U.S. Highway 20 Exit 333 for Rexburg will remain closed through Labor Day weekend and into next week. Contractors and crews have encountered multiple difficulties on site, including the breakage and repair of a main sewer line last week, causing unanticipated delays. The Idaho Transportation Department is now committed to Exit 333 being open ahead of the influx of university traffic on Friday, September 13.
While this primary exit into Rexburg has been closed during the month of August, ITD and contractor partners have repaired and rebuilt multiple city utilities, constructed and repaired drainage and irrigation systems, as well as removed and reconfigured the road itself. This work takes additional operational time now but will save city and community partners from having to close the roadway for infrastructure needs in the future.
“We know that Rexburg has endured a lot with construction this summer,” Project Manager Conner Huffaker said. “We hope people will continue to be patient for just a little longer and know that the end outcome will be a major improvement for the long-term future.”
Completion of all work on both Exit 332 for University Boulevard and Exit 333 for Main Street is still expected to be completed by late fall. Motorists should plan for continued construction near the interchanges until that time, with at least one lane of traffic open in both directions.
Exit 333 will reopen with the same diverging diamond interchange design as is now operating at exit 332. This traffic pattern is far more efficient than what was in place before and will greatly improve travel to and from Rexburg.
Further details about this project and how to drive the new design can be found at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/us20rexburg.
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Beginning tomorrow at noon the eastbound Interstate 86 to southbound Interstate 15 ramp will be closed while crews construct a temporary road to the new eastbound to southbound ramp. Eastbound traffic on I-86 looking to travel south on I-15 will be detoured north through the Northgate Interchange (Exit 73). The closed ramp will reopen late Sunday.
This work will allow the eastbound lanes to be adjusted to the grade of the new ramp. Doing the work this weekend will limit traffic impacts during the peak Labor Day weekend.
Originally built in the 1960s, the I-86 and I-15 System Interchange is undergoing $112 million of redesign work to improve safety and replace aging infrastructure. The project is scheduled to be completed next summer.
Motorists should carefully follow signs and posted speed limits while traveling through the construction area. With crews working day and night at the System Interchange it is especially important that drivers be alert and proceed safely through the work area.
Motorists are encouraged to use https://511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours. Project details are available here on ITD’s projects website —https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-86i-15-system-interchange
Starting this evening, motorists will encounter new traffic patterns at the Interstate 86 and Interstate 15 System Interchange in Pocatello. The newly constructed I-86 eastbound to I-15 northbound ramp is set to open to traffic tonight. Alongside this change, the rightmost lane of I-86 eastbound will be closed as part of the new traffic configuration.
Drivers should also be aware that the split point for the eastbound-to-northbound and eastbound-to-southbound lanes will be shifted to the west, near the Hiline Bridge.
Originally built in the 1960s, the I-86 and I-15 System Interchange is undergoing $112 million of redesign work to improve safety and replace aging infrastructure. The project is scheduled to be completed next summer.
Motorists are encouraged to stay informed about the latest traffic updates and detours by visiting 511.idaho.gov or using the 511 app. Additional details about the project can be found on ITD’s projects website, https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-86i-15-system-interchange.
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is beginning construction to widen Interstate 15 (I-15) to three lanes in each direction between the Northgate and Fort Hall interchanges to accommodate projected increases in traffic volumes. This Leading Idaho multi-year project includes widening I-15, constructing a median barrier to separate opposing lanes of traffic and reconstructing bridge structures, including overpasses and underpasses, to accommodate the additional lanes.
Motorists can expect to see traffic control devices in the project area as early as Monday morning. Work has been phased to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction during the day for most of the project. However, motorists should be aware some nighttime work will require single-lane closures.
This fall, crews will shift traffic to create the space they need to build a median wall, reconstruct structures, and demolish and reconstruct the existing northbound lanes of the interstate.
During construction, motorists should expect:
- Nighttime work begins the week of August 19 and will continue for the first couple weeks of construction. Work will occur from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Nighttime single-lane closures may happen occasionally after this period.
- Daytime work is expected to begin early this fall and will occur between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.
- Lane restrictions will occur on I-15. Most work requiring lane restrictions is anticipated to occur at night.
- Ramp adjustments will occur at the Fort Hall Interchange (Exit 80) to match the grade of the new mainline.
- Variable speed limit signs will be installed in the project area, allowing ITD to lower speeds when crews are working near traffic.
Construction is anticipated to be completed in 2027. The project will increase capacity and improve safety on I-15 to serve East Idaho’s growing transportation volumes for years to come.
Due to the large project area, the widening of this stretch of I-15 has been divided into two projects with separate contractors. These contractors will work simultaneously to complete the projects. Western Construction, Inc. and Sundt Construction are the contractors for the north and south project areas, respectively.
Construction is being funded as part of Idaho Governor Brad Little’s Leading Idaho transportation funding initiative. The Leading Idaho initiative allows ITD to take a deliberate approach to advance large projects that will enhance safety, improve mobility, further strengthen Idaho’s economy, and positively impact communities across the state for years to come.
To sign up for project updates:
Beginning this morning, traffic patterns are changing at the System Interchange in Pocatello. Traffic using the southbound entrance ramp from Northgate can now merge with the new southbound alignment and will no longer be detoured through the Interstate 86 Chubbuck Exit before returning to Interstate 15.
In addition, southbound I-15 traffic wishing to travel west on I-86 will now drive over the new Chubbuck bridge before exiting to the right.
Motorists are encouraged to keep up-to-date via https://511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours. Project details are available here on ITD’s projects website —https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-86i-15-system-interchange
REXBURG—The Main Street Exit for Rexburg on U.S. Highway 20 will fully close beginning next Monday. The closure at Exit 333 will allow the Idaho Transportation Department to efficiently construct a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) like the one now operating at University Boulevard (Exit 332). The closure is expected to last through the month of August.
All ramps at Exit 333, as well as Main Street between the ramps, will be closed to traffic and detoured to nearby interchanges. Through traffic on US-20 will be unaffected during construction.
Detours include Thornton (Exit 328), University Boulevard (Exit 332), and North Rexburg (Exit 337). A new permanent traffic signal will be in place and operating to aid the flow of traffic at the North Rexburg Exit prior to this closure. One-lane closures are in effect at the University Boulevard Exit while construction efforts continue there.
“We thank everyone for their patience and understanding in dealing with road construction in Rexburg this summer,” Project Manager Conner Huffaker said. “We really are trying to keep traffic flowing and minimize the impact on people as much as possible. There’s a lot to get done in a short amount of time and all of it will make travel in Rexburg better once it is.”
Businesses near the Main Street Exit remain open, with alternate access available and signed. Construction crews will also coordinate with emergency responders to ensure access through the closed work zone when needed.
The city of Rexburg and ITD completed a cooperative agreement during the planning phase of this project to have the contractor complete city requested work items, including a sewer repair during road construction. Crews will insert a manhole and repair a damaged sewer pipe so that additional closure for this needed infrastructure work won’t have to occur in the future.
Construction of all Rexburg US-20 interchanges is expected to be fully complete in late October. More details about this project can be found at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/us20rexburg.
Beginning tomorrow evening the north-to-west ramp of the System Interchange at Pocatello will be periodically closed to allow for girder placement for a new bridge.
Girders are horizontal steel beams designed to support the bridge deck. As the beams are placed over the northbound to westbound ramp it is necessary to close the roadway beneath for the safety of the travelling public.
Closures are scheduled for:
- Wednesday from 9:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m.
- Friday from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
- Monday July 22 from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
- Wednesday July 24 from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
- Thursday July 25 from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.
Traffic traveling north on I-15 wishing to proceed west on I-86 toward Chubbuck will be detoured through the Northgate Interchange.
Motorists should carefully follow signs and posted speed limits while traveling through the construction area. With crews working day and night at the System Interchange it is especially important that drivers be alert and proceed safely through the work area.
While this work continues, weather is a major factor for the timing of closures. Motorists are encouraged to keep up-to-date via https://511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours. Project details are available here on ITD’s projects website —https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-86i-15-system-interchange
On Monday the Idaho Transportation Department will begin work to repave the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 from the West Blackfoot Interchange Exit 93 to Riverside Canal near the Rose Road Interchange Exit 98. This project will improve safety and the drivers’ experience with a smooth new surface.
During construction traffic will be shifted to the southbound lanes through a crossover. Drivers should expect reduced speeds through the construction zone. The project is expected to take 50 days to complete.
Throughout the course of the project, crews will be milling down the base layer of the highway to fully reconstruct the road base and driving surface. Work includes pulverizing the existing asphalt, excavating and placing new material as a base, and then paving over the top of the new base.
Travelers are encouraged to use the Idaho 511 system for updated traffic impacts through the construction season.
RIGBY— The Idaho Transportation Department is utilizing the summer window of opportunity to resurface and repair several roadways across eastern Idaho. Pavement overlays and repairs increase the strength and longevity of our roads, helping them to better withstand the weather conditions in this region. Beginning mid-July, motorists can expect to see traffic limited to one lane as needed in the following work zones:
- Interstate 15, milepost 112 at Bingham County line to Exit 119 at U.S. Highway 20 Interchange. Work in this area through Idaho Falls will be conducted at night from 8 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Traffic will be limited to one lane intermittently in both directions where crews are actively working. Work is expected to last approximately three weeks.
- I-15 Exit 119 to Exit 143 at Sage Junction. Traffic will also be limited to one lane intermittently in both directions where crews are actively working. Work on this section of the interstate will be conducted during daytime hours and last until mid-October.
- US-20 from milepost 264 at Bonneville County line to milepost 301 at the Idaho National Laboratory junction. Beginning mid-July, patch and repair work will be underway, with flaggers and one-lane closures in the working area. This section of road will also undergo a seal coat later in August. Work is expected to be complete by mid-August.
- State Highway 28 milepost 101 at Lemhi River Bridge to milepost 125 at Baker, and milepost 305 to 306 on SH-93 in Salmon. These pavement projects require that a mobile hot mix plant be set up closer to the area of work so asphalt temperatures can be kept where they need to be to correctly build the road. This operation entails equipment parts and pieces being hauled with large transport trucks and then constructed at the Leadore state gravel pit. Once the plant is set up and operational, work is anticipated to last approximately eight weeks. Expect one-lane closures along SH-28 with pilot cars and flaggers in place.
- SH-93 milepost 108 at Mackay to milepost 115 at Mackay Reservoir, and milepost 139 at Willow Creek Summit to SH-75 junction. Traffic will be limited to one lane intermittently using pilot cars and flaggers in the current working area. Both lanes will be open again overnight. Work is expected to begin late July and last until mid-September.
- US-26 northeast of Craters of the Moon visitor center from milepost 230- 240. This section of road will be dug out and replaced with new pavement. Pilot cars and flaggers will direct traffic through one lane. Work is expected to be complete in just six days, beginning in early August.
Remember to use caution and stay alert when traveling through work zones. Up-to-date information on these projects is available by visiting 511.idaho.gov, dialing 5-1-1, or downloading the 511 app.
