The 2023 construction season began today for U.S. Highway 95 south of Moscow. Work will take place near Eid Road and will include building a rock embankment for the site of the two new bridges and excavation on the north side of Reisenauer Hill. Controlled blasting is expected to resume weekly and continue throughout the spring.
Work in 2023 and 2024 will build two bridges over Eid Road and pave the new set of lanes. Each season of construction will generally occur between April and October.
Last year, earthwork was completed on more than 2.5 miles of the new alignment, putting the project at about 30 percent complete. More than $17 million has been spent so far on the project.
Expanding the highway to four lanes on a new alignment will not only add capacity and reduce travel times but also significantly improve safety.
It is anticipated that drivers will be able to take the new route in fall of 2024.
More project information is available at itdprojects.org/us95thorncreektomoscow.
As part of Governor Brad Little’s Leading Idaho initiative, the 2021 Idaho Legislature dedicated $126 million of one¬time funds from Idaho’s budget surplus to transportation projects statewide. The funds were split 60/40 between ITD and local jurisdictions. This project is partially paid for with ITD’s portion of the funds that will accelerate projects to replace bridges, restore pavements, and improve mobility in communities across Idaho.