Overnight eastbound I-84 closure scheduled March 6 at Northside Boulevard (Exit 35)

The Idaho Transportation Department will implement a short-term overnight closure on eastbound I-84 at the Northside Interchange on Friday, March 6.

Beginning at 12 a.m. until 4 a.m., eastbound I-84 traffic will be detoured off the Interstate at Northside Boulevard (Exit 35). Traffic can use the interchange’s on-ramp to re-enter eastbound I-84. Travel will remain open on Northside Boulevard.

This closure will allow crews to safely perform roadway maintenance I-84. You can view a detour map below.

For more information about the I-84 widening project, listen to the Drive Idaho podcast, visit itdprojects.org/84corridor or text 84CORRIDOR to 555888 to request construction updates. You can also contact ITD at 84corridor@itd.idaho.gov and (208) 334-8002.

Road Closed…What?!

You planned a fun ski trip for the last 3 months across the other side of the state. You get ready to head out the door and check the weather for your route. You’re expecting snow but as of right now roads look fine. You have a 5 plus hour drive to get to the ski resort if all goes well. It’s 4 pm on a Thursday and you start your journey east to the mountains, if all goes well you’ll be there by 9 pm. A few hours into your drive the weather takes a little turn, the snow is coming down a little heavier, temperatures start to drop and the wind is now beginning to blow pretty hard. You start driving a little slower and about 70 miles from the ski resort your travels have now become white knuckle driving.

Only 55 miles left to go, you are a little edgy and just want to get to the resort and off the icy roads. You start on one of the local highways headed East to the mountain and about 45 minutes from the resort you drive up to a road closure on the highway. Saying some choice words at this point and thinking you can make it because you’re so close you stop behind a semi waiting the storm out at the block. You step out and realize its dang cold and windy, so you get back in your car and bundle up to stay warm. You get back out of your car and walk up to the gentleman sitting at the road block.

Dying to drive past the road block and get to the resort you ask him the infamous question…why is the road closed? The man tells him it is very low visibility, the 5 foot snow drifts are completely across the road and the crews cannot keep up with them as the wind is already at 45 mph. A little upset, you now follow-up with another question…when will the road be open? Can I just drive through, I’m sure I can make it?!

Of course the answer will always change as to when a road will be open as that is completely on a situational basis but the man tells you it will be open as soon as the weather cooperates and they can break though so maybe tomorrow night. He also proceeds to say that you cannot drive through the road block. Quite upset at this point because this totally messed up your weekend ski trip, you turn around and decide to stay in a hotel nearby to wait out the storm in hopes the road will open soon. Instead of driving passed the road block you make a wise choice to wait it out.

Has this scenario ever happened to you before where you drove up to a road closure due to the weather? If you live in Idaho, it most likely has happened to quite a few of you. It’s frustrating, it’s inconvenient and trust us when we say we totally understand!

Many travelers wonder why we close roads during the winter weather season…There’s many reasons actually! In severe weather road conditions our number 1 reason is low-visibility. ITD crews make numerous passes on our roadways and if they cannot see well they determine it is unsafe for motorists. Secondly, if the wind is blowing too hard then the snow drifts become uncontrollable. Once the snow drifts become unmanageable and the crews cannot keep up with them, this is also an indicator to close a road. Some other reasons would be severe black ice on the roadways and heavy snowfall that is impassable. Also, in the mountain passes typically the road might be closed due to avalanches.

When crews close a road, it is closed for a good reason…to keep motorists safe! ITD and ISP do not like to close roads due to the weather, we would prefer keep roads open to keep traffic flowing but that is not the case all of the time. Here’s some food for thought…when coming up to a road block and you get the urge to drive past it and continue on know that per Idaho Code 19-623 it is up to a $300 fine, a possible misdemeanor and possible imprisonment in county jail.

So when you drive up to a road block next time, we recommend to simply turn back and stay in a safe place until the road becomes open again. Our #1 goal is safety for the travelling public and ourselves!

Roads will only close for you and your family’s safety and we want to create the safest travel possible. Be sure to drive for the conditions, plan ahead, be prepared, stay engaged, and visit 511.idaho.gov before you go for current road updates. Dont forget to check out ITD’s road closure video!

Bridge replacements to close lanes on I-90 starting next week

I-90 where it crosses over Pennsylvania Avenue in CDA

Work will start Monday, March 2 to replace bridges on Interstate 90 where it passes over Pennsylvania Avenue near the exit for Sherman Avenue. The two bridges were built in 1960 and are being replaced to ensure continued safe travel.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction and crossed over to the westbound lanes, as the eastbound structure will be closed and rebuilt first. Once the eastbound structure is complete, the westbound structure will be rebuilt, and two lanes of traffic will be shifted to the other bound.

Pennsylvania Avenue will be closed underneath the bridges for the duration of the project, with traffic detoured to Elm Street. Both bridges over Pennsylvania Avenue are planned for completion in October.

Drivers and residents can also expect increased noise and vibration impacts during demolition of the old bridges and pile-driving of new support structures throughout construction. These activities will be scheduled during the day to limit impacts to residents.

Crews are scheduled to work Monday through Saturday.

To learn more, visit itdprojects.org/i90pennsylvania.

Cunningham thanks ITD for support in face of kidney failure

Chris Cunningham hasn’t been a part of the ITD family for too long — he started working here just three years ago — but he is extremely grateful for the love and support from the department as he faces advanced kidney failure.

“My condition is Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) — it causes cysts to grow on your kidneys,” Chris explained. “It an inherited disease, and has no known cure or treatment. “

His brother went to the hospital with severe back pain when Chris was 16 and was diagnosed with PKD. Doctors recommended Chris be tested for it, too, which confirmed that Chris had also inherited the disease from his father.

“My kidneys have failed further over the last few years and the function has decreased significantly. I started dialysis two years ago. Since then, I have had about 13 surgeries related to my condition.”

Chris has end-stage kidney renal failure. For the past two years, he has been working on getting a kidney transplant. His sister, Cara, has been tested and she’s a match. Still, funding stands in the way.

“I will have to live in Salt Lake City, Utah for six weeks and insurance doesn’t cover housing, food or travel,” Chris explained.

“Thankfully, our insurance will cover a large portion of the surgeries and medicine,” said his wife, Diane. “ However, Chris will be on anti-rejection medication for the duration of his life and we will have to visit Salt Lake on a frequent basis the first year and then sporadically the rest of his life. While this is a complete miracle and blessing, the travel, medicine and surgeries have taken a very heavy toll on our finances, with many more expenses to come. We are asking our community, friends, family and loved ones to help ease the toll if they can.”

If you or someone else may be able to help, or just wants more information, please visit this site.

Cunningham started as a Transportation Tech in the Caldwell maintenance shed in early 2017 and was promoted to be one of the two equipment trainers about 18 months ago.

“ITD has helped so much and supported me throughout my journey,” Chris said. “I’m eternally grateful. ITD really is a family.”

ITD partners with Leighton Vander Esch on seat belt safety

Buckle Up, Idaho campaign kick off with Leighton Vander Esch

BOISE—The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is partnering with Idaho native and Dallas Cowboys’ linebacker Leighton Vander Esch to remind Idahoans to buckle up.

Brought to life in a new educational campaign, “Rules to LVE By,” today’s announcement kicks off a partnership between ITD and Vander Esch focusing on the importance of wearing a seat belt at all times while in a vehicle.

“We are thrilled to partner with Leighton on this project,” said ITD Highway Safety Manager John Tomlinson. “He believes in hard work and doing things the right way, these are his rules to live by. Wearing a seat belt is one of those rules and we hope other Idahoans follow that example.”

Statistics show that eighty-five percent of people in Idaho buckle up. At the same time, nearly two-thirds of people killed in motor vehicle crashes were not properly restrained. The majority of those people were killed on rural roads.

“Having Leighton onboard can really make a difference in those rural communities,” Tomlinson said. “That’s where he grew up and he really understands the values of a small town but he also has a broad appeal that will resonate with all Idahoans.”

“I’m very proud to be from Idaho and my wife and I love coming home every chance we get,” Vander Esch said. “Lately, I’ve been learning a lot about the importance of seatbelt safety in my work with ITD, I’m excited to partner with them to help educate Idahoans about the importance of buckling up.”

The statewide program “Rules to LVE By” will include a media campaign featuring Vander Esch and educational events being planned at schools throughout the state. The first commercials featuring Vander Esch and his personal rules, including a message to “always buckle up,” were released today, and can be seen at shift-idaho.org/buckleupidaho.

“I’m grateful that I can help save lives and give back to the place that will always be my home,” Vander Esch said.

ITD to install wildlife fence to improve safety along ID-28

LEADORE – To make the highway safer for the public and wildlife, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will be building wildlife fencing on both sides of Idaho Highway 28 in a three-mile stretch of road between Leadore and Lemhi through August. This action comes about as a result of wildlife-migration studies in the area that show a need for safer mitigation routes due to elevated wildlife-vehicle collision rates.

In addition to the fencing, crews will also be installing new wildlife warning signs, cattle guards, and gates along with building numerous wildlife jump-outs.

ITD worked closely with the Idaho Department of Fish & Game to identify sections of roadway along ID-28 that had these migration safety concerns.

Throughout project construction, ITD will close the highway shoulders in the construction zone and we will also conduct intermittent traffic control as needed.

ITD will close ID-31 for the day starting at 10 am today for snow removal operations

VICTOR – The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will close ID-31 from Swan Valley to Victor temporarily starting today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In order to safely move the snow, ITD crews will be conducting multiple snow removal operations along the highway.

Due to recent storms, the area has accumulated a large amount of snow that is hazardous to the area. This planned operation is in efforts to prevent future avalanches and properly remove snow along the roadway the safest way possible for the public and for ITD crews.

ITD advises drivers to plan your trip accordingly during this planned road closure for maintenance.

Please check for road updates on Idaho’s traveler advisory service at 511.idaho.gov or call 5-1-1.

Additional information on winter safety can be found at: itd.idaho.gov/road-mtce/

Wet weather expected to create hazardous travel conditions in North Central Idaho through the weekend

Plow truck damaged by a tree on ID-162 MP 21

Drivers are encouraged to exercise caution as snowy, rainy and windy conditions are creating hazardous conditions by bringing trees and rocks down onto highways in North Central Idaho. Soils, saturated by moisture, are not able to anchor rocks and vegetation to hillsides.

Small rockslides closed Idaho Highway 14 at mileposts 22 and 38 earlier this morning, and US-12 at milepost 93 is currently blocked by fallen trees. Over the last several days, variable weather conditions have resulted in numerous callouts for downed trees, rock fall and plugged culverts.

“Heavy snow from previous storms has weighed down trees, and saturated soils are unable to keep trees in place, especially in windy conditions,” Operations Engineer Bob Schumacher said. “Just last night, one of our plow trucks—while responding to a downed tree in the road—was hit by another tree.”

The truck was not occupied at the time.

“So far, we have dealt mainly with rocks and trees,” Schumacher said. “Travelers should also be aware of the potential for avalanches in areas of steep slopes, particularly on US-12, with this variable weather.”

Drivers are advised to be cautious this time of year and to look for debris in the road. They should also check 511.idaho.gov for any road blockages or closures, and plan extra time for any travel.

Traffic to shift on US-93 in Jerome County starting late next week

As early as Feb. 15, traffic will shift on US-93 between 200 S Road and 300 S Road in Jerome County. This is part of the US-93 widening project, which will see the highway transition from two lanes to four to increase mobility and traffic flow in the area.

“We determined it would be best to build two temporary roadway diversions for this project,” said ITD South-central Idaho Project Manager Sam Purser. “This will allow traffic to continue moving through the area while construction is underway.”

Both northbound and southbound traffic will utilize these temporary roadways. Construction signage, candlesticks, and barrels will be in place to safely direct those traveling through the area.

Drivers can expect reduced speeds of 25 mph in the work zone. Motorists are advised to use caution and watch for workers and heavy equipment entering and exiting the highway.

“This project will improve safety at the US-93/200 South intersection for both passenger and commercial vehicles,” explained Purser. “The end result will be a divided highway similar to what drivers encounter two miles south of this area.”

Idaho Materials and Construction is the prime contractor for this project.

ITD and IDFG invite the community to a working group session Feb.11 to address wildlife on U.S. 30 at Rocky Point

MONTPELIER – The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and the Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) has invited members of the community to a working group session on February 11, 2020. ITD will ask the members of the public to identify issues and concerns with wildlife crossing U.S. Highway 30 at Rocky Point.

The working group session will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Allred Education and Event Center, 21620 U.S. Highway 30, Montpelier, Idaho 83254.

In response to concerns about high rates of wildlife-vehicle collisions, ITD and the IDFG are working together to design wildlife crossing options at Rocky Point (between U.S. Highway 30 mileposts 443 and 448).

This corridor is also bordered by recently secured easements held by the IDFG. These easements ensure that the migratory routes for mule deer, between their summer range in the Caribou Mountains and winter range on the Bear Lake Plateau, are not obstructed by future development.

Members of the community are invited to the working group session where they will be introduced to the project, help ITD and the IDFG identify issues and concerns within the project area, and learn about the next steps in the project.

“The community will have the opportunity to learn more about this project and provide input on potential improvements that will help wildlife cross the highway, while at the same time keeping motorists safe,” said ITD project manager Tara Capson.

In addressing wildlife crossing the highway, this project will support migration and minimize the risk to drivers and wildlife alike by protecting vehicles from wildlife-vehicle collisions.

Construction is expected to begin in 2025. For more project information please visit https://itdprojects.org/projects/rocky-point-wildlife-crossing/ .