Culvert work on State Highway 52 west of Emmett starts March 23

The Idaho Transportation Department begins work Wednesday, March 23, on a culvert maintenance project along State Highway 52 west of Emmett.

SH-52 will be closed between Cascade Road and Toms Cabin Road while crews install a new culvert pipe. Drivers will detour around the project using West Idaho Boulevard north of the highway.

Signs will be in place to guide traffic through the detour. The project is expected to be complete by March 28. Please check 511.idaho.gov before traveling for up-to-date information about this and other projects impacting highways statewide.

ITD improves several truck routes in southeast Idaho to facilitate commerce and improve mobility

The Idaho Transportation Department recently removed restrictions on several popular trucking routes in southeast Idaho, another example of the department removing restrictions on routes within the Gem State in order to improve commerce and mobility, creating greater economic opportunities for commercial carriers. In 2020, the department removed some severe curves along US-95 in southwest and panhandle Idaho in pursuit of the same goal.

The department will be examining roads across the state and making improvements to eliminate restrictions whenever possible.

Three routes (two on SH-36 and one on SH-34) restricted the size of trucks that could use the routes, and the detour could be as severe as 150 miles. It was causing a major disruption in the economic opportunity and freedom of movement in the area.

ITD engineer Kevin Sonico modeled some proposed solutions, and the D5 office in Pocatello ran some field tests, traveling behind some larger commercial trucks to test the width variables that the computer models had suggested. Evan Snow and Jerry Bauer filmed Dan Daniels as he drove a truck on the routes. Kevin’s models were verified. A local trucker offered to run the route in his slightly larger truck as well. Again, the computer model was validated.

The change was implemented in May 2021, opening up more routes for the trucking community in the southeast Idaho area. This has eliminated significant detours, saving countless hours of drive time.

“We have seen an increase in trucks on the routes,” D5 District Engineer Todd Hubbard said. “We know the routes are safe and the carriers are ablr to take the best possible route to their destination. This change has saved significant time and money for the trucking industry.”

SH-55 project at Smiths Ferry to resume construction March 14

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will resume work on State Highway 55 between Smiths Ferry and the Rainbow Bridge on March 14.

Drivers can anticipate single-lane, alternating one-way traffic with 15-minute delays at the start of construction while crews are actively working. Four-hour closures from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday will not start until mid-April. ITD will advise the public prior to the closures beginning.

“We are going into spring with lessons learned from last year,” said Jason Brinkman, ITD engineering manager. “We have spent the past winter working with geotechnical experts and the project team to change designs based on new information gathered after studying the areas where slides occurred.”

In 2021, the project area experienced two rockslides that closed the roadway for about three weeks, and another smaller slide in January 2022 that closed the road for a few days. ITD brought in additional geotechnical experts and engineers are assisting with the reevaluation of the project.

To date, crews have removed over 160,000 cubic yards of materials in the project area.

The spring schedule is anticipated to continue through late May. For more information on the Smiths Ferry Project schedule and to sign up for updates, visit itdprojects.org/id55smithsferry.

ITD Director Ness Recognized by House and Senate for Service Excellence

The Idaho State House and Senate recently recognized Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) Director Brian Ness by unanimously approving concurrent resolutions honoring his outstanding service to the State of Idaho and to its citizen taxpayers. Ness will retire in late May from ITD as the longest-serving director in the history of the department.

Ness and the organization were recognized for an innovative approach to management, creating an environment of accountability and transparency throughout the department that restored the trust of lawmakers. His stewardship of funding has led to many great accomplishments by employees throughout the state and made Idaho’s transportation system safer and more efficient.

Ness’ appreciation for employees has been felt throughout the department. He consistently gives employees the ability to make good decisions where they work, saving time and tax dollars. The director annually traveled the state to visit frontline ITD employees to hear about local issues affecting them and their communities.

Under Ness, ITD has earned more AASHTO President’s Transportation Awards than any state in the country — 20 of them during his time as director. The AASHTO Awards, from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, are considered the top honor that any department of transportation can achieve, and shows that Idaho stacks up favorably on the national scene.

The resolution honoring director Ness and the department was approved unanimously by the Idaho House and Senate, recognizing a job well done that will set a new standard for public service.

Watch the House and Senate proceedings. The comments made by legislators during these sessions are especially telling, and really get to the heart of why Director Ness has set the bar high and why ITD is on an upward path!

New machine to pick up trash on I-90 this spring

New trash machine working in the median of I-90

The Idaho Transportation Department will use a new machine this spring to pick up trash along Interstate 90 from Washington to Coeur d’Alene.

“Now that the snow has melted, everyone can see the ugly truth about how much garbage has been piling up all winter,” Operations Engineer Jerry Wilson said. “This year, we have already started our cleanup efforts and will use a new machine, once conditions allow, to do it more efficiently.”

The department invested in the machine to speed up the collection process. It only takes two operators: one to drive the machine, which uses metal teeth to comb through the grass, and another to haul the trash away in a dump truck.

“To do one mile by hand, it takes five operators working together for eight hours,” Wilson said. “With the machine, we can cut that down to two people working five hours and still cover the same distance.”

The machine works well in the flat areas in the median, which Adopt-A-Highway volunteers are typically encouraged to avoid for their own safety.

“We will continue to rely on volunteers through the Adopt-A-Highway program to help get this mess cleaned up,” Wilson said. “They are just as valuable to us as this new machine, and we are inspired by the effort they make every year to keep Idaho beautiful.”

In 2021, volunteers in North Idaho picked up 4,171 bags of litter or about 72.8 tons – enough to fill 18 garbage trucks.

“There’s always a lag time between when the snow melts and the trash gets picked up, but once the median gets less muddy, and we have the dump truck ready to go, you’ll see us out there using the new equipment,” Wilson said.

ITD’s first TECM Bonds rated exceptionally high by rating services Moody’s and Fitch

The $325M Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) highway bonds have earned very high ratings by the two major rating services. Fitch rated them at AA+ (the highest rating possible is AAA). The rating by Moody’s Investor Services is Aa1.

The bonds are expected to be sold later in March, if market conditions are favorable. The bonds will be handled by Idaho Housing and Finance Association, which also has handled the Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle (GARVEE) bond sales for ITD during the last decade.

“This excellent rating really began three years ago when the authority to bond was put in to the code as part of the 2019 Legislative session,” explained ITD Controller Dave Tolman. “This reflects our efforts in regard to the TECM debt service fund, the continuing appropriations, the guaranteed amount of the sales tax transfer, and other approaches.”

“These ratings show the confidence in what has been developed in Idaho for this program. The structure provides a fixed amount of $80M from sales tax collections transferred to the TECM Fund. This rating has taken a lot of work by a team of folks and I couldn’t be happier with the result.”

Preliminary work begins on State Highway 75 in Blaine County

Image of State Highway 75 north of Hailey

Weather dependent, work is expected to begin next week (March 8) on State Highway 75 north of Hailey. Construction for this project will be divided into two phases with initial work focusing on updates to pedestrian ramps and reconstruction of a section of the roadway.

“The first phase of this project will take place over the coming month and involve the reconstruction of sidewalks and pedestrian ramps at McKercher Boulevard and E Fork Road to bring them into compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act standards,” said ITD South-central Idaho Project Manager Brock Dillé. “We will also reconstruct a portion of SH-75 near the Big Wood River Bridge to improve ride quality.”

While work is underway, lane restrictions will be in place with signs present to direct motorists through the work zone.

Once initial work is complete, crews will transition to the second phase of construction, which will involve rehabilitation of SH-75 from Cobblestone Lane to Timber Way. Additional information regarding rehabilitation efforts and traffic impacts associated with the second phase will be provided closer to that work beginning.

“We advise drivers to use caution and watch for workers and heavy equipment when traveling through the work zone,” stated Dillé. “We will be working to minimize impacts throughout this project and appreciate the patience of motorists as they travel through the area.”

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

Passing lane construction on US-95 to begin next week

Work is expected to begin Wednesday, March 9, to build the next 2.3 miles of a new passing lane for southbound drivers on US-95 between Culdesac and Winchester.

Construction will begin with tree removal and excavation east of the highway.

“Some blasting is planned to make room for the extra lane and will start once we dig down to solid rock,” Resident Engineer Curtis Arnzen said. “That will likely happen in the spring, though we don’t have a good date yet. Generally drivers should expect that all traffic could be stopped in both directions for up to 15 minutes at a time through construction.”

Once scheduled, blasts will be timed to avoid peak travel times and will typically require a one-hour closure.

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.

“Impacts this year will be very similar to the project we completed in 2020 that added three miles of passing lane just south of this area,” Arnzen said. “This is part of a corridor-wide plan to finish building an 11-mile passing lane in Culdesac Canyon to provide safer opportunities for drivers to pass.”

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. Construction is scheduled to end by early November.

Construction starts next week to replace two I-90 overpasses in Kellogg

Traffic passes underneath I-90 on Division Street in Kellogg

*Updated March 3 to show that the start date is dependent on weather. Less precipitation and warmer temperatures will be needed to begin work, and based on the current forecast, the start date will likely shift to March 14. Check 511 as we get closer to construction to confirm.

The Idaho Transportation Department will begin replacement of the Interstate 90 overpasses at Division Street and Elizabeth Park Road next week to improve safety.

Construction is anticipated to start Monday, March 7, with traffic on I-90 restricted to one lane in each direction at all times. Work is expected to take two seasons, with each season starting in March and lasting through October. All lanes will be open during the winter between construction seasons.

The project also includes widening the eastbound on-ramp at Division Street and repaving both streets under the overpasses.

Map of two interchanges to be replaced in Kellogg

Motorists should plan for the following impacts:

Division Street:

Both lanes will be open under the I-90 overpass with minimal closures as needed.
On-street parking under the overpass will not be allowed.
Sidewalks will be closed under I-90 with a signed pedestrian detour.
Ramp work will take place in the shoulders with minimal impacts to drivers.

Elizabeth Park Road:

Drivers can expect one-way alternating traffic controlled by temporary traffic signals on Elizabeth Park Road under I-90.
Elizabeth Park Road will be closed for several nights each construction season as crews demolish each structure before building a new one. Digital message boards will provide warnings at least one week in advance of any road closures as a detour is not available and will not be posted.

The bridges date back to the 1960s. For up-to-date information on this project, please visit itdprojects.org/i90divisionelizabeth.

Drivers will also encounter several other work zones on I-90 later this summer.

Four miles east of the bottom of Fourth of July Pass will be repaved, and barrier will be installed to prevent head-on crashes on the freeway. A contractor is not on board yet, but work is expected to take place between June and October with one lane in each direction closed.
One westbound lane will be closed at the Golconda interchange starting in April or May as the bridge is repaired. Repairs would take through September to complete.
Repairs to concrete barrier between Mullan and Montana are expected to start in April or May and require single-lane closures in one direction at a time.
The worst ramps in Shoshone County will be repaved this summer, with work starting as early as May. As ramps are resurfaced, they will be closed for about a day each. All work is scheduled to take about six weeks.
Paving between Wallace and Mullan is scheduled to begin in June and take until September, with traffic reduced to one lane in each direction.

Travelers should check 511.idaho.gov to learn about traffic impacts before driving.

SH-3 traffic detour starts late February to prepare for spring construction

The Idaho Transportation Department will partially close State Highway 3 north of St. Maries to prepare for spring construction. Unless winter weather causes a delay, the closure will start on Monday, Feb. 28, and continue for two weeks.

“If the forecast changes, we’ll have to push our closure to the following week,” Project Manager Matt Heinichen said. “Drivers should pay attention to signs in the area and 511.idaho.gov for exact timing.”

The plan is to close at least one lane of the highway from milepost 89.9 to milepost 92.5, with traffic detoured onto Goosehaven Road. During the closure, crews will remove vegetation along three miles of highway to make room for widening this spring.

“We may close both lanes on SH-3 and detour all traffic for up to five days in this two-week window so we can test the detour we expect to have in place for when we start the widening effort,” Heinichen said. “We want to determine if the county road will be able to support two-way traffic during construction.”

Widening is scheduled to begin in late April and take three months to complete. Closing the highway completely and using Goosehaven Road as a detour will expedite the 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. No additional lanes will be added. 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 SH-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.

Learn more at itdprojects.org/stmariesdike.