Archives: News

Work will resume next week on State Highway 75 north of Hailey. This is the final stage of a highway resurfacing project that has been underway since March of this year that will extend the life of the roadway and improve the driving experience for motorists.

“On Monday, we are planning to start paving work at Ohio Gulch Road and move south along the highway to Buttercup Road,” ITD Project Manager Brock Dillé explained. “Once that portion of roadway is complete, we will continue operations south but will need to detour traffic to safely complete the work.”

When work south of Buttercup Road occurs, daytime traffic traveling northbound on SH-75 will be detoured from McKercher Boulevard to Buttercup Road. The detour is expected to begin on Thursday (May 19) and last for approximately two weeks.

“Ours crews will not work during the Memorial Day weekend to allow for heavier traffic to flow more smoothly through the region,” stated Dillé.

Once paving operations are complete, striping will occur. At the intersection of SH-75 and Ohio Gulch Road/Starweather Drive, a new lane configuration will be implemented to better accommodate traffic flow. No other striping changes will occur within the project limits.

Motorists are advised to slow down, watch for workers and follow traffic signs when traveling through the work zone.

Western Construction is the primary contractor on this project that is expected to be complete in early June.

Members of the public are invited to learn more about upcoming construction plans that are scheduled to begin this spring on U.S. Highway 93 (Blue Lakes Boulevard) in Twin Falls.

Next Thursday (May 19), the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will host a public meeting and an online meeting to share plans about construction that will occur over the coming months on Blue Lakes Boulevard from the Perrine Bridge to Pole Line Road.

The project includes replacing the pavement, upgrading pedestrian ramps to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards, and replacing the traffic signal at the Blue Lakes Boulevard and Fillmore Street/Bridgeview Boulevard intersection.

The meeting will be hosted in a drop-in, open house format. Members of the project team will be on hand to answer questions and share information about construction plans and impacts.

Date: Thursday, May 19, 2022
Time: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Location: Twin Falls High School
1615 Filer Ave. E, Twin Falls

For individuals unable to attend the in-person meeting, please join the self-guided online meeting beginning May 20 at itdprojects.org/projects/us-93improvements. An online comment form will be available for questions and comments.

To learn more about the project and sign up for construction updates, please visit the project website at itdprojects.org/projects/us-93improvements.

As part of Governor Brad 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 the Blue Lakes 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.

Update as of May 11: The blast has been rescheduled for next week. Up to three blasts are expected in the next two weeks, with each lasting up to one hour. 

The first blast of the season is expected to close U.S. Highway 95 south of Culdesac for up to one hour starting 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

Blasting this spring will make room for a new passing lane for southbound drivers. Blasts will generally be timed to avoid peak travel times and require a one-hour closure.

“We are expecting more blasting this month, but the schedule will be sporadic,” Resident Engineer Curtis Arnzen said. “Generally, there will be less blasting this year compared to previous work in the canyon.”

Construction this year will add 2.3 miles of passing lane and is part of a series of projects to add an 11-mile passing lane in Culdesac Canyon.

Crews will also replace the culvert for Rock Creek. For most of construction, drivers can expect all existing lanes to remain open. The contractor may reduce the highway to one lane at night.

Download a corridor fact sheet.

Drivers should pay attention to signs in the work zone to learn about the timing of the next blast or check 511.idaho.gov. Work is scheduled to end by early November.

 

Nighttime lane closures on I-90 over the next two months will collect data for a study to widen Interstate 90 between the Washington state line and Sherman Avenue in Coeur d’Alene.

Crews will focus on the section between Spokane Street and Northwest Boulevard, closing either a shoulder or lane in one direction at a time. Work will be done at night between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., with the first closure scheduled for tomorrow night.

“The closure will move along the stretch as work progresses, spanning approximately one-quarter to one-half mile in length at any given time,” ITD Project Manager Erika Bowen said.

Drivers are asked to be aware of closures, to slow down and move to the open lane.

With traffic conditions congested now and volumes expected to double by 2045, ITD is studying I-90 from the Washington state line to Coeur d’Alene to identify improvements, modernize the system, reduce crashes and save drivers’ time. The study will evaluate needs and identify potential solutions like additional lanes and reconfigured interchanges to improve safety, capacity and mobility for current and future travel demands.

The work requiring this lane closure will investigate the pavement and foundations along the stretch using radar, drilling and other technologies to determine current surface conditions and the ability of the soil to support any potential new structures.

“Right now, we are collecting data to identify which improvements are needed and expect to bring options to the public this September,” Bowen said.

To learn more about the study and sign up for future updates, visit itdprojects.org/i90corridor. 

This study is funded with Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds. This deliberate investment of Leading Idaho TECM funds allows ITD to accelerate project timelines to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure in the CDA area that would otherwise take many years to build.

The Idaho Transportation Department asks motorists to plan for intermittent overnight delays as construction continues to widen Eagle Road (State Highway 55) between Franklin Road and Ustick Road in Meridian. The project will increase mobility by adding a third southbound lane along this 1.6-mile segment.

Over the next few weeks, crews will be working to construct new signal and power poles at the intersections of Franklin Road, Pine Avenue, Fairview Avenue, and River Valley Street. This work will intermittently impact traffic during the nighttime hours of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Drivers should expect up to 15-minute delays and possible lane closures when traveling through the work zone. Check Idaho 511 for the current work schedule and consider using an alternate route.

Learn more about this project and sign up for construction updates at itdprojects.org/eaglerdwidening.

Starting Monday, May 9, crews will start working at night to haul away waste materials for construction to widen three miles of State Highway 3 near St. Maries.

“This will really impact residents along the detour route, since trucks will need to use Goosehaven Road to access the site,” Project Manager Matt Heinichen said.

Crews will continue to work on SH-3 during the day, but now residents and other drivers will have to contend with increased truck traffic and noise on Goosehaven Road, starting at 8 p.m. each night. A pilot car will be in use during the day, but between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. trucks will travel in groups with traffic controlled by a flagger.

“Night work is expected to last one month until workers are done excavating the northbound lane,” Heinichen said. “Right now there’s not enough space to have trucks to efficiently deliver materials to the site and haul away waste at the same time.”

Download a photo of excavation on SH-3.

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, with the project set to be complete in August.

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

Signal work is expected to begin next week at the intersection of Blue Lakes Boulevard (U.S. Highway 93) and Fillmore Street/Bridgeview Boulevard. This is part of a larger pavement rehabilitation project scheduled to occur this summer on Blue Lakes Boulevard from the Perrine Bridge to Pole Line Road.

In the coming weeks, crews will complete preliminary foundation work on the traffic signal. A total signal replacement will occur at the intersection after the paving on US-93 is finished later this summer.

“Being able to start the initial foundation work now will help expedite the construction timeline and further reduce impacts to motorists traveling through this busy corridor this summer,” said ITD Project Manager Steve Hunter.

No lane adjustments or changes to current traffic patterns will occur with the signal replacement.

“We are not altering how motorists travel through the intersection, just replacing the traffic signal, foundation, and associated components,” stated Hunter.

Motorists are encouraged to watch for lane reductions and crews in the area. Most signal work will occur during daytime hours.

In conjunction with the signal replacement, ITD will improve the pavement on Blue Lakes Boulevard starting in June. More details about construction will be shared at an upcoming public meeting.

Date: Thursday, May 19, 2022
Time: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. (Open House Format)
Location: Twin Falls High School
1615 Filer Ave. E, Twin Falls

For individuals not able to attend the meeting in person, an online option will be available on the project website.

To learn more about the project and sign up for construction updates, please visit itdprojects.org/projects/us-93improvements.

As part of Governor Brad 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 the Blue Lakes 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.