Starting the week of August 19 crews will return to the Long Bridge in Sandpoint and begin resurfacing the roadway. The driving surface was ground down earlier this spring to increase traction and make it safer for travel.
Work will occur overnight Monday through Friday, running from 7:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. with an expected completion date in mid-September.
During nighttime construction hours traffic will be reduced to a single, alternating lane with flaggers and pilot cars guiding motorists safely through the work zone. Drivers should expect nighttime delays throughout the month and plan ahead.
As a reminder, drivers are encouraged to slow down through work zones and stay alert behind the wheel for the safety of our crews.
Motorists can utilize the Idaho 511 system for real-time updates about ongoing traffic impacts in the area.
Beginning this morning, traffic patterns are changing at the System Interchange in Pocatello. Traffic using the southbound entrance ramp from Northgate can now merge with the new southbound alignment and will no longer be detoured through the Interstate 86 Chubbuck Exit before returning to Interstate 15.
In addition, southbound I-15 traffic wishing to travel west on I-86 will now drive over the new Chubbuck bridge before exiting to the right.
Motorists are encouraged to keep up-to-date via 511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours. Project details are available here on ITD’s projects website.
Any improvement to the 511 Idaho Traveler Information System represents a customer-service milestone for the thousands of Gem State drivers who have signed up for alerts through the system. One of the improvements from this past year also benefits ITD’s internal customers – engineers, inspectors, project managers, and maintenance personnel.
Polygon shape for drawing boundaries in the 511 app
The improvement involves including an “end of project” notification via email and text, so users know how long the project will be impacting their commute or drive. If the project goes beyond the time expected, that information is also relayed. The email notification was accomplished fairly easily, but the text notification involves an update from the 511 vendor, which should be done within a few weeks.
The 511 user can signify the area they want notifications for by drawing it on a map once they log in to their account. “So if you wanted to know of any work within a 50-mile radius of your commute route, for instance, you could do that,” says 511 Coordinator Barton Phelps. The map to the left shows a “boundary” map selected in the system.
In addition to alerting users as to the end date for projects, an improvement was also added that provides a notice of upcoming projects that could impact the travel area up to 72 hours in advance of the start of the work.
Sections of State Highway 3 and U.S. Highway 12 remain closed as part of the ongoing emergency response as several wildfires sparked by Wednesday’s lightning storm continue to burn across North Central Idaho. All lanes on SH-3 are closed from Julietta to Arrow. US 12 remains closed from Spalding to Peck at the time of this release.
For current information, please continue to reference the following sources below:
Travel information such as closures and roadway conditions – Idaho 511 – https://511.idaho.gov/.
ITD resources and personnel have been mobilized from Coeur d’Alene to Lewiston to assist with the fires. Coordination with county and state law enforcement partners continues as well.
The safety of the public is a priority so please avoid the area. Therefore, only essential travel at this time is encouraged. The department and first responders appreciate your cooperation during this dynamic and evolving situation.
Several sections of State Highway 21, State Highway 75, State Highway 24, State Highway 81, and State Highway 77 will begin receiving surface treatment as early as Monday. Seal coating will begin in Stanley and move through the Wood River Valley for about a month. The sections listed below are in the order that work will be performed:
Stanley SH 21 for .41 miles
Galena SH 75 for 11.56 miles
Ohio Gulch SH 75 2.82 miles
SH 24
SH 81
SH 77
Lane closures will be in effect while crews work on each section. A pilot car will be in place to guide traffic. Drivers should expect delays and consider alternate routes when available.
Seal coating helps extend the life of pavement, reduce the amount of damage done by weather and give a water-resistant surface.
Work should be completed by the beginning of September. For live traffic updates go to Idaho 511
As preliminary work continues for the Interstate 90 bridges near Cataldo, crews are installing a temporary work bridge across the Coeur d’Alene River. The bridge will allow personnel and equipment access to the interstate bridges during demolition and construction.
The project is scheduled to extend from 2024 to 2026. For safety, during this time recreational access and use of the river near the construction zone will be restricted for 500 feet on both sides of the bridges.
Starting as early as next week, all marine traffic will be directed to the east side of the river until safe passage beneath the temporary bridge is established. At that time access will be restricted and through-passage on the river will be closed weekly Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the remainder of the 2024 construction season while crews work above the river. Examples of activities that will be restricted within the work zone include, but are not limited to, boating, kayaking, swimming, tubing, and fishing.
In late fall these restrictions will be lifted and the river will be accessible over winter months.
For both the 2025 and 2026 construction seasons, restrictions will once again be in effect from April through November inhibiting access, use and passage Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Construction will take scheduled breaks during the major summer holidays each season and access to the river will be available for recreation.
Signs will be posted locally at boat launches and access points that will update users of restrictions or changes throughout the construction process.
Ongoing updates for I-90 traffic impacts for this project, and projects all across the state, are available on Idaho 511 by phone, online, or on the app.
Several sections of U.S. Highway 95, U.S. Highway 12 and State Highway 11 will begin receiving surface treatments as early as Monday. Motorists can expect work zones with flaggers and one lane of alternating traffic. The sections listed below are in the order that work will be performed:
US-12 from 9-Mile River access (just east of Wilderness Gateway Campground) to the Montana state line.
SH-11 from Grangemont Road to Headquarters.
US-95 from White Bird Bridge to near the top of White Bird Grade.
US-95 from the Goff (Time Zone) Bridge to Riggins.
Each of these sealcoats are anticipated to take between one to two weeks to complete before crews move on to the next section of highway.
Drivers are encouraged to slow down and be ready to stop when approaching a work zone. Delays may range from 15 to 30 minutes. Patience is appreciated for the safety of crews.
Sealcoats are necessary applications that preserve the road and improve the driving surface by waterproofing the roadway and increasing skid resistance for safety. Some additional crack sealing may be performed as part of this restorative maintenance.
Construction will conclude by the end of August. 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.
Beginning tomorrow evening the north-to-west ramp of the System Interchange at Pocatello will be periodically closed to allow for girder placement for a new bridge.
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.
Closures are scheduled for:
Wednesday from 9:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m.
Friday from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
Monday July 22 from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
Wednesday July 24 from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
Thursday July 25 from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
Traffic traveling north on I-15 wishing to proceed west on I-86 toward Chubbuck will be detoured through the Northgate Interchange.
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.
While this work continues, weather is a major factor for the timing of closures. Motorists are encouraged to keep up-to-date via 511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours. Project details are available here on ITD’s projects website.
The Idaho Transportation Department will begin the first of two ramp closures on Monday along Interstate 84. These closures are necessary in order to safely pave the ramps.
To minimize traffic impacts, ITD will conduct nighttime paving on both ramps. Each closure will begin at 8 p.m. and will reopen to traffic the following day by 5:30 a.m. Traffic control will be in place prior to any closures. The scheduled ramp closures, which are weather dependent, are as follows:
July 15: I-84 Eagle Road eastbound off-ramp
July 16: I-84 Eagle Road westbound off-ramp
July 17: I-84 Eagle Road westbound off-ramp
“While a standard pothole patch might last a few months to a year, the repairs we achieve with these overnight closures will last multiple years. This not only minimizes the need for constant maintenance but also significantly reduces the disruption for drivers,” Field Operations Manager Eric Copeland said.
Drivers are encouraged to use the Idaho 511 system by phone, online, or through the app for updated closure information.
Construction by the Union Pacific Railroad is underway to extend a siding track line near Parma that will result in the closure of the railroad crossing on Deb Lane and loss of direct access to U.S. Highway 20/26. Work began on Tuesday, and the permanent closure of the railroad crossing will occur on July 26.
To access US-20/26 after the crossing is removed, drivers should instead cross the railroad line and access the highway via the U.S. Highway 95 Interchange to the west. Crews will build a cul-de-sac at the end of Deb Lane so vehicles can turn around.
Changes were collectively agreed upon between the Union Pacific Railroad, the Idaho Transportation Department and the Notus-Parma Highway District #2. Increased rail activity is expected with the extension of the track line. Given increased train activity and the proximity of other crossings, stakeholders agreed it was appropriate to permanently close the Deb Lane crossing.
Starting as early as next week, all marine traffic will be directed to the east side of the river until safe passage beneath the temporary bridge is established. At that time access will be restricted and through-passage on the river will be closed weekly Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the remainder of the 2024 construction season while crews work above the river. Examples of activities that will be restricted within the work zone include, but are not limited to, boating, kayaking, swimming, tubing, and fishing.
