chief Deputy and Chief Operations Officer for ITD. “ITD employees and contractors design traffic control with signs, cones, beacons or reduced speed limits to help guide vehicles through these hazard zones, knowing we really appreciate drivers being engaged without distractions for success. Let’s all get home safely every day.”
Work zone crashes are preventable. The top three causes of crashes from 2017 to 2021 were following too closely, distracted or inattentive driving and failing to yield.
Drivers should:
- Plan ahead – Check 511.idaho.gov before you go to plan your route. Expect delays, leave early or take an alternate route if possible.
- Slow down– drive the posted speed limits.
- Pay attention– both to workers directing you and surrounding traffic.
Other safety tips and videos are available at itd.idaho.gov/travel.
