Open houses Wednesday and Thursday to share design plans to improve I-15 between Fort Hall and Blackfoot

The Idaho Transportation Department will host public open houses on April 30 and May 1 to share information and gather community input for three projects along Interstate 15 between Fort Hall and Blackfoot. Community members are encouraged to drop in anytime to learn about the projects, ask questions and provide feedback to the project team.

The public is invited to view design plans in person:

Wednesday, April 30, from 4-6:30 p.m. at the Blackfoot Community Center (1350 Parkway Drive #31, Blackfoot).
Thursday, May 1, from 4-6:30 p.m. at the Shoshone-Bannock Convention Center (777 Bannock Avenue, Fort Hall).

At both meetings, ITD will share design plans about the following projects:

I-15 South Blackfoot Interchange (Exit 89) rebuild with a new design.
I-15 Exit 89 to Exit 93 Widening to increase capacity to meet future traffic demands.
I-15 US-26/Blackfoot Interchange (Exit 93) rebuild.

Those who are unable to join ITD in person are invited to participate online at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-15-corridor. Online participants can review identical project information and comment between April 30-May 15.

Elements of the widening project are funded with Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds as part of Governor Little’s 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.

Those who are interested in learning more are welcome to visit the project website at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-15-corridor, email info@pocatellotoidahofalls.org or call 208-252-5553.

East Idaho travelers will see even more improvements to US-20

Orange traffic control barrels and lights along US-20 in east Idaho as traffic moves beside.

RIGBY—Exploratory drilling along U.S. Highway 20 from Idaho Falls to Rigby, as well as pavement replacement within the active roadway north of Rexburg, begins Monday. The Idaho Transportation Department is urging travelers to be aware of equipment and crews through these particularly busy areas.

“Last year, we had three near miss occurrences as we were drilling on US-20 near Idaho Falls,” ITD Geologist Shawn Enright said. “We want people to be particularly aware so we can make sure everyone gets home at night and the work gets done too.”

Over the next three weeks, contractor partners will have drill rigs and traffic control in operation near the ramps, overpasses and canal crossings from Interstate 15 Exit 119 in Idaho Falls to Rigby to gather data for potential future widening of US-20. Work will happen within the shoulder or roadside.

More efforts to improve US-20 from North Rexburg Exit 337 to Driggs/ Jackson Exit 339 are also beginning Monday and will continue throughout the next three weeks. Contractor partners will be repairing the worst sections of roadway to provide a smoother ride for motorists.

The northbound ramp to access US-20 at Exit 337 will be closed through the day on Tuesday, April 29. Once work has progressed north, motorists will see closures of the northbound on-ramps at Sugar City/ Salem Exit 338 and Driggs/ Jackson Exit 339. Each closure is expected to last no more than a few days and will only remain through daytime hours.

This work will be noted on the Idaho 511 app and 511.idaho.gov. Drive aware and drive safe while crews make Idaho’s roads better.

Look out for crews and traffic control as spring road work begins across East Idaho

ITD crews perform crack sealing repairs on I-15. Men are wearing hi-vis yellow and operating handheld equipment at the back of a small crack sealing trailer.

RIGBY— With the onset of spring, over the next several months the Idaho Transportation Department and contractor partners are crack sealing, repairing potholes, removing hazardous trees and conducting more substantial improvements to ruts and bumps in the roads from Salmon to Driggs and the Montana state lines to Idaho Falls.

Crack sealing is underway on Interstate 15 from Idaho Falls to Dubois, as well as State Highways 33 and 47. This work involves a mobile one-lane restriction that follows workers’ progress. ITD crews fill minor cracks in the roadway with a strong, sticky tar that serves to keep water from getting under the surface and making the damage worse. This must be done in spring during cooler temperatures and dry conditions, and then the repair effectively expands through warmer months.

Flagging operations will be in place temporarily on state highways across east Idaho as ITD performs mastic pothole repair. Expect flagging delays to be less than 15 minutes where this work is occurring. Mastic work uses a hot-applied rubber and asphalt combination that is highly effective at sealing up more substantial damages in the road. These fixes must also be done in dry conditions and specific temperatures seen during the spring. Crews time work before or after peak travel times, even at night as needed.

On U.S. Highway 20 between Rexburg and St. Anthony, crews will be working to mill off the surface of the road in 1,500-foot stretches or less and then overlay new pavement. Expect to see one lane closures and speed reductions where this is occurring.

Hazardous tree removal will also begin this spring on U.S. Highway 93 between Challis and Salmon. ITD crews can sometimes work off the roadway, though flaggers will be in place as needed, with one lane restricted in 15-minute increments. The removal of dying and diseased trees will improve errant driver safety recovery zones, wildlife visibility and fire protection widths. This effort will continue through the spring and into the summer months.

Other routine spring maintenance work like shoulder repairs and delineation enhancements are also ongoing. Drivers should be aware of these smaller work zones, slow down and move over to help everyone stay safe. Download the Idaho 511 app or visit tps://511.idaho.gov/ to stay up to date on where road work is occurring across Idaho.

Right turn only restrictions at I-15 Stoddard Creek exit

Road Closed signs in place on Stoddard Creek Road underneat I-15 Stoddard Creek Exit 184.

The Idaho Transportation Department is continuing repairs to the Stoddard Creek Bridge at Exit 184 on Interstate 15. Stoddard Creek Road underneath the I-15 bridge is closed for safety, as crews work to demolish the current bridge deck above.

Both northbound and southbound travelers exiting the freeway will only be able to make right turns from the ramps on to Stoddard Creek Road. Drivers cannot turn left and travel underneath the closed bridge. This restriction will remain in effect until work is completed, which is estimated to be late spring.

The recreational parking area west of the Stoddard Creek Exit is only directly available for southbound I-15 drivers. Northbound traffic needing to access the recreational parking area should proceed six miles to Humprey Exit 190, then head back southbound to exit at Stoddard Creek. From this direction, a right turn to the parking area can be safely completed.

Updates on this closure and construction can be found on the Idaho 511 app and at 511.idaho.gov.

‘The Salt Seeing Eye:’ the snowplow driver’s crystal ball

A hand points out the screens inside the cab of a snowplow, one of which shows the truck bed holding salt.

If we each had a crystal ball, just think of all the time, money, pain or heartache we could save!

While not exactly a crystal ball, Idaho Transportation Department plow operator Skylerr Valentine, with help from the Idaho Falls shed crew, has come up with an innovation that’s a little bit close. Well, for ITD operations folks in terms of work that is.

Valentine pondered on the fact that while plowing, he would need to make multiple stops through his route to climb up the truck bed and see how much salt was left. This of course involved pulling over, getting out of the cab and physically climbing on the heavy equipment. On newer dump/ plow trucks, a small ladder is fitted to the side of the bed. On older ones that still operate in force across the state, this salt check involves navigating from the stairs of the cab across to one of the rims of the truck bed. Valentine actually once fell while doing just that.

He figured that surely a camera could be installed to show down into the sander box that holds augers and salt. This would allow salt levels to be monitored visually just like wing plows are. He happened to be aware of a truck in east Idaho that was on the surplus sale line and talked to ITD Fleet Manager Dalton Rice about using the outdated wing plow camera from it to test out this innovative idea.

With the help of the entire Idaho Falls crew and ITD electricians Josh Harris and Justin Romrell, that older camera was mounted to the truck bed and wired around, then into the cab, with concern for easy disconnect points to retain dump truck functionality. The smaller screen of the unit was mounted inside, just underneath the tablet typically used by plow operators. Valentine dubbed it the “Salt Seeing Eye.”

“It was a lot of work, figuring it all out just right,” he said. “We really tried to make sure it was waterproof and could stand up to the elements. I wanted to see it put to the test this winter.”

Tablets equipped inside plow trucks show drivers video of where their wing is at, and relay salt and brine output numbers right on the screen. They don’t, however, indicate when salt in the truck bed is gone. Those numbers keep on ticking, and the operator keeps on driving, thinking he’s covering the road when in fact, he’s sure not.

Multiple times Valentine, and surely other operators anywhere, would stop to check salt levels in the bed, only to see that it’s empty and have no idea how long it had been. Then begins backtracking to determine where to pick back up with salt application, essentially doing the same thing over again and wasting time.

“I would make a 70-mile round trip, having run out but no idea where,” Valentine said. “I had no idea how long ago it had been or how many miles really had nothing on the road.”

There are formulas and historical knowledge that can help operators determine just how far so much salt will cover. Let it be said that ITD operations folks could certainly be given science and math degrees for the calculations they’ve mastered when it comes to doing the work they do. They rely on the output readings on the tablet in each truck also. Where those reading don’t stop even if the salt is empty, calibrations aren’t without a significant margin of error though.

“This could really help us find discrepancies in our calibrations,” Idaho Falls Operations Foreman Jared Loosli said. “It has the potential to save a lot of money when it comes to salt ordering.”

This winter, Valentine has indeed had the chance to put the new tool to the test. While plowing the five-lane section of US-20 west of Idaho Falls, he’s determined from the safety of the cab that he can in fact make one more pass on his route, where he normally would have stopped to check or headed back to the shed to refill.

The “Salt Seeing Eye” may not be the crystal ball that can help any one of us avoid bad personal life decisions, unfortunately. But with substantial time saved while snowplows are out doing the vital work they do, increased safety for operators that would no longer have to climb on heavy equipment in slick winter conditions, and visible cost savings through more accurate salt use calculations, this innovation certainly has the potential to greatly benefit operations across Idaho.

Ideally, this camera could come standard on all new ITD trucks and be paired with the typical tablet, becoming one of the options right on the screen operators use now.

US-26 Clark Hill Rest Area bathrooms to close through February

The stone building containing bathroom facilities at Clark Hill Rest Area along US-26 between Ririe and Swan Valley.

Bathroom facilities at the Clark Hill Rest Area along U.S. Highway 26 between Ririe and Swan Valley will close beginning Monday through February 28 for the Idaho Transportation Department to make repairs and upgrades to the facility.

This popular rest area at milepost 357 features a view of the South Fork of the Snake River. The parking lot and scenic overlook will remain open, with the buildings themselves out of service as repairs, deep cleaning and painting are completed in preparation for the busy summer months.

The closure will be noted and updates can be found on the Idaho 511 app and at 511.idaho.gov. The nearest rest area/public bathrooms can be found at Hilltop gas station in Ririe.

Lower speed limits take effect on SH-48 east of Rigby

ITD and City of Rigby crews work roadside on SH-48 in preparation for furthering a 45 mph speed zone east of Rigby that takes effect next week.

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) on Thursday will be extending the limits of a lower 45 mph speed limit zone on SH-48 about two miles east of US-20 to Road 4200 East.

ITD crews along with the city of Rigby are placing multiple new signs, including driver speed feedback signs, all in an effort to improve safety along this stretch of SH-48. Motorists should watch for the updated signs and orange caution flags.

These changes are a result of several working group meetings conducted over the past months with the ITD Chief Operations Officer and district managers, Jefferson County Commissioners, the city of Rigby and local legislators. The group is focused on enhancing traffic relief, long-term planning discussions and near-term highway solutions for the local community.

Road conditions and status for SH-48 and all major Idaho roads can be found by using the Idaho 511 app, or visiting 511.idaho.gov.

ITD partnering with Jefferson County to make immediate and future traffic improvements

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) chief operations officer with district managers joined local state legislators and Jefferson County commissioners in November and December meetings as a working group to enhance traffic relief discussions to bring new improvements to local communities over the next ten years.

Amidst increasing traffic and growth statewide, ITD has been meeting with interested local officials to share long-range regional planning concepts and discuss the near-term highway solutions to partner on addressing traffic and safety concerns. At the recent council meetings, the working group outlined how ITD and county staff will team together to add a signal on SH-48 at Road 4000 East within two years to address school traffic congestion issues. The group agreed on the benefits of extending the limits of a lower 45 mph speed limit zone on SH-48 about two miles east of US-20 to Road 4200 East, in coordination with law enforcement to enhance safety for drivers approaching the new signal.

The signal installation design will be led by Jefferson County in partnership with city, ITD and school district officials. It will be jointly funded and should be ready for starting construction in the fall of 2025 or by spring 2026. Engineers expect the new signal to operate similar to the SH-48 and 3800 East signal near Rigby Middle School.

“I’m impressed with the quick progress in our recent meetings due to the strong local partnerships with our ITD District 6 team,” said ITD Chief Operations Officer Dan McElhinney. “We appreciated the leadership of Representatives Furniss and Raymond who joined us with county commissioners to define concerns and discuss solutions, looking ahead for timely traffic improvements to help our communities.”

Other discussion topics included regional needs for future traffic congestion relief on SH-48, improvements on US-20 at County Line Road and on US-20 a possible overcrossing at Road 200 as the region continues to grow in population. These planning discussions will continue in monthly meetings with ITD and local partners in 2025.

Southbound I-15 traffic being detoured around closed Stoddard Creek bridge

Snowy I-15 southbound roadway with road closure blockade signs and lights in place at Exit 184, Stoddard Creek.

Southbound travelers on Interstate 15 are being detoured around the Stoddard Creek Bridge at Exit 184, which has been closed due to a damaged and deteriorating road surface. Interstate traffic is being slowed to 45 mph and directed onto the ramps so drivers can proceed over and through without stopping.

The Idaho Transportation Department has closed W. Camas Creek Road under the bridge to allow for this detour. Operations engineers and facilities managers are monitoring the path to ensure smooth passage for vehicles and semis.

Major improvements to the Stoddard Creek Bridge were already planned for early next spring. With the bridge condition worsening substantially, these have been advanced to start in January. Repairs are expected to take several months, with this closure in place until spring.

The Idaho Transportation Department Dubois maintenance crew and other operations personnel are monitoring the closure daily. Traffic control devices are also weighted and placed to avoid being covered by snow removal efforts. ITD will make necessary changes and efforts to keep traffic in this area moving safely through the winter.

Road updates and status can be found at 511.idaho.gov or on the Idaho 511 app.

ITD is on the job plowing snow: Here’s what you should know

Snowplow on SH-28 plowing snow and creating a plume to the side.

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.