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Transportation department seeks public comment on planned projects in North Idaho

Aerial shot of I-90 near state line.

The Idaho Transportation Department is seeking public comment from July 2 – August 2 on the FY 2020-26 draft of the Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP), and all transportation stakeholders are encouraged to participate.

The ITIP is a seven-year “roadmap” for planning and developing transportation projects, including:

  • Highways and bridges
  • Bicycle and pedestrian facilities
  • Highway safety
  • Railroad crossing safety
  • Airports
  • Public transportation
  • Transportation planning
  • Freight

The transportation department is offering an online, interactive map that allows users to choose specific project categories and learn about work that is planned for the area of Idaho they’re interested in. It’s called the Idaho Transportation Project Map.

View the draft ITIP and interactive map.

The draft ITIP document lists projects by highway route and location, identifies projected years for right-of-way acquisition, preliminary engineering, construction and estimated project costs. It also lists local construction projects that are federally funded.

The projects start in 2020, and go through 2026. Notable upcoming projects in North Idaho include:

As part of balancing the budget and the needs of the northern five counties, some project schedules were adjusted, including the redesign of the US-95/Lincoln Way/Walnut Avenue intersection in CDA. That project was delayed from 2021 to 2026.

Public comments will help the department determine if proposed projects meet the department’s three main objectives of improving safety, mobility and economic opportunity.

Production of the ITIP is a year-round process that relies on input from elected officials, citizens, tribal governments, other state and federal agencies, Idaho’s metropolitan planning organizations, the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council, and other interested organizations.

Comments can be e-mailed to adam.rush@itd.idaho.gov or mailed to ITIP – Comments, Attn: Adam Rush, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, ID  83707-1129. Paper or CD copies of the ITIP will be provided upon request by contacting Rush at (208) 334-8119 or by e-mail at adam.rush@itd.idaho.gov.

A request for a paper copy or CD also can be mailed to: Idaho Transportation Department, Adam Rush, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, ID  83707-1129.

A printed copy can be reviewed at any of ITD’s district offices in Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston, Boise, Shoshone, Pocatello and Rigby.

All comments on the draft will be reviewed after Aug. 2. After approval by the Idaho Transportation Board, the ITIP is submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.

US-20 in Idaho officially renamed as a Medal of Honor Highway during ceremony and sign unveiling in Caldwell

Medal of Honor Sign

Idaho Governor Brad Little, Idaho legislators, representatives from the Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Idaho Transportation Department officially celebrated the renaming of US-20 in Idaho as a Medal of Honor Highway this morning (July 1) in Caldwell.

During the 2019 Idaho legislative session, a bill co-sponsored by Senator Abby Lee and Representative Scott Syme called for US-20 in Idaho to be renamed as a Medal of Honor Highway. After unanimous approval by the Idaho Senate and House, Governor Little signed that bill this spring.

“The official renaming of US-20 in Idaho recognizes past, present, and even future Medal of Honor recipients for their great bravery in service to our country,” Governor Little said. “The timing of today’s ceremony couldn’t be more poignant, just days away from Independence Day and the celebration of our freedom, which would not exist without the sacrifices of America’s Medal of Honor recipients and all veterans.”

A ceremony and sign unveiling was hosted in Caldwell at one of the 11 locations across US-20 in southern Idaho, where new Medal of Honor signs will be installed.

US-20 in Idaho runs from the Oregon state line to the Montana border. The length of the highway spans from Oregon to Massachusetts.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart is working with each state that US-20 runs through with the goal of the entire length eventually being renamed a Medal of Honor Highway from coast to coast.

To earn the Medal of Honor, a member of the Armed Forces had to act with “with conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty at the risk of life during combat against an enemy of the United States.”

Extended closure on US-95 at Culdesac Canyon expected tonight

Photo of crane that fell June 29, 2019 while installing a temporary bridge for US-95 construction in Culdesac Canyon Phase 2.

Blasting and equipment removal are planned near ongoing work to add a passing lane in Culdesac Canyon on US-95, requiring intermittent, hours-long closures from 7 p.m. tonight to 4 a.m. tomorrow morning (July 2).

A blast is scheduled to start at 7 p.m., during which the road will be closed and not reopen until after debris is cleared, approximately 1.5 hours later.

Between 10 p.m. and 4 am, drivers can expect longer closures as crews remove a crane that fell Saturday afternoon onto US-95. Traffic will be allowed to pass around midnight, but between midnight and 4 a.m., drivers may not be able to pass through the area for up to three hours. No detours will be posted.

The crane fell while installing a temporary bridge. No one was injured during the incident, and crews were able to open US-95 to one lane later that afternoon.

Blasting operations are planned for the next two years in this area, with updates posted to 511.idaho.gov and displayed on message signs near the project. Traffic impacts are not expected July 3-5, though crews will be working in the area.

I-15/I-86 junction to the Fort Hall Boundary project finishes ahead of schedule before the Fourth of July

POCATELLO – All northbound and southbound lanes will open Tuesday, (July 2) on Interstate 15 from the I-15/I-86 junction north of Pocatello to the Fort Hall boundary, as the project has been completed earlier than anticipated.

Not expected to be completed until the end of July, Western Construction has finished the approximately four miles of roadway rehabilitation early, before the holiday weekend.

The Northgate Interchange project also will continue toward completion by the end of October. The speed limit will be maintained at 65 mph throughout the construction zones.

Please check 511.idaho.gov for current road conditions as you travel.

ITD lowers speed limit on I-84 in Caldwell to 65 MPH

I-84 speed limit reduction in Caldwell

Following a speed study of I-84 in the urbanized parts of the Treasure Valley, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is reducing the speed limit on the western side of Caldwell to 65 MPH.

The current speed limit on I-84 traveling west goes from 65 MPH to 80 MPH after the Notus/Parma Exit (Exit 26). Due to the high number of vehicles using Middleton Exit (Exit 25) both east- and westbound coupled with varying speeds of thru traffic and merging vehicles, the Department determined a speed reduction was warranted. The 65 MPH speed zone will now extend west of Exit 25. Crews will place new speed limit signs today.

“We observed significant variations in speeds, with entering traffic speeding up to merge with I-84 traffic, which was slowing for the speed limit change,” said ITD Traffic Technical Engineer Erika Bowen. “This resulted in a number of near misses between cars on the Interstate and those looking to enter. Given the high demand at the Middleton Exit, we believe the change will improve the driving conditions in this area.”

ITD routinely studies sections of the State Highways System to ensure the safety, mobility, and economic opportunity of the traveling public is best served. Staff looks at the pavement condition, crash history, geometry, signage, and observed driver behavior when considering changes to the highway.

Over the last five years, growth near the Middleton Exit has seen an increase of 5,000 vehicles per day added to this section of I-84. During the evening commute, congestion often occurs at Exit 25 causing backups on the westbound off-ramps. ITD is looking at solutions for this separate situation to improve the efficiency of the interchange.

City of Chubbuck and ITD partner to make safety improvements on US-91 in Chubbuck

CHUBBUCK – The city of Chubbuck and the Idaho Transportation Department have partnered to make safety improvements at the US-91 Yellowstone and Bullock Street intersection.

The city plans to start improvements around 5 a.m. on Sunday (June 23) and finish by early afternoon the same day.

The city’s safety improvement plans are to install traffic separators in the median from Breneman Street to the Chubbuck Interchange, which will make the intersection right-in, right-out access.

The Bullock Street & US-91 intersection is rated the 13th-highest crash location in the State of Idaho as of 2017. The need for safety improvements at this high-traffic intersection and for this section of roadway is a high priority for ITD and the city of Chubbuck.

Motorists are encouraged to check 511.idaho.gov for roadway information.

US-95 White Bird Grade paving begins next week

Resurfacing of White Bird Grade on US-95 is planned to start next week, with work beginning as early as Monday, June 24.

More than seven miles of the south side of the grade will be paved, with one lane open in each direction until construction is completed in August.

Work is expected during the day, with some weekend shifts possible. Paving is expected to start at the top of the grade and progress downhill.

Three runaway truck ramps will also be improved, requiring temporary closures. Larger vehicles will be notified at the top of the hill if any ramps are closed before descending.

Earlier this year, crews updated guardrail and signage in the area. More information on construction projects is available at itdprojects.org.

Open house June 18 for safety improvements near McArthur Lake on US-95

US-95 crosses near McArthur Lake

The public is invited to an open house next Tuesday, June 18 to learn about safety improvements planned for US-95 near McArthur Lake south of Naples.

The meeting will last from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Naples Elementary (145 Schoolhouse Road), with members of the public welcome to attend at any time to ask questions and give comment.

Planned to start construction in 2022, improvements include reconstructing one mile of the highway to realign sharp curves and replace the culvert at Deep Creek.

The culvert will be replaced with a 300-foot bridge with enough clearance for wildlife to pass underneath rather than cross the highway.

More information is available at itdprojects.org/us95mcarthurlake, and comments will be accepted online until July 2.

Public Meeting set for June 11 in Ashton to take input on Chester-to-Ashton Environmental Assessment

RIGBY – The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are initiating an Environmental Assessment (EA) to engage the public and evaluate impacts, risks, benefits, opportunities and costs associated with roadway improvements and reconstruction of US-20 between Chester and Ashton. The public is invited to attend an upcoming meeting to learn more about the EA and provide input.

A public meeting will be held Tuesday, June 11 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Ashton Community Center, 925 Main Street, Ashton, ID. The meeting is in an open-house format, so citizens are encouraged to attend any time during the three-hour period. Displays illustrating the study process, purpose, schedule, and geography will be available for review. Project staff will be available to provide information, discuss potential impacts, and answer questions about the study.

The Chester-to-Ashton segment of US-20 has not been redesigned since 1932. The current roadway design does not provide sufficient traffic flow or passing opportunities to accommodate growing traffic volumes. The pavement is also beyond routine service life, requiring improvements to the subgrade and drainage features as well as new pavement. Reconstruction also will provide the opportunity to include design elements for reducing crashes.

“ITD and FHWA’s purpose in preparing an EA is to develop and evaluate one or more practicable alternatives for addressing the needs of US-20 between Chester and Ashton,” said ITD’s eastern Idaho project manager Drew Meppen. “We look forward to visiting with the public and getting feedback on the project purpose and need, issues they are experiencing on the highway, and suggested alternatives for improvements.”

If citizens are unable to attend the meeting on June 11, displays and information will be available on the EA website the following day (https://itdprojects.org/projects/us20-chester-to-ashton-ea/). Comments on the materials can be sent to Andrea Gumm at agumm@langdongroup.inc or 208-220-5937. Comments are most helpful if received by July 11, 2019.

FHWA is the lead agency for the EA. The EA is being completed in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). For more information, please contact Gumm at the phone number or email address provided above.

ID-6 curve realignment near Potlatch begins next week

ID-6_Potlatch curves

Starting next week, contractors will begin constructing temporary lanes for a project to replace a bridge and realign curves on one mile east of Potlatch on Idaho Highway 6.

Work will start near Gold Creek as crews build temporary lanes around the existing structure to be used during its replacement. These temporary lanes will be in place from late June until the bridge is completed in late October.

Once the temporary lanes are completed, crews will start moving dirt for realignment of the highway. Work will progress from town towards the bridge, with most earthwork occurring off the existing road.

Speed will be reduced during construction due to trucks entering and exiting the highway and the temporary alignment over Gold Creek. Flaggers will periodically reduce the highway to one lane. Two lanes will be open outside of work hours.

Work to widen a sharp curve in Potlatch will begin in early October.  Drivers should expect only one lane with flaggers during the day and two lanes with gravel surfaces during non-working hours.

Construction is set to be complete by the end of October. Learn more at itdprojects.org/id6potlatchcurves.