Fires burning along I-15 at Pocatello and at Malad Summit

POCATELLO – Multiple fires are burning along I-15 at Pocatello. There is also a fire at Malad Summit on I-15. Fire crews are actively working in the areas, but traffic is delayed or blocked. Motorists are encouraged to slow down, watch for and move over for emergency vehicles and check 511.idaho.gov or the ITD 511 app to receive road status updates. The causes of the fires are not yet known.

Drivers should take extra care while driving through Idaho this weekend with fire danger high amid unseasonably warm temperatures. In particular, motorists should:

Ensure tow chains on trailers are not dragging which can cause sparks.
Tires on vehicles and trailers are in good condition for highway driving. A blown tire can cause the wheel rim to kick sparks into dry grass.
Never throw cigarettes or other combustible materials out of a vehicle.
Never throw glass or other litter out of a vehicle. Glass bottles and other objects can reflect or focus the sun’s rays causing ignition.
Do not park your vehicle over dry grasses when you pull off a road. The exhaust and other hot portions of the undercarriage can ignite a fire.

Fire crews responding to one of the fires along I-15

A burned area near the southbound lane of I-15

Pocatello Fire Department and other agencies quickly responded to the fires.

Transport of oversized windmill loads through North Idaho to begin next week

More than 80 oversized loads will depart the Port of Lewiston bound for Canada over the next 2.5 months, with the first load scheduled to leave next week. Richards Transportation is in the process of delivering windmill blades to Jenner, Alberta, with the largest loads measuring up to 325 feet long and weighing 137,000 pounds.

“This first load is the only one currently scheduled and will provide an opportunity to refine the transportation plans,” Operations Engineer Jared Hopkins said. “After the initial run, we expect operations to increase in frequency.”

Nine loads will depart each week in groups of three from the Port of Lewiston to travel north on U.S. Highway 95 to Coeur d’Alene before heading east on Interstate 90 into Montana. Three loads are expected to leave every other day, with each individual load departing roughly 30 minutes apart.

Click here to see an oversized windmill load.

Pilot cars will escort each load on the one-night journey, with flaggers in place to close the following intersections:

State Highway 128 and US-12/US-95 in Lewiston
• US-95 and Lincoln Avenue/Walnut Way in Coeur d’Alene
• the I-90 and US-95 interchange in Coeur d’Alene.

Drivers can expect delays as the loads move through these intersections at night. The transportation company arranged for a new on-ramp to help oversized loads make the turn from northbound US-95 onto eastbound I-90 in Coeur d’Alene. This ramp will not be open for other traffic. Traffic on the interstate will be slowed down by pilot cars to allow each load to merge.

Given the length of the loads, navigating to and through Moscow will be especially slow-going and will require significant closures.

The two-lane section of US-95 between Thorn Creek and Moscow will be closed as loads travel through for an estimated 30 minutes each. Timing of the closures will vary but could start around 9 p.m. Traffic will be allowed to pass before each subsequent closure.

“That section of US-95 is windy and narrow, and the loads will not be able to make those turns without taking up part of the oncoming lane, so we are shutting it down,” Hopkins said.

Each night loads depart the port, no parking will be allowed in Moscow starting at 6 p.m. on the following streets:

Washington Street north of the US-95/SH-8 intersection to where southbound and northbound US-95 reconnects at the north end of Moscow.
• Near the Main Street and A Street intersection.

While loads move through Moscow on US-95/Washington Street, traffic will be unable to pass. It could take up to an hour for each load to pass through.

“Given the extreme length of these loads and how narrow the highway section is in Moscow, the transport company will move each load at walking pace with staff on the ground to ensure that nothing next to the road is damaged,” Hopkins said.

Weather may impact the schedule. Traffic impacts will be identified on 511.idaho.gov.

Ashton Blasting to Resume Next Week

ASHTON – Beginning Wednesday, September 7 the next phase of the US-20 and SH-47 project at Ashton will begin. The contractor will periodically be blasting rock that is under the roadway between September 7 and September 13. The blasting will occur in the construction area and motorists should anticipate longer than normal delays.

In addition, there will be a change in traffic pattern to accommodate work at the intersection. SH-47 traffic will be shifted onto the north side of the road with the south side closed for construction. US-20 and SH-47 will remain open to traffic in all directions.

Motorist should take care to watch for equipment and workmen, follow all signs and flaggers, and reduce speeds to posted limits.

Questions and concerns can be directed to HK Contractors office at (208) 523-6600.

Work to repave Eagle Road begins August 29

*UPDATE 10/7/2022*

The Idaho Transportation Department will be changing location on the Eagle Road repaving project.

Rather than paving the intersections of McMillan, Ustick and Fairview this fall, ITD plans to begin repaving Eagle Road between the South Channel Bridge of the Boise River and Island Woods Drive. The pavement has deteriorated and needs to be replaced during this construction season. Beginning October 9, traffic on this portion of Eagle Road will move to one side overnight with one lane in each direction open. Work will take place between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Paving work in this area is expected to wrap up late week.

ORIGINAL POST 8/29/2022

This week the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) begins work to repave Eagle Road from Interstate 84 to State Highway 44. The existing pavement will be milled off (removed) and replaced with new pavement. The new pavement is expected to last over 10 years.

All work will take place at night over two construction seasons. Work this year includes repaving Eagle Road from Overland Road to Franklin Road. In addition, ITD will repave the intersections of McMillan Road, Ustick Road, Fairview Avenue, and Franklin Road. During the intersection work, Eagle Road will be closed and traffic will be detoured to Cloverdale Road or Locust Grove Road.

Overnight closures and detours will begin at 10 p.m. and end at 6 a.m. on weekdays. Weekend opening times will vary between 6 and 9 a.m. All lanes will be open during the day.

In early September, the westbound on-ramp at the Eagle Road Interchange (Exit 46) will be closed for five nights. Each morning it will reopen at 6 a.m. Traffic will be detoured to the Meridian Interchange (Exit 44).

“More than 65,000 motorists use Eagle Road each day, and we appreciate your patience while ITD and the contractor make these needed improvements,” said Jeff Ryan, ITD Design and Construction Engineer. “If you want to learn about daily detours or traffic impacts, please text EagleRoad to 1-866-483-8422 to get the latest updates.”

During the repaving work, temporary steel plates will be placed on Eagle Road to cover manholes until the project is complete. Please drive with caution.

Idaho Materials & Construction is the contractor for this $18 million project. Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2023.

For more information about the Eagle Road repaving project visit itdprojects.org/eagleroadrepairs or text EagleRoad to 1-866-483-8422 to request construction updates.

I-86 Bridge Repair Work Begins in Power County

AMERICAN FALLS – The Idaho Transportation Department began repairs on two I-86 bridges in Power County this week. The Sunbeam Road and Seagull Bay bridges will both be receiving new roadway surfaces to protect the integrity of the bridges and improve safety. The first phase of the project will progress for one month while the eastbound bridges are resurfaced. The second phase will also last one month as the westbound bridges are similarly repaired. All work is scheduled to be completed by the end of October.

During construction traffic will be moved to one side of the Interstate prior to the bridges and some exiting traffic will be detoured. After the construction area is passed, traffic will cross back over to the regular side of the Interstate to proceed as usual. Motorists should watch closely for signs indicating lane changes, detours, and speed limit reductions.

During the current first phase, eastbound traffic is being crossed over to the westbound side of the Interstate prior to Sunbeam Road at American Falls. Traffic remains two-way on the westbound side of the Interstate until past Seagull Bay Exit 44. Therefore, eastbound Interstate traffic will not be able to use Exit 40 into American Falls and Exit 44 to Seagull Bay. Motorists should instead exit at the west American Falls / Rockland Exit 36 or the Rainbow Road Exit 49.

American Falls residents will still be able to enter I-86 toward Pocatello at the Exit 40 on ramp. They will progress eastbound until the Seagull Bay Exit 44 where they will detour through the exit and then re-enter the Interstate and merge with through traffic as it crosses back over from the westbound lanes.

Performing work on both bridges at the same time reduces costs and effects repairs in the same construction season. Once completed the new surfaces will be smoother and the bridge decks will be protected against further deterioration.

Project starts next week to reduce likelihood of rockfall on US-2 and SH-200

Over the next two months specialized crews will target five locations for rockfall mitigation on two highways near Sandpoint, including U.S. Highway 2 to the west and State Highway 200 to the east.

“At each location, crews will scale the slope, which involves wedging and prying loose rock that has the potential to fall onto the highway,” Project Manager Josh Nisson said. “This project is meant to be proactive, reducing the risk of drivers encountering rocks on the road and bringing it down safely on our own terms.”

The locations to be addressed include:

SH-200 at milepost 41 near Trestle Creek (two sites)
SH-200 at milepost 53 west of Clark Fork
US-2 at milepost 11 between Priest River and Laclede (two sites)

“While they are actively scaling and rocks are falling down towards the highway, we will not let drivers travel underneath,” Nisson said. “They’ll do that for about twenty minutes, let waiting traffic pass through, and then temporarily close the highway again.”

Crews will spend less than two weeks at each location. Drivers should plan for these delays while workers are on site, typically Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Otherwise, all lanes will be open.

Signage at each location will be in place roughly one week before work starts, and drivers are encouraged to check 511.idaho.gov for all impacts before they travel.

First widening project begins on SH-53 near Hauser

The first of several projects to add a center left turn lane to most of State Highway 53 from the Washington state line to Rathdrum begins next week.

“SH-53 serves more than 12,000 vehicles a day, including many drivers who commute between Washington and Idaho,” Project Manager Megan Koski said.

Work over the next two years will focus on a two-mile stretch starting near McGuire Road and continuing through Bruss Road, with additional safety improvements included at the Hauser Laker Road intersection. Two lanes will remain open through construction, but starting Monday, Aug. 22, speed limits will be reduced.

“The goal of this project and future ones is to make the highway safer by providing turn lanes for drivers,” Koski said. “Drivers won’t have to be worried about being rear-ended as they wait to turn left off the highway.”

Right turn lanes and lighting will be installed at the intersections of McGuire Road, North Church Road, Bruss Road and Hauser Lake Road. An acceleration lane at Cloverleaf Road will help drivers get up to speed and merge with eastbound traffic.

“This year, crews will add temporary pavement to the south so that we can maintain traffic as we build the base for the expanded road on the north side of the highway,” Koski said. “Then next spring we’ll pave over that base and open the new lane to traffic.”

Other similar projects are scheduled near Rathdrum in 2023 and state line in 2027. A maintenance project in late September will resurface patches within the first two miles near the state line at night to keep it in acceptable conditions until the 2027 project.

Since this project overlaps with future plans to build an interchange at Pleasant View Road in 2028, minimal improvements will be constructed near the intersections of Pleasant View Road and Hauser Lake Road at this time.

The department plans to fund a project at the next opportunity to build similar improvements to the four miles between Bruss Road and Latah Street.

Drivers are encouraged to check live traffic conditions at 511.idaho.gov.

Interstate 84 restrictions on Sunday, July 10 for organized motorcycle ride

Law enforcement will reduce speeds and temporarily block access to eastbound Interstate 84 between Nampa and Mountain Home Sunday, July 10 for the Idaho Patriot Thunder motorcycle ride. Up to 1,200 motorcyclists are expected to participate in the annual event.

The organized procession, escorted by Idaho State Police (ISP), will enter I-84 at Eagle Road (Exit 46) starting at 11 a.m. Prior to that start time, ISP will begin to slow eastbound I-84 traffic in Nampa at Northside Boulevard and restrict vehicles from entering the interstate.

As the group of riders approaches each eastbound on- and off-ramp, drivers will not be allowed to enter, join, or pass the motorcycle procession. Surface streets may also experience congestion as the procession passes.

ISP and multiple local law enforcement agencies within Canyon, Ada, and Elmore counties will monitor traffic conditions and I-84 access at the following interchanges prior to, during, and after the ride concludes in Mountain Home at approximately 12:30 p.m.

Temporarily blocked on-ramps include: Franklin Boulevard, Garrity Boulevard, Ten Mile Road, Meridian Road, Eagle Road, Franklin Road/Milwaukee Street, the I-184 Wye, Cole Road/Overland Road, Orchard Street, Vista Avenue, Broadway Avenue, Gowen Road, Eisenman Road, East Boise Rest Area, Blacks Creek Road, East Boise Port of Entry, Mayfield Road, Simco Road, I-84B/Old U.S. 30 Exit 90, and Exit 95 in Mountain Home.

Eastbound I-84 travelers should plan for short delays to allow the motorcyclists to safely ride along the interstate. The ride will end at Carl Miller Park in Mountain Home, and regular traffic flow will then resume. The Idaho Patriot Thunder Ride benefits the Idaho Guard & Reserve Family Support Fund and Operation Warm Heart. For more information, click here for the registration website.

State Highway 55 and Banks-Lowman Road summer flagging schedule

As summer travel increases to Idaho’s mountain destinations, ITD’s Southwest Idaho office will also increase flagging resources at the busy State Highway 55 and Banks-Lowman Road intersection in Banks. ITD will flag traffic on the eight weekends expected to have the highest number of travelers due to local events and holidays. These weekends were selected in cooperation with a community working group involving Boise and Valley County community members.

Sunday, June 19
Independence Day, Monday, July 4
All remaining Sundays in July: 10, 17, 24, and 31
Sunday, August 7
Labor Day, Monday, September 5

Plan ahead for any road trip by checking 511.idaho.gov for the latest road conditions, and itdprojects.org for road construction work happening across the state. ITD asks drivers to please do your part to keep roads safe and prevent crashes. Slow down, drive engaged, and always buckle up.

US-93 Between Challis and Salmon to be closed Tuesday for emergency culvert replacement

CHALLIS – On Tuesday, June 7 at 8:00 am the Idaho Transportation Department will be closing US-93 north of Cow Creek Road between Challis and Salmon to replace a collapsed culvert. Work is expected to take approximately four hours. “Unfortunately, due to the nature of the work and the location we’ll have to close the road completely to replace the culvert,” said ITD Area Manager Cody Schmidt. “We’ll do everything we can to finish the repair as quickly as possible since there is no local detour route available.”

Gravel fill has been added to ensure the safety of the public until the repair can be completed. Drivers should slow when approaching the area and follow reduced speed limit signs to avoid windshield damage. Motorists are encouraged to check 511.idaho.gov or the 511 app for the latest updates on construction, detours, and road closures.