Power and Franklin Counties Recognized for Zero Highway Fatalities

Photo of award recipients and ITD management

POCATELLO – At the Transportation Board Meeting held in Pocatello today the Idaho Transportation Department presented their “Zero Fatality” award to Franklin County and Power County.

ITD recognizes communities along with state and local law enforcement that have logged zero highway fatalities for the year. Representatives from Franklin County Sherriff’s office, Power County Sheriff’s office, Idaho State Police, and ITD employees who work in those counties were on-hand to receive the awards.

ITD is committed to working toward the goal of zero fatalities and the efforts by counties to work toward that goal deserve to be recognized.

As ITD moves into the construction season motorists are encouraged to drive safely to protect themselves, other motorists, and the crews building and repairing Idaho’s roads.

Public invited to learn about construction on US-95 later this summer

Drone shot of the southern end of the Long Bridge

The Idaho Transportation Department will host an open house on Thursday, April 21, for construction later this summer on U.S. Highway 95 between Sagle Road and Lakeshore Drive.

The open house will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Northern Lights building at 421 Chevy Street in Sagle. Information about the project’s timeline, construction impacts and future plans for the US-95 corridor will be provided. No formal presentation will be given, but the project team will be available to answer questions.

The first phase of the project started in fall 2021 and built a new acceleration lane for drivers turning from Lakeshore Drive to head south on US-95. Earlier this week, crews started installing signs in the area and plan to finish striping as soon as weather allows.

“We need two days of good weather to put down fresh paint, so pay attention to signage in the area to know when your commute will be impacted,” ITD Project Manager Phil Stout said. “Two-way traffic will be maintained while the crews work during during the day.”

Construction for the second phase of the project is anticipated to start in August 2022. This season a U-turn on US-95 will be built as an alternative for drivers wanting to turn left from Lakeshore Drive, and the highway will be repaved from Monarch Road in Sagle to the Long Bridge. Next spring, a signal will be installed at the US-95 and Sagle Road intersection with a detour in place for Sagle Road east of the intersection.

“We know drivers have been dealing with potholes all spring, so we added work to the project to address that concern,” Stout said. “Our operations staff will continue to fill them in as needed, but this should provide long-term relief.”

The median U-turn and repaving will be completed by winter. During the U-turn construction, two-way traffic will be maintained during daytime hours, but during nighttime repaving, the highway will be reduced to one lane.

“Some of these details are subject to change once we have a contractor on board, but we want drivers to be aware of what is coming and know how to use the new U-turn,” Stout said.

The open house will also share an unfunded, potential concept for improvements at Bottle Bay Road, as well a study now underway to provide more details on what US-95 will look like in the future.

Join the project team at the open house or visit the website at itdprojects.org/us95lakeshoredrive to view construction updates and more information.

Public invited to learn more about upcoming SH-27 improvements in Burley

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is hosting a public meeting next week to share information on three upcoming projects on State Highway 27 in the Burley area. The meeting will be held in an open house format on April 21 and will feature displays and maps showcasing the projects which will focus on preserving and improving the functionality of the highway.

SUMMER 2022: SH-27 Rehabilitation – Burley to Junction I-84 (milepost 22.7 – 24.1)
WINTER 2025: SH-27 Culvert Replacement – G Canal (milepost 20.4)
SUMMER 2026: SH-27 Rehabilitation – Main Street to Overland Bridge (milepost 21.8 – 22.7)

The public is invited to attend anytime between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Mountain View Elementary located at 333 W 27th Street in Burley. Members of the project team will be on-hand to answer questions and accept comments during this time.

For those who are not able to attend the open house in person, a self-guided online meeting option will be available between April 21 and May 5 at itdprojects.org/projects/sh-27improvements.

If individuals have questions or comments about the project and are unable to attend the in-person or self-guided online meetings, contact ITD Project Manager Brock Dillé at (208) 544-7906 or brock.dille@itd.idaho.gov.

Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down

National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 11-15

IDAHO – National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) will be observed April 11-15 with this year’s theme of “Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down.” The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is asking motorists to observe NWZAW and prepare to safely drive through work zones across Idaho.

As part of NWZAW, Idahoans are encouraged

to participate in Go Orange Day on April 13 by wearing orange as a visual reminder of work zones. Photos can be posted on social media using the hashtags #NWZAW and #GoOrange4Safety.

The awareness week ends with a moment of silence on April 15 for people killed in work zone incidents.

Statistics from the National Work Zone Safety

Information Clearinghouse demonstrate the importance of work zone safety and participating in NWZAW to spread the message that everyone has a role in getting roadway workers home safely.

There were 762 fatal crashes in work zones resulting in 842 deaths in 2019.
Of the 842 fatalities in 2019, 135 were roadway workers.
Most people killed in work zones were motorists, passengers, and pedestrians.

NWZAW has been observed for more than 20 years and was launched as a public awareness campaign to help everyone understand they play a role in keeping motorists and roadway workers safe.

As construction season kicks off around the state, it’s important for drivers to remember that work zones come in all shapes and sizes. They can be long or short duration and can occur anywhere, from the middle of a large city to even the most rural routes. ITD encourages all motorists to plan ahead, follow signs, and drive engaged each time they get behind the wheel.

To learn more about NWZAW, visit nwzaw.org.

Drunk driver cited after work zone incident on I-90 in January

This National Work Zone Awareness Week, ITD would like to remind drivers how to be safe in work zones.

Work zones aren’t just limited to the primary construction season – they can pop up at moment’s notice and times you wouldn’t expect to see them.

That was the case on January 15 when D1 operator Jed Henderson was dispatched to I-90 near Kellogg to fill in potholes.

“It was early evening and in the winter, so it was still dark out. The potholes were about 8 inches deep, and we needed to fix them,” Henderson said.

They were so deep that Henderson brought the mix to the site in the bucket of the loader so he could shovel it into the holes.

Ten minutes later and Henderson was cleaning up material on the shoulder when a driver blew past other equipment and ran into one of the tires on the loader.

The car then went sideways and was impacted by another car.

“We were lucky no one was hurt,” Henderson said. “Just minutes before we had been standing in that spot.”

Strapped in the seat of a 55,000-pound loader, Henderson said he barely felt the collision – but it has changed how he approaches the job.

“You spend every week working next to 70 mph traffic and you almost get used to it,” Henderson said. “You think it won’t happen to you and then it does.”

Idaho State Police investigated the incident and cited the driver for driving under the influence, which as a first-time offense is a misdemeanor with a penalty of a $1,000 fine and a one-year license suspension.

Safety project to start next week near St. Maries

Next week work will impact Goosehaven Road near St. Maries as crews prepare to start construction of a safety project on State Highway 3.

Starting Monday, April 18, the Idaho Transportation Department will improve Goosehaven Road by adding more material and then leveling the route so it may serve as a detour for construction on SH-3 this summer.

“That week drivers should prepare for delays on Goosehaven Road but not on SH-3,” Project Manager Matt Heinichen said. “We will also apply material to minimize dust created while traffic uses the detour.”

Major construction to widen three miles of SH-3 will begin the following week and take three months to complete. Weather may affect the schedule, so drivers should pay attention to signs in the area and check 511.idaho.gov for exact timing.

“Closing the highway completely will allow us to expedite construction,” Heinichen said. “We have been working with the county to minimize impacts, and this detour is critical to getting the work done.”

Plans call for the highway to be widened by 11 feet to the east, making room for 11-foot travel lanes and 3-foot shoulders. Guardrail will be installed along the east side.

Learn more about the project at itdprojects.org/stmariesdike.

Public invited to open house for SH-44 widening plans in Ada County

The Idaho Transportation Department will hold an open house on Thursday, April 7 to share construction plans for the widening of State Highway 44 in Ada County. Community members are invited to drop in between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. at the Eagle Christian Church – Central Valley on 100 Short Lane, Eagle, Idaho 83616.

ITD representatives will be available to discuss the final design and construction plans and answer questions. Display boards and visuals will also help attendees learn more about the project. The same materials will be posted for viewing online at itdprojects.org/SH4416toLinder from April 7 to 14, for those unable to attend in person.

Work includes widening SH-44 from three to five lanes between SH-16 and Linder Road to improve safety and traffic capacity. Shoulders will also be widened and dedicated right turn lanes will be added at major side streets.

Construction is expected to begin in May and wrap up by this August.

SH-44 is the only east-west highway north of the Boise River linking Canyon County to Ada County. It connects Caldwell, Middleton, Star, Eagle, and Garden City. The large amount of growth in the area has transformed this once rural corridor.

For more information, please visit the project website at itdprojects.org/SH4416toLinder.

Second phase of work begins next week on State Highway 75 in Blaine County

Image of State Highway 75 north of Hailey

Work is expected to begin next week on State Highway 75 north of Hailey. This is the second phase of a larger project that started in March with updates to pedestrian ramps and reconstruction of a section of the roadway near the Big Wood River Bridge.

During the coming months, crews will rehabilitate SH-75 from Cobblestone Lane to Timber Way. Changes in striping will also occur to improve the crosswalk alignment at East Fork Road and the intersection layout at SH-75 and Ohio Gulch Road/Starweather Drive. Motorists turning left from Ohio Gulch Road will have a protected acceleration lane once the striping is complete.

While work is underway, lane restrictions will be in place. Detours will also be necessary for a portion of the project.

“When work occurs between McKercher Boulevard and milepost 120, traffic will be detoured onto Buttercup Road,” explained ITD Project Manager Brock Dillé. “We anticipate this detour to begin in late April and last for approximately two weeks.”

Signs will be present to direct motorists through the work zone. Drivers are encouraged to plan for extra time when traveling through the area and watch for workers and heavy equipment entering and exiting the highway.

“We will be working to minimize impacts throughout this project and appreciate the patience of motorists as they travel through the area,” said Dillé.

Western Construction is the primary contractor on this project which is expected to be completed in May.

Several bridges in CDA to be repaired this summer

Cars pass underneath US-95 on Northwest Boulevard in CDA

Several bridges in the Coeur d’Alene area will be repaired this summer, with work scheduled to begin first on the US-95 bridge over Northwest Boulevard.

Construction will start Monday, April 4, to paint the steel railing and remove and replace the surface of the US-95 structure. During the two months of work, southbound drivers will not be able to use the left turn lane on the bridge to access downtown via Northwest Boulevard.

As part of this project, other bridges will also be improved this season:

Starting in early May, crews will close one lane of the bridge on Potlatch Hill Road where it crosses over Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive and provides access to the Terraces at Lake Coeur d’Alene. Temporary signals will be in place for one month to control one lane of traffic.
Starting in June, Seventh Street over I-90 will close, and traffic will be detoured to Ninth Street for one month.
Starting in early July, the bridge on I-90 over Wolf Lodge Creek will be sealed to prevent damage from weather. Crews will close one lane in each direction for one month.
Starting in late July, crews will close one lane in each direction on the Greensferry Road overpass in Post Falls for a few days as they work on joints that allow the bridge to expand and contract with the weather.

Impacts will vary by bridge and by type of work, with some work zones scheduled to be in place for a few days to a few months.

Later this summer, a different project will also address repairs to another six bridges in the Coeur d’Alene area, including the Spokane River Bridge on US-95.

As more work zones begin to affect traffic, drivers should check 511.idaho.gov to plan their commutes.

Upgrades to US-95 in Bonners Ferry to begin next week

Traffic on US-95 in Bonners Ferry near Eisenhower Street

A two-year project will begin Monday, April 4, to extend the three-lane section on U.S. Highway 95 from Alderson Lane to Labrosse Hill Street in Bonners Ferry.

Drivers can generally expect a lane to be open in each direction. Most work will take place during the day, with some night work and detours possible as intersections and driveways are improved.

The first year of work is expected to wrap up in October and will focus on US-95 from Alderson Lane to Eisenhower Street.

After this project ends in 2023, this section of highway will also feature wider shoulders, sidewalks on both sides, new lighting and updated drainage.

Construction from 2018 to 2020 built similar improvements from the Kootenai River Bridge to Alderson Lane. Learn more about this project at itdprojects.org/us95bonnersferry.