Southbound Eagle Road right turn lane from Eastbound Chinden closed during construction

Construction near the intersection of Chinden and Eagle Road

The dedicated right turn lane to Eagle Road from eastbound Chinden is closed during construction. Drivers are able to turn right to southbound Eagle Road from the thru lane.

This lane configuration will allow crews to construct new roadway on the south side of Chinden. Commuters should expect increased delays and use alternate routes when possible.

Additionally, Locust Grove at its intersection with Chinden will be closed the night of Friday, May 29th. Traffic will be detoured on McMillan Road to Meridian and Eagle roads.

For information specific to this one-mile section please visit https://itdprojects.org/chindenwestlocusttoeagle/

ITD DMV and county officials urge online renewals in response to COVID-19 caused backlog

UPDATE: Star Card deadline is now May 7, 2025

U.S. Department of Homeland Security notice for REAL ID

Originally published 5/21/2020

DMV offices across the state are beginning to reopen their doors. But because of the earlier COVID-19 closures and limited service, there’s a backlog of thousands of Idahoans who need DMV services.

Tuesday, May 19, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD), county sheriffs, and county assessors came together to urge drivers to use online services to help ease the backlog.

“The DMVs across the state typically conduct about 250,000 transactions a month, but because of the limited office access during COVID, we have a significant backlog of approximately 100,000 customers. We’re encouraging the public to go online, at itd.idaho.gov, and only go into the DMV office if it is absolutely necessary,” said DMV Administrator Alberto Gonzalez.

“If you can renew online, we highly suggest it, and highly encourage it,” Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue added. “It’s so much more efficient for the customer and really for the staff so they’re not overburdened with a higher backlog than we already have, and we’re going to have backlog for some time.”

At itd.idaho.gov you can easily renew your license or vehicle registration, and more. By renewing online, you’ll save yourself time, and other’s time, reducing the wait for those who have to visit the DMV in person.

“It allows room for the people who truly need to come to our DMV. If they need to have a VIN inspection done before they transfer a title, out of state folks who we need to see their vehicles and get them through the system, we can’t do online,” said Canyon County Assessor Brian Stender.

“Use our renewal by mail or online so we can divert that population away from our office and leave that really for the people who are first time licenses or out of state,” added Ada County Sheriff Steve Bartlett, pictured right.

And not only are you practicing safe social distancing, renewing online is convenient too.

“You can do it from the comfort of your couch at home, you can do it on your lunch hour at work, it’s very simple, easy, and quick,” Stender said.

If you do need to make a visit to the DMV, be sure to call ahead before you go. Office hours and availability vary by county, and you may need to make an appointment. Licenses and registrations expiring between March 1st and May 31st now have until June 30th to renew. The federal deadline for the Star Card-Idaho’s REAL ID has also been extended a full year to October 2021.

“The higher number of people who go online, the better the service will be in the county offices, and the better we’ll be able to manage that backlog,” Gonzalez said.

Click here for the DMV’s online services and more.

Paving work to occur next week on US-93 in Jerome County

Paving operations are expected to begin next Tuesday (May 26) on a short section of US-93 just north of Flying J in Jerome County.

Weather permitting, work on this project is anticipated to last eight days.

Traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction throughout the work zone. The current traffic signal at 500 S Road will still be in operation. Flaggers may also be present during certain stages of the project.

Motorists should anticipate minor delays and watch for reduced speeds and workers throughout the work zone.

The general contractor is Idaho Materials and Construction.

With drivers back on the road, ITD kicks off another work zone awareness week

Crew removing brush on US-2 as an example of a short duration operation

National Work Zone Awareness Week is traditionally held in April, but with more drivers back on highways, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is again spotlighting work zone safety.

ITD asks media partners and drivers to tune in each day this week (May 18 – 23) to the department’s Facebook and Twitter pages to see different types of work zones.

Drivers are familiar with larger road construction projects, which are typically well-marked and have better visibility, but they may not be as familiar with short-duration operations.

These can pop up anywhere, at any time. Whether it is a highway worker stopping to remove a shredded tire or animal carcass from the road, or performing maintenance work like repairing guardrail right next to the travel lanes, these jobs generally put workers closer to the road, and closer to danger. There is less time for the worker or the driver to take evasive action when encountering short-duration operations.

Just last year, an ITD operator was killed outside Arco in a short-duration operation, reminding us all of the importance of being safe and vigilant in work zones across the state.

During this week, ITD also remembers the sacrifices of other workers lost over the years while on the job – many of them were killed in work zones. Since this picture was taken, there have been two more markers added to the Fallen Workers Memorial, bringing the total to 40 workers since 1960.

“Work zones can be the most hazardous areas on our state highway system,” ITD Safety Manager Randall Danner said. “We urge drivers to use extreme caution when passing through these areas so they can arrive at their destination safely and our workers can return home to their loved ones.”

In addition to short-duration maintenance operations, ITD has dozens of projects planned this year with information on itdprojects.org. Each project is different in terms of traffic revisions and reduced speed limits. Please check 511.idaho.gov for traveler information.

Comment online today for proposed changes to Idaho Highway 53

Photo of tire marks near the Hauser Lake Road and ID-53 intersection

The Idaho Transportation Department invites community input on proposed changes to Idaho Highway 53 near Rathdrum and Hauser via an online meeting at itdprojects.org/id53corridor from today (May 18) to June 8.

“Normally we would host an open house and engage with stakeholders in person,” said Steven Bakker, a project manager for one of several projects in that area. “We can’t do that right now, but with a little more effort, we hope to still have a constructive dialogue.”

The online meeting will feature narrated presentations on four separate projects designed to improve safety from Washington state line to Rathdrum by adding turn lanes and constructing a new interchange at Pleasant View Road. These changes will require more than $40 million in funding through 2027.

“Though we’ve moved much of this discussion online, we want to emphasize that we are still available in many ways to talk about these projects,” Bakker said.

Comments may be submitted via the website, calling (855) 785-2499, emailing id53corridor@itd.idaho.gov or sending mail to 600 West Prairie Avenue, CDA, ID 83814 at the attention of Steven Bakker.

Those who do not have the ability to engage online should use the contact information above, and a member of the project team will provide them with other resources to participate.

Construction on I-84 in Jerome County to begin next week

Westbound Interstate 84 near Jerome, Idaho

Rehabilitation of the westbound lanes on Interstate 84 between Jerome and Twin Falls is expected to begin next Monday (May 11). Work will encompass approximately seven miles of highway (milepost 166 to 173) and provide a safer and smoother ride for motorists.

“Initial work will include construction of traffic crossovers and temporary ramps,” said ITD South-central Idaho Project Manager Brock Dillé. “Building a temporary ramp at Exit 173 will allow us to keep traffic moving without detouring motorists during construction.”

The first phase of the project is expected to last until July of this year. Once construction of crossovers and temporary ramps are complete, rehabilitation of the roadway will begin.

“This project was originally scheduled to begin in 2022,” said Dillé. “Due to efficiencies and cost-savings throughout the department, ITD was able to expedite this high priority route in order to provide a better highway for commercial and passenger vehicles two years earlier than anticipated.”

While construction is underway, traffic on this section of I-84 will be reduced to a single lane in each direction. Motorists should anticipate reduced speeds and watch for workers and heavy equipment throughout the work zone.

Rehabilitation of the westbound lanes is expected to be complete by the end of this year. Work on the eastbound lanes will begin in the spring of 2021.

The general contractor is Western Construction of Boise.

ITD DMV employees work from home to continue helping Idaho drivers

UPDATE: Star Card deadline is now May 7, 2025

U.S. Department of Homeland Security notice for REAL ID

Originally published 4/29/2020

Idaho Transportation Department Division of Motor Vehicles employees continue to work hard from home to help Idaho drivers.

During this COVID-19 emergency, DMV Customer Contact Center employees are dedicated to keep assisting Idahoans with their DMV concerns while maintaining safe social distancing protocols. More than 160 people are working from home, answering phone calls related to all aspects of DMV operations. That includes driver’s licenses, vehicle registration and titles, motor carrier registration and permits, and vehicle dealer support. These DMV employees are taking more than 1,000 calls a day from the public, and more than 800 a day from county DMV offices across the state.

“We are living in a time of unprecedented uncertainty. It’s crucial that when the public, counties, or law enforcement of Idaho needs us with questions or assistance we are there on the other end of the call,” said Beth Thompson, Driver Records Program Supervisor. “Behind the scenes, ITD DMV is doing almost the entirety of the work from home. Whether it be a simple change of address or a complex issue regarding a driver’s license and suspension.”

They’re also helping process license and registration renewals by mail, over the phone, and online. As Idaho prepares to reopen for business, county DMV offices are adjusting hours of operation and services. ITD encourages drivers to use the online customer portal at itd.idaho.gov/driveidaho to reduce crowds and keep wait times down.

More Idahoans than ever are now using the DMV’s expanded online services. Online vehicle registrations grew from 16,000 in February to 31,000 in March, and are expected to reach over 40,000 in April. Online driver’s license and ID renewals increased from 900 in February to 2,400 in March, with 7,000 estimated in April.

Online DMV services at itd.idaho.gov/driveidaho include:

Driver’s license renewal (not for first-time Star Card)
Acquiring a replacement driver’s license or identification card
Paying driver’s license reinstatement fees
Purchasing a driving record
Vehicle registration renewal
Ordering personalized license plates
Checking status of vehicle plates and titles
Commercial vehicle oversize/overweight permits
Commercial vehicle registrations

The DMV has issued a 90-day extension on some credentials expiring between March 1 and May 31, 2020. This includes driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations that can be renewed online. Those expiring between March 1 and May 31 now have until June 30, 2020 to renew.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has also extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline one year, to October 1, 2021. This gives Idahoans an additional year to get the Star Card, Idaho’s REAL ID.

DMV office hours and services are determined by county sheriffs and assessors and vary statewide. Please contact your county office before you make the trip, and remember you can always call ITD’s DMV Customer Contact Center at 208.334.8000. Employees will be happy to help you even as they work from home.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my Driver Records team for weathering this storm like champions. They have handled it with integrity and grace and continue to give the very best customer service,” Thompson said.

For more information and resources visit itd.idaho.gov/driveidaho.

Westbound I-84 to close east of Mtn Home for control burn operation Tuesday

BLM fire crew conducts controlled burn along a highway

The Idaho Transportation Department will close a section of Interstate 84 east of Mountain Home tomorrow morning, allowing BLM crews to conduct a controlled burn of vegetation along the highway.

The closure will be for westbound traffic only between Exit 112 and Exit 90. Traffic will be detoured off I-84 at Exit 112 (Hammett Hill Rd.), travel on Old Highway 30, and rejoin the Interstate at Exit 90 (I-84B in Mountain Home).

“We definitely want to thank ITD for being a great partner every year,” said Jared Jablonski, Fire Information Officer for the Boise District BLM. “We have spring meetings every year and we work together on mitigating fire risk along the highway.”

Check out this video of a controlled burn from earlier this year along Idaho Highway 51.

ITD has partnered with the Boise District Bureau of Land Management on vegetation control since 2007. Since that time, the annual number of fire starts along this section of the Interstate has dropped significantly.

“The savings to the taxpayer from this activity are considerable,” said Carl Vaughn, ITD foreman out of Mountain Home. “Fewer starts means we don’t have to close the road, firefighters can be deployed elsewhere, and public and private land adjacent to the Interstate are spared the damage of catastrophic wildfires. It’s also helped reduce animal strikes along the Interstate.”

The BLM regularly conducts controlled burns along Southwest Idaho highways during the spring. There is a narrow window when temperatures are low and new vegetation is greening up where crews can conduct controlled burns in Idaho’s desert steppe. The spring activity pays dividends during peak fire season.

“When the summertime rolls around, roadside vegetation really does become a problem, as far as unnecessary human-caused fires along the roadway,” said Jablonski. “The more fuel we can get rid of in a controlled setting, the more benefit it is to us.”

ITD and the BLM remind travelers to be fire wise and make choices to prevent wildfires this year. Two common causes of man-made wildfires are tow chains dragging on the road and sparking or hot cars parking in grassy areas. Ensure tow chains are elevated off the ground and avoid parking in areas where exhaust pipes or a catalytic converter is contacting dry grass.

Bridge replacement to begin next week on ID-75 north of Ketchum

Four Mile Bridge over the Big Wood River in Blaine County

The Idaho Transportation Department is expected to start construction on a bridge replacement next week on Idaho Highway 75 in Blaine County. Commonly referred to as the Four Mile Bridge because of its proximity to Galena Lodge, the structure spans the Big Wood River approximately twenty miles north of Ketchum at milepost 148.2.

“The current bridge was built in 1953 and has exceeded its life expectancy,” said South-central ITD Project Manager Brock Dillé. “In the coming months, we will replace the existing three-span bridge with a new single-span structure. Unlike the current bridge, the new structure will not have any piers in the water which will more readily allow for the natural meandering of the river.”

The new structure will be wider in order to accommodate 12-foot lanes with 3-foot shoulders in each direction. This will provide for more separation between vehicles and bicycles on the roadway and improve safety in the area.

While construction is ongoing, traffic will be reduced to a single lane. Temporary traffic signals will be in place and motorists can expect average wait times of approximately 15 minutes.

“There will be occasions when certain construction activities will require slightly longer wait times,” said Dillé. “Our goal is to keep these as minimal as possible throughout the project.”

A push button will also be in place for bicyclists who recreate in the area. Drivers and cyclists alike are advised to adhere to signals and watch for crews and heavy equipment during working hours.

Construction on the project is expected to be completed by late October of this year. The general contractor is Cannon Builders of Blackfoot.

Construction starts this Wednesday at Blue Creek Bay to finish bridge repairs

Photo showing traffic crossing the I-90 Blue Creek Bay bridge

April 28, 2020 update: The eastbound bridge, not the westbound bridge, will receive repairs first this season.

Repairs to the bridges on Interstate 90 over Blue Creek Bay will resume this Wednesday, April 29. The repairs will extend the service life of these structures for another fifty years.

Over the last two summers, extensive work to protect the underwater support structures was completed, and temporary joints to allow the bridges to expand and contract with the weather were installed. This season the contractor will finish the driving surface of the 1,400-foot-long bridges. Repairs are expected to be underway until August.

Work will start on the westbound bridge. Traffic will be shifted to the eastbound bridge and reduced to one lane in each direction. Once the westbound bridge is finished, it will carry traffic so crews can continue work on the eastbound bridge.

Another project in the next five years is now planned to replace the temporary joints with permanent ones.

“We understand that this project has affected drivers as they head to the national forest or to the lake on their summer weekends,” Resident Engineer Ryan Hawkins said. “Although we originally planned to install joints that would last another fifty years, we decided to postpone that part of the project to shorten the construction season and reduce our impact to drivers.”

The follow-up project will be scheduled once design is complete and funding has been identified.

Approximately 3.5 miles of I-90 from the bridges to the bottom of Fourth of July Pass, including some ramps at the junction with Idaho Highway 97, will be resurfaced during the month of June and create a longer work zone. For information on other construction projects, visit itdprojects.org.