U.S. Highway 20 Exit 333 for Rexburg will remain closed through Labor Day weekend and into next week. Contractors and crews have encountered multiple difficulties on site, including the breakage and repair of a main sewer line last week, causing unanticipated delays. The Idaho Transportation Department is now committed to Exit 333 being open ahead of the influx of university traffic on Friday, September 13.
While this primary exit into Rexburg has been closed during the month of August, ITD and contractor partners have repaired and rebuilt multiple city utilities, constructed and repaired drainage and irrigation systems, as well as removed and reconfigured the road itself. This work takes additional operational time now but will save city and community partners from having to close the roadway for infrastructure needs in the future.
“We know that Rexburg has endured a lot with construction this summer,” Project Manager Conner Huffaker said. “We hope people will continue to be patient for just a little longer and know that the end outcome will be a major improvement for the long-term future.”
Completion of all work on both Exit 332 for University Boulevard and Exit 333 for Main Street is still expected to be completed by late fall. Motorists should plan for continued construction near the interchanges until that time, with at least one lane of traffic open in both directions.
Exit 333 will reopen with the same diverging diamond interchange design as is now operating at exit 332. This traffic pattern is far more efficient than what was in place before and will greatly improve travel to and from Rexburg.
Further details about this project and how to drive the new design can be found at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/us20rexburg.
Operators with the Idaho Transportation Department have spent over 3,000 hours clearing hazard trees from more than 12 miles of highways in the Panhandle this summer.
“In 2023 we initiated a statewide roadside tree assessment and enhanced removal plan to understand the scope of work to expand our ability to address Idaho highway hazards, “ confirms ITD Chief Deputy Director Dan McElhinney, “Working with federal partners and local owners, we have taken lead in clearing highway adjacent hazard trees for improving errant driver safety recovery zones, wildlife visibility, and fire protection widths by using innovative new cutting equipment resources for ITD employees and now adding contracts with local firms to tackle larger removal projects with ITD during the next few years.”
This summer alone ITD maintenance operators addressed a five-mile stretch of State Highway 5 near Heyburn State Park, roughly four miles of State Highway 54 between Athol and Farragut State Park, a three-mile stretch of State Highway 97, multiple zones adjacent to I-90 and several emergency tree removals across State Highway 57 after falls across the roadway.
Next year the department plans to work with the Priest River Ranger District to clear all 37 miles along State Highway 57. Besides making the road safer for travelers, tree removal is also heavily supported from the perspective of the U.S. Forest Service as a fire break through this densely wooded area between Priest River and Priest Lake.
This year staff in North Idaho were also able to test out several new machines to best utilize funding for equipment. One operation planned for two days along Interstate 90 was completed in just four hours with the use of a FAE Forestry Mulcher. The mulcher not only grinds downed trees to eliminate the cost and work of waste removal, but also has the capability to cut and fall trees up to 18 inches in diameter, which represent the vast majority of trees within the roadway clear zone. With the help of its cutting and falling capabilities, this single-operator mulcher also enhances safety by eliminating the need for sawyers to work on the ground within the fall zone.
ITD plans to continue its focus on tree removal along highways by working with agency and utility partners, dedicating staff time to this effort and purchasing new equipment to make operations safer and more efficient.
The Idaho Transportation Department will begin preparations next week to replace the Fleming Creek Bridge on State Highway 55 near Banks. Work is expected to begin Wednesday, Sept. 4 and is anticipated to be completed in spring 2025.
Fleming Creek runs under SH-55 toward the Payette River approximately 3.7 miles south of Banks. The current bridge is a culvert and has reached the end of its design life.
During construction, motorists can expect a reduced speed limit, 11-foot width restrictions and no shoulders on SH-55 throughout the work zone. Most work will take place Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be intermittent night work and lane closures from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Flaggers and a temporary traffic signal will direct motorists during lane closures.
“We are completing the majority of work from fall 2024 to spring 2025,” said ITD project manager Greer Gardner. “Our hope is that doing this project during the ‘off-season’ will help alleviate traffic congestion and delays along State Highway 55.”
For more information on this project, visit itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/55-fleming-creek.
Starting Tuesday, our partners with the BNSF Railway will begin work on their crossing at State Highway 54 in Athol that will require the closure of this intersection for two days.
During this time drivers will need to utilize an alternate route around the work area.
Updates about this closure will be available through the Idaho 511 system, either online, by phone, or through the ap.
The Idaho Transportation Department will begin maintenance work next week on the 18th Street Bridge over Interstate 84 in Mountain Home. Crews plan to start repairs Thursday night, with the project expected to be completed this fall.
Motorists and area residents can expect:
- 18th Street over I-84 will close nightly between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- Traffic will be detoured to NE Reservoir Road, U.S. Highway 20/26 and 8th Street.
- Work may be noisy.
Improvements on this bridge include:
- Repairing roadway cracks to enhance safety and durability.
- Applying an epoxy overlay to protect the driving surface from water damage.
- Completing joint work to allow the bridge to flex and accommodate changes in weather and heavy loads.
- Adding bearing pads to reduce vibration and evenly distribute the weight of traffic across the structure.
The safety of crews and motorists is important to ITD. Please use caution when driving through the work zone. To plan your route in advance, visit 511.idaho.gov.
To learn more about the project or sign up for construction updates, visit the project website at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/84bridges, or text 84BRIDGES to 1-866-483-8422.
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 511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours. Project details are available here on ITD’s projects website.
Beginning tomorrow drivers can expect to see the return of temporary traffic signals through the end of the week on US-95 near McArthur Lake as guardrail and temporary barrier are installed. By the end of Friday traffic is expected to be shifted onto the bridge, at which time, the temporary signals will be permanently removed.
The adjacent shoofly–the temporary roadway that was constructed last year to divert traffic around the bridge–will begin excavation and work to complete the wildlife underpass will begin.
This project will continue to require reduced lanes, speeds, and intermittent flagging as crews continue to work. Trucks will also be entering and exiting the highway during work days to haul excavated material.
Ongoing updates regarding traffic impacts can be found using the Idaho 511 system.
This project is expected to be completed in late October. Some work, such as final paving, will be dependent on weather conditions as we approach the fall season.
Starting today several high priority culverts at multiple locations along U.S. Highway 95, State Highway 8, and State Highway 3 will be rehabilitated. To extend the culverts’ service lives, they need to be repaired.
The repairs will be conducted in the following order and locations:
- SH-8 just past Troy at milepost 16
- SH-3 between Kendrick and Deary at milepost 27
- US-95 south of Grangeville and near White Bird Grade at mileposts 238 and 239
Motorists should exercise caution when traveling through the work zones. Crews will try to minimize impacts to traffic and most of the work should be off the roadway.
Each culvert should take about a week to complete before crews move on to the next one. All of the culvert repairs are estimated to take about a month to complete.
Culvert liners will be installed, and scour holes will be repaired. In addition, some trees may be removed, and rock will be placed to armor the inlets and outlets. This work will ultimately extend their useful life, avoiding more extensive repairs and disruptions to traffic in the future.
Live traffic impacts across the region can be found by visiting 511.idaho.gov. Travelers can also dial 5-1-1 or download the app.
The Idaho Transportation Department is beginning construction to widen Interstate 15 to three lanes in each direction between the Northgate and Fort Hall interchanges to accommodate projected increases in traffic volumes. This Leading Idaho multi-year project includes widening I-15, constructing a median barrier to separate opposing lanes of traffic and reconstructing bridge structures, including overpasses and underpasses, to accommodate the additional lanes.
Motorists can expect to see traffic control devices in the project area as early as Monday morning. Work has been phased to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction during the day for most of the project. However, motorists should be aware some nighttime work will require single-lane closures.
This fall, crews will shift traffic to create the space they need to build a median wall, reconstruct structures, and demolish and reconstruct the existing northbound lanes of the interstate.
During construction, motorists should expect:
- Nighttime work begins the week of August 19 and will continue for the first couple weeks of construction. Work will occur from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Nighttime single-lane closures may happen occasionally after this period.
- Daytime work is expected to begin early this fall and will occur between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- Lane restrictions will occur on I-15. Most work requiring lane restrictions is anticipated to occur at night.
- Ramp adjustments will occur at the Fort Hall Interchange (Exit 80) to match the grade of the new mainline.
- Variable speed limit signs will be installed in the project area, allowing ITD to lower speeds when crews are working near traffic.
Construction is anticipated to be completed in 2027. The project will increase capacity and improve safety on I-15 to serve East Idaho’s growing transportation volumes for years to come.
Due to the large project area, the widening of this stretch of I-15 has been divided into two projects with separate contractors. These contractors will work simultaneously to complete the projects. Western Construction, Inc. and Sundt Construction are the contractors for the north and south project areas, respectively.
Construction is being funded as part of Idaho Governor Brad Little’s Leading Idaho transportation funding initiative. The Leading Idaho initiative allows ITD to take a deliberate approach to advance large projects that will enhance safety, improve mobility, further strengthen Idaho’s economy, and positively impact communities across the state for years to come.
To sign up for project updates:
Starting next week, crews will begin utilizing temporary traffic signals on State Highway 200. These signals will operate 24 hours a day and reduce the roadway to one lane on the east end of the work zone.
The temporary traffic signals are expected to be in place until for approximately two weeks as crews work to construct a new embankment along the south shoulder of the highway and create the space necessary to expand the highway to include a new center turn lane.
This work also includes milling down through the existing eastbound lane to tie the new and original roadway surfaces together. Available space for through traffic will be limited to a single lane warranting the use of temporary signals around the clock, even outside of working hours. Previously the roadway has only been reduced to one lane during working hours with traffic returned to its normal configuration during nights and weekends.
During this time drivers should continue to expect delays, especially during peak times of the morning and evening commute.
Crews remain mindful of congestion and will take all reasonable steps to minimize the amount of delay drivers experience.
The Idaho Transportation Department appreciates the ongoing patience of motorists throughout this process. The new roadway will deliver a significantly improved corridor to the Kootenai community later this fall.
Once this phase of work is complete both temporary signals will be removed; however, there may be a possibility for intermittent, short term flagging operations after the removal of the signals.
By mid-September motorists can expect notable improvement in the ease of mobility through the construction zone.
This project is on track for final completion of all phases by mid- to late-October.
