Testing scheduled in May and June at Clearwater Memorial Bridge

The Idaho Transportation Department has scheduled a series of tests in May and June near the Clearwater Memorial Bridge on US-12 in Lewiston. The tests will help develop plans to widen and repair the bridge, with work currently scheduled in 2023.

This weekend a hole will be drilled into the southeast corner of the bridge to examine soil quality, requiring the closure of the sidewalk.

Shortly after, river users will see a barge next to the bridge. From the barge crews will analyze the riverbed to help determine the best way to increase the bridge’s weight capacity. This testing will not affect recreational activities on the Clearwater River.

The existing structure was constructed in 1951, and some of its components are nearing the end of their service life.

“ITD is making major plans to improve the bridge to ensure that it will serve the region for many years into the future,” ITD project manager Curtis Arnzen said. “This project will improve the area’s safety, functionality and economic opportunity.”

An open house will be held in June to introduce the project and gather comments.

For more information, visit itdprojects.org/us12memorialbridge.

Additional overnight detour planned for I-84/86 Salt Lake Interchange project east of Burley

Traffic will be detoured Thursday, May 30 for motorists heading eastbound on Interstate 84 from Burley toward Pocatello as crews work to complete girder placement on the newly constructed bridge.

This is part of the Salt Lake Interchange replacement project, underway since May of last year. Construction is scheduled to finish by late 2020.

This temporary traffic pattern is expected to be in effect between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. while the girders are placed.

Drivers should still anticipate reduced speeds through the work zone and pay close attention to signage which will be in place to safely direct motorists through the area.

Wadsworth Brothers Construction, of Draper, Utah is the prime contractor on this project.

Highway sealcoat project to occur near Buhl

Weather permitting, sealcoat work is expected to begin Wednesday, May 29 on Idaho Highway 46 near Buhl (MP 85 – 91). This is the final stage of the US-30 to Ken Curtis Bridge paving project which occurred last year.

Sealcoating is a roadway surface treatment that takes place during the summer months and helps preserve and extend the lifetime of Idaho’s roadways. It also provides a skid-resistant surface for better vehicle traction. The process requires hot temperatures and dry weather for chips to properly adhere to oil that is deposited on the highway.

When the sealcoat is applied, the roadway will be reduced to one lane. Motorists should anticipate short delays and watch for the presence of flaggers or pilot cars.

Chips placed during the sealcoating process have potential to cause windshield damage so drivers are cautioned to slow down and pay attention to reduced speeds and no passing zones throughout the work area. Work is anticipated to be complete within two days.

Memorial Day Travel Advisory for Treasure Valley residents

Memorial Day weekend is nearly upon us, and ITD is issuing the follow travel advisory to inform those planning to drive from the Boise area of conditions on and along the area highways.

Construction Impacts

Interstate 84

There are two projects active on I-84 to the east and west of the Boise area.

Bridge rehabilitation on the bridge over Purple Sage Road west of Caldwell has reduced the Interstate to a single lane in each direction. Speed limits are reduced and motorists should anticipate delays.

Pavement rehabilitation and construction of a third westbound lane are active east of Mountain Home. Motorists will be channeled into a single lane and speed limits are reduced.

U.S. 95

There are two construction projects that will have active impacts over the weekend. Both are bridge replacements that currently have only one travel lane. The first project is located approx. 10 miles north of Council. The second is the Little Rainbow Bridge, approx. 13 miles north of New Meadows. Both construction zones are controlled by temporary signals. Motorists should anticipate delays on this route.

Idaho Highway 55

One active project on ID-55 is the repavement of the highway south of Smiths Ferry. Work will be suspended starting Friday, May 24 and not resume until Tuesday, May 28. Motorists should use caution in the area and obey traffic signs. There will be uneven surfaces as the project remains partially constructed.

Another project on ID-55 in Canyon County is the bridge and road reconstruction in Marsing. Construction impacts will remain active over the weekend. Travel will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Motorists should expect delays in the area.

Travel Conditions

Prolonged rainfall and cooler temperatures mean the mountains are saturated. This increases the risk of rockfall and mudslides. Motorists should be aware of the possibility of hazards on the road and drive with caution. Remember to remove distractions and Drive Well, focusing on the important task of engaged driving.

Congestion is common on these mountain highways during summer holidays. In particular, the intersection of ID-55 and Banks-Lowman Road sees heavy traffic. To mitigate this increase, ITD will flag this intersection on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day.

ITD is encouraging vehicles traveling from the Sun Valley region to the Boise area consider alternate routes or travel outside the busiest times (noon to early evening) to avoid delays at the intersection of ID-55 and Banks-Lowman Rd.

Be sure to check 511 before leaving to see the latest road conditions and impacts. You can call, visit the website, or download the app for Apple or Android devices.

Priest River slide repairs begin

Cones show one slide on ID-57 north of Priest River.

Work began Monday, May 20 to repair two slides that fell in April 2017 on ID-57 just north of Priest River. Repairs are expected to take about one month, during which the highway will be reduced to one lane with a temporary signal present to guide alternating traffic.

On the west side of the highway, crews will excavate material and construct a rock inlay to help stabilize the slope. On the east side, gabion baskets, or cages full of rocks, will be installed. The highway will also be reconstructed.

Earthworks Northwest is constructing improvements for approximately $540,000.

For updates, visit the project website at itdprojects.org/id57priestriverslides.

Adopt-A-Highway volunteers find treasures among the trash

Gretchen Sherlin holds a $100 bill, found while collecting litter along ID-20

Overlooked and underappreciated, those that collect trash along Idaho’s highways give more than they receive. But among the discarded plastic, paper, and aluminum Adopt-A-Highway volunteers Mike Harkins and Gretchen Sherlin have found their own reward.

The couple moved to Mountain Home two years ago, and soon began their charity. Clad in orange and wielding pokers, they picked their way along miles of desert. U.S. Highway 20 is a hot spot.

Mike Harkins stands beneath the Adopt-A-Highway sign with his and Gretchen's name — *Mike Harkins stands beneath the Adopt-A-Highway sign with his and Gretchen’s name*

Day by day, the faithful pair collected what would soon become a mountain of trash.

“We decided to start counting the number of cans we collected,” said Gretchen. “After one year, we have picked up 18,666.”

Their affinity for detail is the benefit to the community. Mike and Gretchen have recycled those cans, taking the time to remove the tabs and donate them to the Ronald McDonald House in Boise.

The cleanup does more than beautify the land. Besides the broken glass, twine, and disposable diapers, discarded items open up mysteries of personal stories.

“We’ve found cell phones, a laptop computer, a hide-a-bed,” said Gretchen. “We even found a certificate and plaque for a military person’s achievements.”

The couple also stumbles on their fair share of action.

“This past spring we were picking up trash along a rural road,” said Gretchen. “We noticed a herd of cattle and there was a cow frantically running back and forth, calling for her calf that was outside the fence. Realizing the drama unfolding before us, I herded the little calf about 1/4 mile on foot to a gate that my husband had opened, reuniting the little calf with its mother.”

The driving force for Mike and Gretchen is to improve the land and “giving the critters that live in the desert a cleaner habitat.”

It seems all that good karma pays off. While making the rounds, movement caught Gretchen’s eye. It was a piece of paper. Stooping down to pick up the piece of trash, as she’s done thousands of times before, Gretchen discovered this was no mere cast-off but a $100 bill, it’s previous owner nowhere in sight.

Was it a coincidence? A thank you from Mother Earth? Perhaps we’ll never know, but that piece of paper put a spring in Mike and Gretchen’s step as they collect a thousand more.

Interested in joining the Adopt-A-Highway program? Contact ITD at (208) 334-8000 or visit us online at www.itd.idaho.gov/road-mtce/?target=volunteer-activities.

I-84 will be detoured overnight May 22-23 for utility work

A line of power poles ready for electrical wires

Interstate 84 will be closed between the Karcher/Midland and Northside interchanges from 10 p.m. Wednesday, May 22 to 5 a.m. Thursday, May 23 to remove power lines above the highway.

A detour route will be in place. Motorists will exit I-84 at the interchanges and follow a detour along Karcher Road. Flaggers will direct traffic. Detour map below.

The power lines are being removed in preparation of ITD’s plans to begin widening I-84 in this area. The closures will be rescheduled in the case of inclement weather.

For more information, visit itdprojects.org/84Corridor. To receive construction updates; text 84corridor to 22828. Drive Idaho, ITD’s new podcast series on all things I-84 in Canyon County, is available for download on Spotify, iTunes, Google Play Music and other major podcast sharing sites.

North Idaho bridges set for replacement this year, starting with Butcher Creek on ID-13

Bridge over Little Hangman Creek on ID-60 is one of seven structures being replaced from 2019 to 2021.

Picture of bridge at Little Hangman Creek.

Update as of May 21: Contractors now anticipate starting at Little Hangman Creek on Wednesday, May 29 and possibly starting at Butcher Creek in July.

Four bridges and three culverts from Grangeville to the Canadian border are scheduled for replacement over the next three years, beginning with Butcher Creek on Idaho Highway 13 near Grangeville.

Construction on Butcher Creek will start in late May and be completed around August, with the bridge reduced to one lane of alternating traffic.

Other structures scheduled for replacement this year include, in relative order, Little Hangman Creek on ID-60 near the Washington borer, Texas Creek on ID-11 near Weippe and Round Prairie Creek on US-95 near the Canadian border.

In 2020, ID-6 over Santa Creek near Michael Road, ID-3 over Cedar Creek near Clarkia and ID-57 over Kalispell Creek near Nordman will be reconstructed.

Each structure is expected to take two or three months with simultaneous work possible. In general, they will be reduced to one lane with alternating traffic controlled by flaggers or temporary signals.

All work is expected to be completed by spring 2021, with some work possible over the winter. T. La Riviere Equipment & Excavation, Inc. will replace the seven structures for $8.8 million.

Learn more by visiting itdprojects.org/d1d2bridges.

Paving near Time Zone Bridge underway

Construction underway on US-95 near the Time Zone Bridge.

Work is ongoing to resurface 13 miles of US-95 north of the Time Zone Bridge. Construction began last week and is expected to wrap up in August.

The highway is reduced to one lane with alternating traffic controlled by flaggers. Drivers should expect up to 15-minute delays. Various pull outs on US-95 will be temporarily closed for a few hours at a time as the route is paved in the immediate area.

Contractors plan to work during weekdays, though some work at night and on the weekends may be necessary as construction continues.

During non-working hours and holidays, two lanes will be open. Learn more at itdprojects.org/us95goffto210.

US-95 to be repaved in and around Moscow this summer; work starts next week

Next week, contractors will start making improvements to US-95 in Moscow in advance of a large paving project this summer.

Beginning Monday, May 13, pedestrian facilities at Rodeo Drive and Pintail Lane will be brought up to current standards. Shoulder closures will be in place along with pedestrian and bicycle detours.

In early June, a section of road at the intersection of US-95 (South Washington Street) and East First Street will be resurfaced. Drivers can expect one lane open during the work. Pedestrian and bicycle detours will be in place as necessary.

As part of this project, Idaho Highway 66, from its intersection with US-95 to the Washington border, will be repaved in mid-June. Flaggers will be stationed at the intersection to guide traffic movements onto ID-66, which will be reduced to one lane.

In late June, contractors are scheduled to repave more than five miles between Rodeo Drive in Moscow and Four Mile Creek in Viola, including Moscow Mountain. During paving, US-95 will be reduced to one travel lane, with two lanes possible over the mountain.

Earlier work in May and July at Moscow Mountain will include installing a wall to help stabilize the hill, replacing the concrete guardrail on the west side and relocating a wildlife sensor. One lane will be closed for that work.

All work is expected to be completed by Poe Asphalt Paving, Inc. in late July for an estimated $2.3 million. Learn more at itdprojects.org/us95moscowtoviola.