Beginning next week, crews will be installing the permanent traffic signal structure and advance warning lights at the intersection of State Highway 53 and Ramsey Road east of Rathdrum.
The existing temporary signal was originally installed in 2019 to help with congestion while traffic was detoured during construction of the interchange at SH-53 an US-95. Construction for roadway improvements and widening to this intersection were completed in 2023 with the addition of right and left turn lanes on both roadways to improve safety and accommodate increasing volumes of traffic.
This permanent signal installation will finalize the project and should be completed over the course of two weeks. During that time there may be temporary lane reductions or closures to accommodate crews and equipment as they work.
Plan ahead by using Idaho 511 online, on your phone or on the app for updates and delays.
Nighttime work on the Long Bridge south of Sandpoint is scheduled to begin in early March to reinforce and protect the driving surface.
Taking advantage of the mild winter weather, crews are getting a jump start on this project early in the season by first grinding down the existing roadway. Crews will then return in the summer to resurface the bridge to provide better traction and protect it from regular wear and tear from traffic and the weather.
This initial phase is expected to take up to two weeks, and all work will be completed overnight from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. to avoid slowing down traffic during the day. Flaggers will be staged at either end of the bridge allowing a single, alternating lane of traffic to pass while crews work their way across the structure. This work is largely dependent on weather conditions. Digital messaging boards will be used to alert drivers ahead of the anticipated start date.
Work later this summer will take approximately one month to complete. During this time, drivers will encounter a similar experience during nighttime hours with traffic reduced to a single lane.
Project Manager Steve Nettleton explains that this work is necessary upkeep on the bridge surface.
“By doing this work now, we’re able to take a different approach to grinding the deck and get the work done much quicker,” Nettleton said.
Drivers should pay attention to digital messaging boards, and plan ahead for delays by utilizing Idaho’s 511 system for real-time updates.
The 2024 Aviation Safety Stand Down for the thousands of pilots and aviation enthusiasts, is just around the corner. This FREE event is slated for Saturday, March 9 at the Nampa Civic Center, from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
This year, The Idaho Division of Aeronautics (Aero) will focus on backcountry safety, including backcountry medical care. Since most accidents occur in the flight pattern, we have sessions on ways to reduce loss-of-control accidents. This will include a stall/spin refresher and a discussion of float-plane operations. See the schedule for more details.
This event is sponsored by Aero, which exists to “encourage, foster, and assist in the development of aeronautics in the state.” This includes managing 32 state-owned airports, helping Idaho airports with state and federal grants for maintenance and construction, assisting communities with zoning decisions near airports, promoting aviation safety, inspiring kids to enter careers in aviation, and coordinating aviation search and rescue.
If you are involved in aviation safety and wish to have tablespace at the event, please contact Aero, or simply want more info regarding the event, please email idaho.aeronautics@itd.idaho.gov or call 208-334-8775 for additional information.
Register with your FAA WINGS email address for WINGS Credit.
See the registration link for the full agenda.
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is beginning construction on the I-84, Karcher Interchange in Nampa on Monday as part of the Leading Idaho program. Improvements will increase safety and mobility at the interchange and along State Highway 55 (SH-55)/ Karcher Road between the westbound ramps and Sundance Road. Construction is expected to be complete in fall 2025.
Motorists will see overnight lane closures on I-84 starting Monday, Feb. 19. Crews will shift traffic to create a work zone and begin building the third lane on the overpass bridge.
During the project, motorists can expect:
- All lanes open during the day.
- I-84 overnight closures for traffic shifts, bridge work and girder placement.
- Major work will take place at night from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. with one lane open in each direction on Karcher Road.
- Bike lanes and sidewalks in the project area will be detoured.
- Access to local businesses will be open.
- Speed limits will be reduced.
“The Karcher Interchange’s design life has been outpaced by the huge amounts of growth Nampa has seen recently,” Resident Engineer Andrew Linder said. “The work on the interchange will account for this growth by adding capacity and improving safety. ITD is making every effort to minimize impacts to businesses in the area and the traveling public.”
Improvements will include:
- Reconfiguring westbound and eastbound off-ramps to improve safety and traffic flow, and increase capacity.
- Widening the interchange bridge to provide a dedicated lane for the westbound off-ramp traffic to travel westbound on Karcher Road (SH-55).
- Adjusting signals at ramp intersections, Caldwell Blvd and Cassia St.
- Adding a third westbound lane and dedicated right turn lane at the intersection of Karcher Road (SH-55) and Caldwell Boulevard.
- Adding a pedestrian flashing beacon at the I-84 eastbound on-ramp and widening some sidewalks within project limits.
- Repaving Karcher Road (SH-55) from the westbound on-ramps to Middleton Road.
This project is funded with Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds as a part of Governor Little’s Leading Idaho TECM program. This initiative allows ITD to address rapid growth and aging infrastructure in critical corridors throughout the state.
For more information:
The Idaho Transportation Department has extended the online comment period for a project to improve State Highway 75 between Bellevue and Broadway Run. Community members are encouraged to visit the online open house and submit feedback until Feb. 28 at SH-75: Bellevue to Broadway Run | ITD Projects (idaho.gov).
Plans include widening SH-75 to two lanes in each direction and improving specific intersections between McKercher Boulevard and Timber Way, and between Birch Street and Fox Acres Road. Plans also include improvements to the Gannett Road intersection and transit improvements at the Broadway Run intersection.
ITD hosted an in-person open house on Jan. 30 in Hailey and originally planned to close the comment period today.
“We had an outstanding turnout at the open house in January with 180 people showing up,” Project Manager Mark Campbell said. “We want to ensure all community members have the opportunity learn about the project and send in their feedback, so we’re accepting comments for another two weeks.”
Final design plans are expected to be completed later this year. Details about the project are available at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/sh75bellevue.
Got plans for the Big Game this weekend? The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) wants to remind football (and Taylor Swift) fans that plans aren’t complete until they include a sober ride home.
Idaho Office of Highway Safety (OHS) data shows that during the Big Game weekend in 2022, there were 20 impaired driving crashes in Idaho and one person was killed.
“Some fans are spending a lot of energy figuring out whether Taylor Swift will make it to the big game in time,” said Highway Safety Manager Josephine Middleton. “Don’t let your night turn into one of her songs like “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” spend some time planning how you’re getting home after the game.”
If you’re hosting a party, make sure everyone has a plan to get home safely. That might include a designated driver, calling a rideshare or cab, or offering them a safe place to stay until they are sober.
The Idaho Transportation Department is hosting an online public meeting to inform the public about the design of an eastbound auxiliary lane on eastbound Interstate 84 between the Meridian Road and Eagle Road interchanges. This additional lane to enter and exit I-84 will reduce congestion between these interchanges, making it safer for drivers to access the freeway.
The online meeting is available from Feb. 13 through Feb. 28 at: https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-84-meridian-interchange-to-eagle.
The online meeting provides the public with an opportunity to learn about design details. The project also involves necessary modifications for a two-lane eastbound on-ramp at the Meridian Interchange and a two-lane eastbound off-ramp at the Eagle Interchange. An additional right turn lane will be added to the eastbound off-ramp intersection at Eagle Road.
The comment period for the online meeting closes on Feb. 28.
For more information about the project, please visit https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-84-meridian-interchange-to-eagle.
Idaho students age 5-18 are encouraged to demonstrate their artistic skills under the theme “Careers in Aerospace” in the annual Aviation Art Contest through the Idaho Division of Aeronautics. The contest is open now through April 5, with winners announced May 3.
Age-group winners (categories listed below) received the following awards/recognition:
- First place winners:
- Invitation to ride in an airplane
- Copy of their artwork signed by our Governor
- Congratulatory letter
- Second place winners:
- Receive $25 in art supplies
- Congratulatory letter
The rules are as follows:
- Submit original artwork
- Paper size must be 11” x 17” (Landscape orientation)
- Must be two-dimensional watercolor, acrylic or oil, colored pencil, felt-tip marker, ballpoint
- pen, pen and ink, and/or crayon
- Must have a completed Certificate of Authenticity attached securely to the back of the piece of artwork (see link below for certificate)
- No pencil, charcoal, collage, digital, or clip art
Artwork Categories by Age:
Age Group I: 5–6 years old
Age Group II: 7–9 years old
Age Group III: 10–12 years old
Age Group IV: 13–15 years old
Age Group V: 16–18 years old
Winners will also be featured in the 2025 Aviation Art Calendar
See the Entry Form under the “Safety & Education” tab on the Aeronautics webpage at the ITD website or this link.
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is beginning construction on Feb. 12 to replace the South Jerome Interchange on I-84 (Exit 168). This multi-year project includes upgrading the current interchange, installing new traffic signals, adding a sidewalk and bike lane to the Lincoln Avenue Bridges and improving local roads.
In 2024, crews will begin improvements to Bob Barton Road, East Frontage Road North and Lincoln Avenue. Flagging is expected to occur on Bob Barton Road the week of Feb. 12 so crews can begin irrigation work, and the road will close for approximately three months starting in early March so it can be repaved. East Frontage Road North will also be closed in late February.
During the rest of 2024, crews will build temporary eastbound and westbound off-ramps, which will be used when constructing the permanent off-ramps. Work will also begin on the new bridges, the eastbound off-ramp and the westbound on-ramp.
During construction, motorists should expect:
- Most work will occur Monday – Saturday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Intermittent nighttime closures on I-84 will be necessary for bridge work, girder placement and traffic shifts.
- Traffic shifts and ramp changes will occur.
- Road closures will occur on Lincoln Avenue, Bob Barton Road and East Frontage Road North in March. Detours will be in place.
- Speed limits will be reduced.
The South Jerome Interchange was originally built in 1966 and has reached the end of its design life. The new interchange will increase capacity and improve safety on the interchange to serve South-central Idaho for years to come.
Construction is anticipated to be completed in 2026. To sign up for project updates:
Western Construction, Inc. is the contractor for this $54.4 million project.
Starting February 1, 2024, Idaho Motor Carrier Services will no longer accept the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 2290 Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax Returns (HVUT) filings for forwarding to the IRS. This includes in-person locations, by mail, by drop box, or e-mail.
Instead, carriers must file directly with the IRS either by mail or online.
If filing by mail, the address is provided on the 2290 instructions. The IRS estimates 6 weeks of processing time, so please plan accordingly.
If filing online, go to the e-file providers section of the www.irs.gov website and select an IRS-approved provider from the list.
Once filing of the 2290 form is complete, the IRS will email a watermarked Schedule 1. This is the proof of HVUT filing. Federal rules require that carriers provide it when applying for vehicle registration that reflects a gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more.
Motor Carrier Services cannot accept the receipt-stamped or e-filed Schedule 1 if there are errors, or if it is filed for the wrong tax year. To ensure the right tax year is selected, use the online HVUT filing period tool.
If you have any questions please contact Motor Carrier Services at 208-334-8611
