Summer flagging schedule for SH-55 & Banks-Lowman Road

Warm weather and increased recreational travel to Idaho’s mountain destinations, especially on Sundays, has resulted in longer-than-usual waits at the busy State Highway 55 and Banks-Lowman Road intersection in Banks. Flagging will begin this holiday weekend to reduce wait times.

ITD will flag traffic on the weekends and holidays expected to have the highest number of travelers due to local events.

Father’s Day
First Sunday in July
Independence Day
Second Sunday in July
Third Sunday in July
Fourth Sunday in July
Fifth Sunday in July
First Sunday in August
Second Sunday in August
Labor Day

These weekends were selected in cooperation with a working group involving Boise and Valley County community members.

Drivers should plan ahead for any road trip by checking 511.idaho.gov for the latest road conditions, and itdprojects.org for road construction work happening across the state. ITD asks drivers to please do your part to keep roads safe and prevent crashes. Slow down, drive engaged, and always buckle up.

Idaho Transportation, Lands Officials Look to the Past to Help Prevent Roadside Wildfires in the Future

BOISE – Before hitting the road for weekend or holiday adventures, officials from the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) want Idahoans and Gem State visitors to make sure the safety chains attached to their trailers won’t drag and spark fires, and that tires are road worthy so they don’t blow out.

“Flat tires on vehicles and trailers pose wildfire risks when metal rims scrape along asphalt, throwing sparks into roadside fuels like dry grass”, said ITD director Scott Stokes. “Before heading out, check your tire pressure and look for damage or wear that could lead to tire failure.”

Idaho has seen catastrophic wildfires from a flat tire in the past, something state officials hope to avoid in the future. In 1992 a negligent motorist drove for miles with a flat tire on the car he was towing behind his motorhome. It started a 6,258 acre fire along Highway 55 near Banks, ID, with the driver receiving a $1.3 million bill for the cost of fighting the blaze.

Dragging trailer chains are also dangerous, they can start multiple fires along stretches of roads and highways.

A vehicle dragging a chain threw sparks into the dry grasses along I-84 near Jerome in 2019 burning more than 350 acres and impeding traffic on the freeway.

“We all want to do the right thing, and double-checking your safety chains takes less than a minute,” said Stokes.

When connecting trailer safety chains, crisscross the chains so they won’t drag on the road. Crisscrossing provides the added benefit that if the ball hitch does come loose, the trailer is cradled in the chains keeping it behind your vehicle, away from oncoming traffic.

Preventing a human cause wildfire also means being aware of your surroundings when you stop along a roadway or park to recreate.

“Parking on dry grass can also start wildfires and should always be avoided,” added IDL director Dustin Miller. “Your vehicle’s exhaust system is hot enough to spark a fire.”

In 2017 a farmer near Star, ID, lost five acres of wheat to a preventable fire caused by the hot exhaust pipe on a truck.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there were 61,429 human-caused wildfires across the nation in 2022.

“Wildfires caused by humans are 100% preventable if people would just change their behaviors and use caution and common sense,” Miller added.

It’s not just damage to the land people love, there can be severe financial consequences for negligently starting a wildfire in Idaho. Idaho law directs IDL to investigate wildfires on land it protects. Those deemed negligently responsible for starting fires face paying for suppression costs and economic damages.

According to Miller, the costs can run into the millions. “Because Idaho’s taxpayers pay for wildfire suppression, we aggressively seek to recover as much as possible from those found negligent.”

For more information about preventing wildfires and highway safety, visit www.idl.idaho.gov/prevention and www.itd.idaho.gov/safety.

Idaho’s commercial drivers can renew their licenses online starting July 1

BOISE—The Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is expanding online services for Idaho’s commercial drivers. Beginning July 1, Idahoans will be able to renew a commercial driver’s license (CDL) online, an option already available for many non-CDL drivers.

“Idaho’s commercial drivers could be anywhere in the country when it is time to renew their license, so expanding online services to them just makes sense,” said DMV administrator Lisa McClellan. “Now they can renew from their phone and get back on the road.”

Starting July 1, CDL customers will be able to renew their licenses, if eligible, at DMV.idaho.gov. At this time, hazmat endorsements will not be available for online renewal due to testing requirements. The DMV is exploring hazmat testing solutions for the future.

Did you know that customers, including commercial drivers, have the option to receive DMV renewal notices through text or email? This is a convenient alternative to traditional mail delivery, especially for those who frequently travel or prefer digital communication. Customers can opt-in at DMV.idaho.gov.

DMV.idaho.gov is a one-stop-shop for everything DMV. Over a dozen transactions can be completed online, from a change of address to registration renewals. Skip the Trip, save time, and go online to DMV.idaho.gov.

Maintenance work begins on US-95 in Culdesac Canyon

CULDESAC— Drivers can expect general maintenance work to begin this week on U.S. Highway 95 between Culdesac and Winchester to preserve the roadway for safety. Maintenance work will take place between mileposts 283 – 286 in the work zone that was set up last year to construct a southbound passing lane.

Repairs this season will focus on improving the surface of the highway by filling in potholes and resurfacing sections of pavement that deteriorated over the winter. Lanes have already been repainted and the speed limit has been reposted to 65 miles per hour.

Primary construction for the project remains on hold while the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) resolves challenges with environmental resources. ITD continues to closely coordinate with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Nez Perce Tribe so that the endangered fish will be better protected when work resumes. Another update will be sent when project work is expected to resume.

“ITD will continue to keep the highway operational in the old work zone and will update travelers when work resumes,” Operations Manager Jared Hopkins said.

Download a photo of US-95 in Culdesac Canyon.

This project is part of a corridor-wide plan to finish building an 11-mile passing lane in Culdesac Canyon to provide safer opportunities for southbound drivers to pass.

Overnight delays at Chinden and Eagle Intersection

EAGLE – The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will repave the west side of the Chinden Boulevard/Eagle Road intersection overnight, starting tonight and continuing through Sunday night, June 25. Drivers should take alternate routes to avoid long delays especially for westbound and eastbound drivers. The intersection work is part of an ongoing project to repave Eagle Road, (State Highway 55), between I-84 and SH 44.

Work at the Chinden intersection will begin at 10 p.m. and end at the following times:

Weekday mornings: 6 a.m.
Saturday morning: 7 a.m.
Sunday morning: 8 a.m.
The remaining work on Eagle Road will begin at 10 p.m. and end at the following times:

Weekday mornings: 6 a.m.
Saturday mornings: 8 a.m.
Sunday mornings: 9 a.m.
Access to side streets on Eagle Road will be blocked during work hours where crews are working. Detours routes will be in place.

Crews will continue to repave the southbound lanes of Eagle Road over the next several weeks. More information will be shared at a later date about future closures when crews repave the intersections at McMillan Road, Ustick Road and Fairview Avenue.

All construction is expected to be completed by fall 2023.

For the latest closure locations, text EagleRoad to 1-866-483-8422 or visit itdprojects.org/eagleroadrepairs to sign up for email updates.

Leading Idaho funds Rigby Airport Taxiway

The latest small community airport in Idaho to benefit from Governor Brad Little’s Leading Idaho initiative is the Rigby Airport. The $373,000 improvements included a new taxiway. Leading Idaho enables the Division of Aeronautics to make these worthwhile projects possible financially.

The Rigby Airport’s economic impact includes 66 jobs, $5.4M in GDP, and $11.5M in total output, according to the 2020 Idaho Economic Impact Analysis Update Report.

“It was imperative that we installed the parallel taxiway in the name of safety and constantly increasing traffic every year as the airport became appealing for a growing and vibrant aviation population,” said Rigby Airport Manager Mike Byers.

Byers added that the new taxiway was a long time coming.

“The taxiway was originally planned to be installed in 1977, but due to budget constraints, we had to shelf the project year after year. Thanks to the Idaho Division of Aeronautics, Rigby airport is now safer and able to bring sustainable growth to the city.”

The new taxiway had been identified again in the airport’s 2010 Master Plan.

As part of Governor 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. Construction on this project is 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.

Airplanes pictured at the Rigby Airport, above.

Prepare for takeoff! Hoodoo Meadows to become next backcountry airport

Hoodoo Meadows Airstrip, located in Lemhi County in the Salmon-Challis National Forest, will become part of the Idaho Transportation Department’s Division of Aeronautics (Aero) stable of backcountry airstrips this summer, bringing the number of remote airstrips throughout the state to 32. (See chart, right).

Idaho’s main aviation user groups — Idaho Aviation Association (IAA) & Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) — will fund and hire a contractor to clear the existing runway area of vegetation and tree in-growth in preparation for use by pilots and recreational user groups. The runway has become overgrown with vegetation during the last four decades due to the lack of a formal maintenance program.

There are some significant benefits to maintaining Hoodoo and designating it as a backcountry airstrip available to the public:

It allows the public to access public lands.
It serves as an entry point into the backcountry for sportsmen and hikers to streams, lakes and trails, taking pressure off other areas.
It is a safety benefit, allowing access in an emergency landing/forced weather landing situation, and allowing for better response to emergency rescue or recovery situations.
It increases accessibility to all including the disabled, medically limited population.

Hoodoo Meadows Airstrip was originally built in 1936 and abandoned in 1985 due to lack of maintenance and unpredictable afternoon winds at a high elevation (8,200 feet). Despite this, there were no accidents recorded during the nearly 50 years it was in service and open to the public. The runway is 2,200 feet long and about 150 feet wide – more than sufficient to accommodate takeoffs and landings.

Idaho Department of Fish & Game, Idaho Division of Aeronautics, and the United States Forest Service started the process of re-establishing maintenance at the airstrip in 2016. Efforts to maintain Hoodoo were shelved as the project was embroiled in budgetary discussions and scope-of-work questions. In early 2020, Aero renewed efforts to address Hoodoo and maintain it as an Idaho backcountry airstrip. The Division of Aeronautics will provide continuing maintenance to the Hoodoo airstrip.

Approval to move forward with adding Hoodoo to Aero’s backcountry stable of airports was granted by the Idaho Transportation Board in April 2021 following recommendation by the Aeronautics Advisory Board. A Special Use Permit granting the go-ahead on the project was signed by the Forest Service on March 3 of this year. A follow-up request to Dept. of Environmental Quality to determine if a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Permit was required was answered on May 11, stating that it was not needed to re-establish maintenance.

See the Hoodoo Meadows webpage for details, FAQs and a list of project supporters.

Expect congestion Sunday on US-95 in CDA during Ironman

Drivers should expect congestion on U.S. Highway 95 in Coeur d’Alene and south of town this Sunday as the highway will be partially closed during the Ironman Race.

Lanes will be closed on US-95 from the Spokane River Bridge south to the State Highway 58 Interchange from approximately 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Traffic on US-95 will be restricted to one lane in each direction and crossed over to the southbound set of lanes, with flaggers at all public intersections. Race traffic will use the northbound set of lanes.

“Closures will be similar to what drivers can remember from previous races, but with two active work zones along the course, delays will be worse than normal,” Traffic Engineer Nathan Herbst said.

Work zones are already in place at the Spokane River Bridge and the nearby intersection of US-95 with Lincoln Way and Walnut Avenue. While no active work will be taking place, there is only room for one lane to be open during the race at the US-95 bridges over the Spokane River and Northwest Boulevard. Drivers will have to wait for flaggers to allow them to proceed through.

Drivers looking to cross the Spokane River and avoid congestion near downtown Coeur d’Alene should plan to use the Spokane Street Bridge in Post Falls or the Appleway Avenue Bridge near the state line.

Travelers are reminded to check 511.idaho.gov for any traffic impacts on interstates and state highways.

Additional repairs to Spokane River Bridge in CDA underway

Another work zone is ongoing on U.S. Highway 95 on the bridge over the Spokane River in Coeur d’Alene.

Drivers should plan extra time to travel on the highway or head downtown, as another construction project is already ongoing to widen US-95 just north of the bridge.

Repairs to the Spokane River Bridge will be completed over the next five months. Most work will take place during the day, with any necessary lane closures scheduled at night.

Blackwell Island will remain accessible, but people using that site to launch their kayaks or boats will need to plan for congestion on the highway.

“Signage and buoys will be installed to notify boaters where they can safely pass beneath the bridge, so lake and river users in this area should stay alert and watch for changes throughout construction,” Project Manager Erica Aamodt said.

The concrete piers will be repaired, and the steel beams that support the deck of the bridge will be painted to protect the structure from weathering. The bridge was first built in 1968.

US-95 Granite North project wins National Recognition Award

The US-95 Granite North project recently won a National Recognition Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) in their 2023 Engineering Excellence Awards. The award recognized both design and construction achievements.

The award was announced March 23 and was presented to ITD project manager Steven Bakker (pictured below) in Washington, DC on June 13. It had been named the ACEC Project of the Year for Idaho on April 10, making it eligible for the national award.

The National Recognition Award is a prestigious distinction honoring projects demonstrating exceptional engineering excellence at the national level. HDR Inc. was the project consultant.

The $21.1 million Granite North expanded the route to accommodate rapid growth in the area. The project began in fall 2020 and finished in November 2022, allowing traffic to use the new road a full year ahead of schedule. The project featured 1.2 million cubic yards of earthwork, funded through ITD’s award-winning GARVEE (Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle) program.

The expansion also included 170,000 cubic yards of closely supervised blasting of tough, rocky soils in the area, allowing crews to expand the route to four lanes over Granite Hill. Additional lanes over Granite Hill provide better mobility, and frontage roads improve safety by routing drivers to improved intersections to enter US-95.

Safety First
The project was a top priority, being home to a High-Accident Location in the region. Although the project involved more than 60,000 hours of work time, there were zero OSHA incidents or infractions due to a highly collaborative and proactive “see something, say something” safety mentality. The work improved safety by reducing direct access to the highway and guiding drivers via frontage roads to the best spot for traffic to turn onto the highway. Crews also installed new signage, completed landscaping, and added rumble strips to help in the safety of drowsy or wayward drivers.

“We first won the statewide Engineering Excellence award from ACEC of Idaho in April 2023. Just prior to that we learned that this project would also get the national recognition award in Washington, D.C. It’s very cool to have a relatively small job in rural Idaho be recognized on the national stage,” said Bakker.