ITD Office of Highway Safety partners with law enforcement for safer Fourth of July

This Independence Day, the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is working with law enforcement to keep roads free of impaired drivers. July 1-15 officers from at least 60 agencies across the state will dedicate patrols to looking for drivers under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

According to OHS data, impaired driving was the cause of 1,501 crashes in 2019, resulting in 99 deaths in Idaho. There were 8,084 DUI arrests. With COVID restrictions lifting and summer activities ramping back up, many Idahoans are eager to get together with family and friends. Please keep safety in mind when gathering to celebrate.

“We want everyone to enjoy the Fourth of July holiday, but it’s important to be responsible on the road,” said OHS Manager John Tomlinson. “As you make your plans for the long weekend, also make a plan for a sober ride home.”

Driving under the influence of any substance is dangerous and illegal. During last summer’s Fourth of July impaired driving campaign, law enforcement officers made 140 DUI arrests. While additional officers will be on the lookout for impaired drivers, we can all do our part to keep Idaho’s roads safe. Celebrate with a plan and remember these safe alternatives:

It is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or use a ride sharing service to get home safely.
Wear a seat belt! It is not only the law, it is the best defense in a vehicle. Buckling up helps prevent injury and death if involved in a crash.
If you see a suspected impaired driver use your cell phone in hands-free mode to call *ISP (that’s STAR, I-S-P for Idaho State Police) or 1-800-233-1212.
Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.

I-84 overpasses in Minidoka County to close for three weeks in July and August

Two bridges over Interstate 84 near Heyburn will each close for approximately three weeks in July and August so that they can be resurfaced.

The first overpass at 500 West Road is expected to close next Tuesday (July 6), with traffic detoured to the interchange at Idaho Highway 27.

After crews complete work on the first overpass, they will move onto the overpass at South Meridian Road and drivers will need to cross over the interstate at 200 West Road.

Closure of these overpasses will not occur at the same time.

View a map of the detours.

These repairs are part of a larger project that began in late April to resurface thirteen bridges and nine overpasses in the region. This work will help prolong the service life of the structures.

Most bridges will be kept partially open during construction, but completely closing these two allows the general contractor, Cannon Builders, to complete the work sooner.

“By not allowing traffic on these two structures, we’re reducing the overall cost of the project and the impact to travelers,” ITD project manager Bruce Christensen said.

Construction on all bridges is expected to be finished by October of this year. As work shifts from one bridge to another, traffic patterns will change. Check 511.idaho.gov to learn about impacts and timing for each bridge.

Night work to take place this week on ID-75 in Hailey

Overnight work is expected to occur this Thursday (July 1) on Idaho Highway 75 between Fox Acres Road and Airport Way in Hailey. During the hours of 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. crews will remove approximately 1,000 feet of asphalt in the center lane and replace it with new material.

This is part of pre-construction testing related to the Hailey Main Street Rehabilitation Project.

“While construction on the roadway is not scheduled to begin until July 12, we must test a portion of the roadway in advance of that work,” ITD Engineering Manager Seth Helms stated. “Testing will include examination of roadway materials as well as the procedures we will use when construction begins to help lessen the impact of operations from July 12 onward.”

Traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction while work is underway.

During the compaction stage, ground vibration may be felt in the work zone and immediate surrounding area. Unsecured items may shift during this process.

Motorists are advised to slow down and watch for crew members and heavy equipment while work is underway.

Construction funding identified for widening of the St. Maries Dike

The Idaho Transportation Board has identified $18 million for widening of approximately three miles of Idaho Highway 3 north of St. Maries, with construction to start next fall.

Previously the board had approved $1.5 million for design, which began in April of 2020. Funding for construction comes from money that the department had held back last spring in anticipation of declining gas tax revenue during stay-at-home orders.

“Even with all the changes in 2020, we did not see a big drop in gas tax revenue, which is our primary source of funding,” Engineering Manager Marvin Fenn said. “Now we can use that money we held back to make our highways safer, as is the case with this widening project.”

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. To get this extra width, a lightweight, specialized product known as geofoam will be used.

Traditionally, highways are expanded by importing embankment material and building the base outwards, but ID-3 was built on soft soils. Extra weight would collapse the soft soils and cause settlement problems for the highway, and expanding outwards would affect nearby wetlands. The geofoam will allow expansion without adding weight or requiring land to be bought.

“Years ago we had tried to widen a longer section of the highway, but we couldn’t find a way to do it,” Fenn said.

Design plans are nearly complete. Benewah County Road and Bridge is in the process of preparing Goosehaven Road to serve as a detour during construction, which is expected to take several months next year.

“Although we’d like to see the project built this year, this extra time will allow for better bid prices, and we can start construction when the water table is at its lowest,” Fenn said. “The detour will also be ready, and the contractor will have more time to plan staging and get a head start on ordering specialized materials.”

Preliminary work this fall will relocate utilities and remove trees and vegetation.

Learn more at itdprojects.org/stmariesdike.

Work on Interstate 84 in Jerome County to begin next week

Image of I-84 eastbound lanes in Jerome County

Next Tuesday (June 29), crews are expected to sealcoat approximately two miles of Interstate 84 east of Hazelton from milepost 194 to 196.

Only the westbound lanes will be addressed with this project, and traffic in that direction will be reduced to a single lane while work is underway.

“This project should move quickly and is not expected to last for more than two days,” Project Manager Sam Purser said.

Sealcoating is a surface treatment to preserve and extend the lifetime of roadways. It also provides a skid-resistant surface for better traction. The process requires hot temperatures and dry weather for chips to properly adhere to oil that is deposited on the highway.

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.

ITD’s Freight Program seeks representatives to help shape freight’s future

Help shape Idaho’s freight future! The Idaho Transportation Department is seeking representatives to serve on the Freight Advisory Committee. The group is made of six members, one representing each of ITD’s administrative districts.

The individual selected for District 1 will represent Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai, and Shoshone counties
The individual selected for District 2 will represent Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis, and Nez Perce counties
The individual selected for District 3 will represent Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Washington, and Valley counties
The individual selected for District 4 will Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls counties
The individual selected for District 5 will represent Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida, and Power counties
The individual selected for District 6 will represent Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Teton, and Madison counties

The Freight Advisory Committee (FAC) was created to advise ITD on issues related to freight transportation in Idaho. FAC members gather and speak on behalf of the following industries:

Rail, Highway/Trucking
Aeronautics
Port/Barge
Agriculture
Natural Resource
Manufacturing/Retail
Carrier/Shipping
Freight Logistics/Warehousing

Applications for FAC representatives in each of the six districts will be accepted June 21 – July 21, 2021. A 15-day public comment period on the candidates will then follow. Find the application form and instructions at itd.idaho.gov/freight under the Freight Program and Get Involved tabs, or also linked here.

For more information about FAC or the application, contact ITD Freight Program Manager Scott Luekenga at (208) 334-8057 or by email at scott.luekenga@itd.idaho.gov

Travel advisory issued on Idaho Highway 55 for anticipated high traffic volumes

Intersection of ID-55 and Banks-Lowman Road

The Idaho Transportation Department’s Southwest Idaho Office is issuing a travel advisory for motorists planning to use Idaho Highway 55 from Horseshoe Bend to McCall this weekend as it predicts heavy traffic volumes on the two-lane highway.

Several summer events are scheduled Thursday through Sunday in Valley and Boise Counties. Combined with the newly-announced Juneteenth National Independence Day holiday, Father’s Day recreation activities and good weather, the department anticipates a high number of vehicles using ID-55. The Department has coordinated with local event organizers and law enforcement to promote safety and mobility during the weekend.

ITD will station flaggers at the intersection of ID-55 and the Banks-Lowman Road Sunday to help manage traffic.

“We have worked with our partners in law enforcement and the business community to do the best we can to manage what we expect will be a lot of vehicles on the highway this weekend,” said Caleb Lakey, District Administrator for ITD’s Southwest Idaho Office. “There’s a good chance we will have some times where the highway is at capacity and motorists will experience delay.”

ITD advises motorists to anticipate delays during the historical peak travel times at ID-55 and the Banks-Lowman Road, which is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Suggested alternate routes include U.S. 95 and Idaho Highway 21. Be prepared and make sure your vehicle is well-maintained. Fill your tank with plenty of gas, pack extra water and snacks, and consider a restroom stop before entering the Payette River Canyon.

Several construction projects will be active on U.S. 95 and ID-55 this summer. Work will be suspended Friday through Sunday on all ID-55 projects. For more information, visit ITD’s news blog.

Work on US-93 from the Nevada State Line to Hollister to begin next week

Image of Welcome to Idaho sign on US-93 at Nevada/Idaho border

On Monday, (June 21) a sealcoat project is expected to begin on US-93 in Twin Falls County. Over the coming weeks, approximately 27 miles from the Nevada State Line to Hollister will be addressed.

“This project will cover a substantial amount of highway but operations are expected to move fairly quickly,” Project Manager Kenny Lively stated. “We will begin work at the Nevada State Line and then proceed north on US-93 through Hollister.”

Work will require US-93 to be reduced to one lane while work is underway – Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Motorists should anticipate delays and watch for the presence of flaggers or pilot cars.

Geneva Rock Products is the primary contractor on this $1.6 million project that is expected to be complete in July.

Passing lane added to US-95 south of Potlatch this summer

Cars drive by each other on US-95 with no passing lanes

Construction on a new northbound passing lane begins Tuesday, June 22 on US-95 near Potlatch. The existing passing lane for southbound drivers at Cove Road will also be extended to provide safer opportunities to pass.

Motorists will have one lane of travel in each direction for most of construction. During initial operations, however, the highway will be reduced to one lane as crews place barrier around their work zone for safety.

Extension of the existing passing lane won’t begin until August.

Work on this mile-long project will be completed this September. The Idaho Transportation Department also plans to add northbound and southbound passing lanes north of Potlatch near Freeze Road and Beplate Lane in 2026.

Idaho teens honored as Battle of the Belts winners

In 2019, more than one out of every five crashes in Idaho involved a teen driver. We all know seat belts save lives, and who better for teens to hear that message from than their peers? The Idaho Office of Highway Safety’s annual Battle of the Belts competition just wrapped up with three deserving students honored. It’s a creative contest encouraging high school students to create their own seat belt safety campaigns to share with classmates. See some of this year’s entries in the gallery below.

Mattie Drobish, Orofino Junior-Senior High School

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Thanks to a partnership with State Farm Insurance, winners receive scholarship money to help fund their future education plans. Over the last month OHS Grants Officer Tabitha Smith had the pleasure of touring the state to surprise this year’s top three winners with their giant checks. The students’ reactions of shock and happiness were all caught on camera as their proud parents, school counselors, and OHS helped celebrate.

First place $2,500 winner Paige Tolman just finished her junior year at Vallivue’s Ridgevue High School. She used posters on campus, safety demonstrations at football and basketball games, and other activities asking students to buckle up.

“I worked pretty hard on this so I’m glad I was able to make a difference,” Tolman said. “I was able to learn the importance of seat belts as well as distracted driving, just how important it is and to help others be safe in that way.”

Amelia Jobe from Boise High School was the second place winner. She will use her $2,000 scholarship next year at Boise State studying computer science. Amelia’s Bernie Sanders meme was an instant hit among her classmates.

“I made a social media post about wearing your seatbelt. It was basically that Bernie Sanders meme and said ‘If Bernie can buckle up, so can you.’ It was a post that was really current at the time to encourage teen drivers to wear seat belts. I think it’s a really small ask that can make a difference in people’s lives especially if you have a car accident. It can be the difference between life and death,” Jobe said.

Third place $1,500 winner Mattie Drobish is graduating from Orofino Junior-Senior High School and heads to Lewis-Clark State College next year to study nursing. She created a billboard design with seat belt statistics.

“I know friends and family who have lost their lives by driving without a seatbelt, accidents happen you never know, so it’s crazy important to me and my family. I think it’s a great message to share and it’s great to be a part of this scholarship and actually be able to push that and say ‘Hey wear your seatbelt it’s so important,’” Drobish said.

The Battle of the Belts scholarship contest continues to grow with more participation each year. This year more than 20 high school students entered their work. Congratulations!