Idaho Highway 45 (12th Avenue) resurfacing in Nampa to begin next week

The Idaho Transportation Department will resurface a five-mile section of Idaho Highway 45 (12th Avenue) in Nampa beginning the week of June 18.

This maintenance is designed to seal and protect the roadway surface, and extend the life of the pavement.

Construction is scheduled from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday. This schedule is designed to reduce impacts to the traveling public. The project will be complete in August.
The project limit extends from Deer Flat Road into downtown Nampa. Motorists are encouraged to slow down, pay attention, and watch for crews working in the area.

As part of this project, the city of Nampa will construct a median on the highway between Dewey Avenue and Lincoln Avenue. The median is designed to enhance safety and reduce the number of side-angle crashes in this heavily traveled location. A pedestrian signal was also constructed earlier this year in the vicinity.

Repaving of US-95 through Plummer to begin late June

Work will begin during the week of June 25 to repave ten miles of US-95 through Plummer to Moctileme Creek.

Travelers can expect alternating, one-way traffic during construction, which is scheduled to last until mid-August. Crews plan to be on site Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The highway will open to two lanes at night, and alternating entrances to businesses in town will be accessible at all times.

For the latest traffic impacts during construction, check 511.

Highway construction through Lewiston and Moscow to start late June

Construction to repair US-12 in Lewiston and US-95 in Moscow will begin the week of June 25 and is expected to last until mid-August.

Repairs will reduce rutting and create a smoother ride for travelers on US-12 in Lewiston from the Memorial Bridge to the Rose Garden, as well as through the town of Moscow on US-95/Jackson Street.

In Lewiston, one lane in each direction will remain open, and in Moscow, crews will keep at least one lane open. Drivers will still be able to access businesses during construction.

ITD will host an open house in Moscow at the city hall on June 19 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Guests may arrive at any time to learn more about construction details.

Any members of the public with questions about the Lewiston project can contact the project manager, Marvin Ramirez, at marvin.ramirez@itd.idaho.gov or (208) 799-4229.

#catchKenny and his crew inspecting bridges across the state

With more than 4,200 bridges to inspect around the state, various crews with the Idaho Transportation Department are responsible for the safety of several structures, but this year, they will have another teammate to rely on: Kenny.

Who is Kenny?

Kenny is the department’s newest under-bridge inspection truck, or UBIT. This Kenworth A-62 truck has an arm with a bucket that can extend 62 feet under, around and in the substructure of bridges. Equipment with greater reach, like Kenny, allows inspectors to examine every inch of a bridge’s underside for signs of stress, and recommend maintenance work based on what their inspection finds.

Since the department put him into service this January, Kenny has been hard at work. He and his team are expected to complete more than 100 bridge inspections this year alone, and as such, Kenny will be making tracks around the state.

To showcase employees’ efforts as they work tirelessly with the state’s most vulnerable infrastructure, ITD encourages social-media followers to #catchKenny out on the road.

If you come across an inspection, you can participate in the fun by pulling to the side, coming to a stop and safely snapping a photo and uploading it to social media using the hashtag to let ITD know.

Whether or not you #catchKenny this summer, cross those rivers, lakes and train tracks with peace of mind, knowing that your transportation department is constantly working to keep you moving safely on the road.

Sandpoint bridges to be inspected this week

The Long Bridge on US-95 and the adjacent pedestrian bridge near Sandpoint will undergo inspection this week to assess the need for future repairs.

Inspectors will use a boat and fly a drone underneath both bridges at the beginning of the week, with an on-the-bridge inspection of the Long Bridge on Thursday that starts at 7 a.m. and could last the entire day.

No lane closures are anticipated on the Long Bridge during this routine inspection, but travelers should expect slightly shifted lanes and be aware of reduced speeds throughout the area. The pedestrian bridge will not be impacted.

On June 14, an in-depth examination of both bridges will take place where inspectors will use the department’s newest UBIT, or under bridge inspection truck. This UBIT, which the bridge inspection crew named Kenny, has the ability to maneuver inspectors up to 62 feet under, around and in the substructure of bridges to check for signs of stress and recommend maintenance work.

Final repairs for both bridges are scheduled for 2022 and will help extend the service lives of the structures. The pedestrian bridge, which formerly served vehicular traffic across Lake Pend Oreille, was built in 1956, and the Long Bridge was built in 1981.

To follow Kenny’s path through the state, follow ITD on Facebook and use #catchKenny.

Idaho receives notice of $90 million federal grant for I-84 work

An area of major need in Idaho may get a vital shot of federal money, as federal officials shortlisted $90.24 million in grant funds to help ease congestion on Interstate 84 in the Treasure Valley between the Karcher Interchange and Franklin Boulevard. The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant will also allow improvements benefiting the movement of good and services on the heavily used route.

The improvements include widening I-84 to three lanes in each direction in this 2.8-mile section, adding auxiliary lanes, replacing and widening an overpass and an under-sized canal structure, replacing and expanding two bridges over a railroad and canal, performing ramp improvements, reconstructing an interchange, and rebuilding a bridge over the freeway.

This area sees nearly 100,000 vehicle trips per day, and commercial trucks comprise a significant percentage of that traffic.

The project is innovative because of its use of diverse local and state matching funds. Idaho’s application was a joint effort between ITD and COMPASS (the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho). COMPASS was instrumental in spearheading the funding application, arranging for needed funds from the city of Caldwell and Canyon County.

The Idaho Transportation Board also was innovative in its use of state money as a matching funding source. The grant offsets 60% of the project’s total estimated cost of $150 million.

By law, the U.S. Congress (the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works) has 60 days to review before award can be made.

“Idaho is the fastest-growing state in the country, and receiving this grant shows the importance of the Interstate 84 corridor for moving freight, along with our own goods and services, across the west and the world,” said ITD Director Brian Ness. “More importantly, the project is expected to Improve safety by significantly reducing crashes in the area.”

The President’s Administration, ITD Director Ness, COMPASS, Idaho Senator Crapo’s Office and other members of Idaho’s congressional delegation all helped move the grant application forward.

“We appreciate this additional funding and the benefits it will bring for commerce, commuters and the traveling public. It will relieve congestion through Canyon County and the entire Treasure Valley,” he added.

I-90 detoured through Mullan on June 6

Traffic on Interstate 90 near Lookout Pass will be detoured on June 6 through the town of Mullan to allow crews to repair damage to the interstate, which is currently under construction in that area.

The detour is expected to start at 5 a.m. and last until midday. Although speed will be reduced through town, interstate traffic will have priority at major intersections, which will be controlled by flaggers.

The increase in traffic during construction has led to accelerated wear on one of the lanes. After repairs are finished, traffic will be able to pass through the work zone. For the latest updates, check 511.

Construction is currently underway to replace 1.5 miles of the concrete interstate. Work is expected to conclude in October.

DMV/Drivers Licensing service restored statewide

All DMV Services, Including drivers licensing, will be open at county offices throughout Idaho following yesterday’s software problems. Technicians worked late into the night to fix the issue and tested the solution to ensure it works.

The information of our customers was not at risk during the latest outages. The outage stemmed from software issues experienced by our vendor, Gemalto. The technical issues did not allow county DMV offices to process IDs or licenses, but motor-vehicle transactions such as registrations and titles continued unaffected.

In March, ITD, the Department of Administration, and Gemalto formulated a stabilization plan in response to extensive outages — 25 of them in 2017 and the first few months of 2018. The system has been much more stable since then. ITD still encourages anyone heading to the DMV to first visit the “DMV Status” link on our webpage.

“We appreciate the patience of our customers and our county representatives statewide as we worked diligently to fix the problem,” Alberto Gonzalez, Idaho DMV Administrator, said. “We will continue to work tirelessly to make the system as stable as possible.”

Memorial Day Weekend Marks Beginning of the 100 Deadliest Days

Memorial Day Weekend is here. The unofficial start to summer brings with it barbeques, camping trips and the beginning of the most dangerous time on Idaho’s roads.

“The weather is nice, kids are out of school and there are just more people out on the roads,” said John Tomlinson from the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety.

The period of time between the beginning of Memorial Day Weekend and the end of Labor Day Weekend are often referred to as the 100 Deadliest Days of summer.

According to preliminary crash reports, 244 people died in crashes on Idaho roads in 2017 – 90 of those deaths were during this time period.

“Every time we lose someone on our roads, it impacts all of us,” Tomlinson said. “We will be working with our law enforcement partners to reduce crashes but we need help from everyone to make our roads and communities safer.”

To help keep roads safe this summer, ITD is planning multiple mobilizations to crack down on drunk drivers and to encourage people to buckle up. Tomlinson says it shouldn’t be up to the police alone to keep us safe.

“We can all do a little more,” he said. “We can all be more engaged while we’re out on the roads. Let’s put away the distractions and buckle up. If you choose to drink, plan a safe ride home. It’s up to all of us to get where we’re going safely.”

ID-162 near Lawyer Creek to reopen this evening

Update as of May 25 at 2:50 p.m.

ID-162 is expected to be fully opened to two lanes this evening. The precipitation last night washed away the shoulders but did not affect the integrity of the highway.

Crews will place material around the exposed guardrail to stabilize it and will add material to roadside ditches, which were eroded into steep drop-offs during the storm.

The area near the guardrail will be coned off until next week when repairs will be finished. Crews will continue to monitor the area.

Original Story (May 25 at 10 a.m.)

Crews are mobilizing to assess and fix damage to Idaho Highway 162 near Lawyer Creek (milepost 5.5) after heavy precipitation last night. At this time, the highway remains closed and there is no anticipated timeframe as to when it will reopen. Crews are working to open the road as soon as possible.

Heavy precipitation caused a tributary of Lawyer Creek to overflow and wash over the highway, depositing debris in both lanes and compromising the guardrail on a steep embankment. Although little debris remains on the highway, weight from traveling vehicles could cause the roadway further damage and make it unsafe for continued use.

Heavy rainfall is expected again tonight. ITD will post after-hours updates on 511, as well as their Facebook and Twitter accounts (@IdahoITD).

Even in the summer, severe weather events can wash debris onto roads; motorists are encouraged to be alert after heavy precipitation, especially while driving on routes along steep hills or rocky cliffs.