Overview
A northbound passing lane will provide safer opportunities to pass south of Lapwai.
Background
Phased construction in the canyon will add an 11-mile passing lane from Winchester to Culdesac to provide southbound drivers safer opportunities to pass. This phased project proposes a 2.5-mile-long southbound, uphill, passing lane from milepost 283.8 to the northern railroad trestle. This project also includes replacing the dual large pipes at Rock Creek with a small concrete bridge. Culdesac Canyon work that was anticipated to begin in 2022 was suspended due to inadvertent fish take. ITD and National Marine Fisheries are in the process of finalizing a permit to resume work in the stream in late 2025.
Construction
January 2025 – Project remains on hold pending environmental clearance. The goal is to resume construction this year.
April 2024 – Culdesac Canyon work that was anticipated to begin last year is going to be delayed through this construction season. There was an inadvertent fish take in 2022 which suspended work. ITD and National Marine Fisheries have since taken a step back to reevaluate the conditions to continue construction. Work will remain on hold indefinitely and ITD is working diligently with federal agencies to satisfy future permit work. The goal to continue construction is by 2025. This is ongoing work on an 11 mile passing lane on U.S. Highway 95 to reduce accidents and increase safety for the traveling public.
2022 -2023 Construction – Work that began in March 2022 to build the next 2.3 miles of a new passing lane for southbound drivers will extend into a second season.
Duration: 2022 – possible in 2026 pending permit
Cost: $13.3 million (for just Phase 3)
Corridor plans
The Idaho Transportation Department is in the process of adding a passing lane for southbound drivers on Winchester Hill through the canyon. Work started in 2016 and will take several years to complete.
-
Phase 1
Completed in 2016 (mileposts 289 – 290.5)
-
Phase 2
Completed in 2020 (mileposts 279 – 282)
-
Phase 3
Started in 2022 but currently on hold pending environmental clearance (mileposts 283 – 286)
-
Phase 4
Construction anticipated to start 2028 (mileposts 286 – 289)
-
Phase 5
Construction anticipated to start 2030 to connect earlier phases (milepost 282 – 283)
Once completed, the passing lane will be 11 miles long. Culverts and other structures will be upgraded to be more fish-friendly as well.
Contact
Manager: Curtis Arnzen
Curtis.Arnzen@itd.idaho.gov