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The Idaho Transportation Department will reach the halfway point this spring in a four-year reconstruction of the I-90/SH-41 interchange in Post Falls. Motorists can expect several changes throughout the construction zone in 2024.

The 2024 construction season will include reconstructing multiple bridges on I-90 and constructing a temporary westbound bridge over SH-41. Crews will continue working on Seltice Way, I-90 and SH-41. Download an overview of 2024 construction activities.

“This is one of the most complex interchanges in the state, with multiple bridges and intersecting roadways,” said ITD Project Manager Shannon Stein. “Our crews have made outstanding progress while keeping the interchange open for daytime commuters.”

Traffic impacts in 2024 will include:

• Ongoing nighttime closures on SH-41 for the next several weeks during pile-driving.
• Lane closures on SH-41 and Mullan Avenue by late March or early April.
• Speed limit reductions (55 mph on I-90 and 25 mph on SH-41, Mullan Avenue, and Seltice Way).
• Intermittent lane restrictions on I-90 at night (8 p.m. to 5 a.m., and 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. during special events). Two lanes will remain open in both directions of I-90 during the day with reduced shoulder widths.
• Additional delays, noise, and nighttime lighting when necessary. Live traffic impacts are posted at idaho.gov.

“The work zone will continue to change from day to day,” said Stein. “The best way to stay informed about construction is to sign up for email updates at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i90sh41ic or by calling 208-738-4190.”

To learn about the future interchange and how it will function, watch this video.

The Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds through Governor Little’s “Leading Idaho” initiative has allowed this $78 million interchange reconstruction project to begin earlier than expected. This program has allowed ITD to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure today that would otherwise have taken many years to fund and build.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2026 and will provide enhanced safety and mobility for motorists in North Idaho.

Sixteen, 96-foot girders that weigh 77,963 pounds each will be transported March 13 and 14 to begin building the Interstate 84, State Highway 16 Interchange as part of the Leading Idaho program.

Six bridges along SH-16 are being built with girders made in Caldwell. In total, Contech Engineered Solutions will build 57 girders and the retaining walls for the I-84, SH-16 Interchange.  The bridge supports will be used at Ten Mile Creek, McMillan Overpass, Quasi Place, Five Mile Creek, Cherry Lane and I-84.

SH-16 is a testament to the job creation and economic opportunities that come from road construction projects.

Contech employs 52 people at their Caldwell location. The local company says road construction projects like this have a positive effect on many Idaho businesses.

“The materials to make these are local. The bar we buy is from a local supplier. The concrete and aggregate come locally from Idaho. We try to support the local community as much as possible. We are very proud of the work we do here,” Contech Engineered Solutions Sales Manager Lee Wegner said.

The multi-year project encompasses more than four miles of new highway from I-84 to U.S. 20/26 (Chinden Boulevard).  Beyond the jobs that come from building a new highway, the project creates better connectivity to Gem County, promising a future of increased accessibility and growth.

This project is funded with Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds as a part of Governor Little’s Leading Idaho program. This initiative allows ITD to address rapid growth and aging infrastructure in critical corridors throughout the state.

Contech is also constructing girders for the Simco Road Bridge near Mountain Home and the bridge under SH-55 in the Avimor development.

UPDATE: Due to weather, the start date for this project has been shifted to later this month. Pay attention to signage near the work zone for the start of traffic impacts and visit itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/us20rexburg to sign up for email updates.

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The Idaho Transportation Department will begin early construction activities to replace two interchanges on U.S. Highway 20 in Rexburg. This summer the interchanges at University Boulevard (Exit 332) and State Highway 33 (Exit 333) will be rebuilt to be safer and more efficient.

Work this spring will include utility work and installing temporary traffic signals at Exit 333 to help with traffic flow during construction. Crews will also install permanent signals further north at the ramps for Salem Highway (Exit 337). Lane closures during these early activities will occur outside of peak traffic times as much as possible.

“Between March and June, we anticipate maintaining at least one lane of traffic in each direction on University Boulevard and SH-33,” Project Manager Conner Huffaker said.

Construction this summer will require each interchange to be fully closed, one at a time. Full closure of the interchange at University Boulevard is anticipated for the month of June. Full closure of the interchange at SH-33 is anticipated for the month of August. As one interchange is closed for construction, the other will remain open as a detour route. US-20 will remain open to through traffic throughout construction.

Crews anticipate that all work will be complete by late October.

When complete, both interchanges will be diverging diamond interchanges (DDIs). The DDI design was chosen after many years of analyzing technical data and working with the local community. Watch this video to learn how to drive through the new interchanges.

To sign up for construction updates, visit itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/us20rexburg.

ITD will host an open house on April 2 at Madison High School from 4 to 6 p.m. to share construction plans and impacts with the community. More information will also be made available online at that time.

HK Contractors is the contractor for this $22 million project.

Starting next week travelers on U.S. Highway 12 east of Lowell should expect to encounter construction as crews resurface and widen nine miles of the highway to include shoulders.

Work will take place between the Lochsa Ranger Station and Holly Creek and will conclude in mid-October. This is the final phase of the project.

Tree removal will start as early as Monday in preparation for widening.

Throughout construction the highway may be reduced to one lane with possible delays up to 30 minutes. Watch carefully for flaggers or pilot cars. Additional instructions for pedestrians and bicyclists to navigate through the work zone will be shared in a separate announcement closer to the summer.

Click here to view a map of the project.

Live traffic impacts can be found by visiting 511.idaho.gov. You can also dial 5-1-1 or download the app. For information on this ITD project, check https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/us12rangerstationtoholly.

At 10:25 a.m. MST local time, an earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale occurred just north of Smiths Ferry, prompting an immediate response from the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD). To ensure public safety, ITD is doing a thorough assessment of roads, culverts, and bridges in the affected vicinity.

ITD’s bridge inspectors and maintenance crews will be in the area assessing all bridges and roads, including the most photographed bridge in Idaho, the Rainbow Bridge. While there are currently no indications of damage, there has been some small rockfall on the roadway.

In the event of any damage resulting from the earthquake, ITD will provide prompt notification to the public.

ITD wants to reassure the community that every measure is being taken to assess and address potential safety risks from this earthquake, demonstrating our unwavering dedication to maintaining a secure transportation network for all.

Construction to upgrade the Burley Interchange (Exit 208) on Interstate 84 is set to begin next week, and the nearby Heyburn Interchange (Exit 211) is scheduled to begin soon after. Both multi-year projects include replacing the interchanges, with funding coming from Governor Little’s Leading Idaho program.

Both interchanges were built in the 1960s. Feedback from open houses held in 2022 and 2023 led to the selection of new designs that are safer and capable of handling more traffic.

Work will begin at the Burley Interchange on Monday, Feb. 26, with crews bringing in equipment and setting up the work zone. Drivers should plan for nighttime lane closures while they place barrier and start removing vegetation in the median.

Upgrading the interchange will take until late 2026 and is expected to cost $85.1 million. Drivers can generally expect:

• All lanes on I-84 will be open during the day. Traffic will be shifted many times to run on temporary pavement to keep traffic flowing.
• Nighttime lane closures on I-84 as needed.
• Nighttime ramp closures as needed.
• Traffic shifts on State Highway 27 crossing over the interstate.

The new interchange will feature longer ramps to access I-84 and two new signals to control ramp traffic. The two existing westbound on-ramps will be consolidated to one ramp, and all bridges will be replaced. View the detailed design here.

This year the contractor will work on building temporary lanes in the median to shift traffic onto, start reconstructing westbound lanes with concrete and forming embankments for future ramps. Crews will also begin to replace the westbound bridge over the canal to the west of the interchange and the northbound bridge for SH-27 traffic over the interstate.

To stay up to date, visit the project website to sign up for email updates. Live traffic impacts can always be checked at 511.idaho.gov.

Construction at the nearby Heyburn Interchange is expected to start in mid-March.

The Leading Idaho program allows ITD to accelerate project timelines to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure today that would otherwise take many years to fund and build.