Expect lane closures and delays during unique inlaid striping operations on Idaho Falls roads and others

Road of SH-33 in Idaho, showing a notch ground into the pavement where paint will be applied and a truck in the background.

Traffic will be affected as the Idaho Transportation Department and contractor partners conduct inlaid striping operations on State Highway 33, U.S. Highway 20, and Interstate 15 Business Loop over the next two weeks.

Beginning today, lane closures will be in effect where work is currently underway on SH-33 between Sage Junction and Rexburg. Four miles at one time will be reduced to one lane, with flaggers and pilot cars directing traffic through the work area. Motorists should watch for reduced speed, large equipment and signs indicating construction ahead.

Roadways will be worked on in this order, with all operations expected to be completed by August 15:

SH-33 between Sage Junction and Rexburg, milepost 59 to 78.

US-20 west of Idaho Falls, milepost 301 to 307, beginning next week.

I-15 Business Loop in Idaho Falls (Sunnyside Road from I-15 to Yellowstone Road).

I-15 Business Loop in Idaho Falls (Yellowstone Road from Sunnyside to Broadway).

Operations on SH-33 and US-20 are being conducted during daytime hours. Crews will work through the night on the I-15 Business Loop in Idaho Falls.

A pilot car and flaggers will only be present on SH-33 this week. Traffic will be directed into one lane and continue to move around the work area on US-20 and I-15 Business Loop.

Inlaid striping is relatively unique in Idaho. The operation involves grinding into the pavement very slightly, creating recessed notches that paint is then applied within. This method aims to extend the life and reflectivity of pavement markings.

Updates regarding these efforts and all roadwork in Idaho can always be found on the Idaho 511 app, or at 511.idaho.gov.

Northbound Blackfoot rest stop to close next week

Beginning Monday, the Interstate 15 northbound rest stop north of Blackfoot will be closed for maintenance. Crews will be repainting, replacing sidewalks, and landscaping. Work will continue until Monday, July 28.

Historic System Interchange rebuild nearing successful completion

Aerial view of the system interchange at Pocatello.

With the painting of final lane markers on the new roadway, construction at the I-86/I-15 “Flying-Y” System Interchange in Pocatello is coming to a successful conclusion. Begun in July 2022, the three-year $112 million project has dramatically changed the drivability of the interchange.

“We spent over eight years from design to actual construction of the project. We’re pretty proud of it. It’s one of the bigger projects we’ve designed. It’s one of the largest projects ever designed entirely by ITD staff and inspected with ITD personnel. Most of the people on the team live here locally and this has been a really meaningful project for us to make sure we did our very best,” said Project Engineer Aaron Baird.

Critical areas that were improved include the northbound Pocatello Creek on-ramp, the northbound-to-westbound collector distributor, and the eastbound-to-northbound ramp. Each of those improvements made merging from one Interstate to the other smoother and safer for motorists.

“We’re excited for people to use the final product. We hope it’s something that will last a long time and keep the travelling public safe as they use it,” said Project Manager Greg Roberts.

The scale of the endeavor has been truly historic. Approximately 1 million cubic yards of excavation have been completed. In addition, about 490,000 tons of base material was brought in; 116,000 tons of asphalt were placed; and over 7,700 cubic yards of concrete were poured. Nearly 70,000 square feet of retaining walls were also built throughout the project area. Finally, ITD built eight new bridges. Four of those have precast concrete girders and four have steel girders. In all, over 5 million pounds of steel has been used in the new bridges.

Construction crews worked year-round and around the clock for approximately three years to complete the project. To minimize disruption to traffic, key demolition operations were conducted at night. These efforts minimized the impact on traffic while the interchange was being reconstructed.

In addition to the major changes inside the Flying-Y design, the Chubbuck Road overpass was reconstructed as an underpass to improve site distances and vertical clearance on I-15, and to improve access to the Wellness Center from Chubbuck. The new underpass is significantly wider and includes bike lanes and sidewalks.

ITD also worked closely with the Portneuf Greenway to construct a pedestrian and bicycle path on the east side of the worksite to connect the Greenway to the Wellness Center.

Work left to wrap up the project will be off the roadway and conducted on the shoulders. In addition, ITD will be seeding open ground with native grasses.

“Thank you for being patient with us and seeing our vision, seeing what we’re trying to do to positively impact this community,” said Project Manager Zak Johnson.

District Engineer Todd Hubbard echoed those sentiments, “This project has been a great success and is an important addition to the community for the safety of drivers. It has been a lot of work to get all of it completed and to keep traffic moving. I want to thank everyone for their patience as we have worked on this project over the last three years. And a thank you to the project team and Sundt-Cannon Joint Venture for a project well done.”

Drivers are encouraged to remain attentive, move over for workers and emergency vehicles, and follow posted speed limits.

Work begins on I-15 bridges toward the Montana state line

Northbound lanes and signs on I-15 at Exit 184 Stoddard Creek.

Repairs and improvements are starting today on the first of 11 bridges along Interstate 15 north of Roberts toward the Montana state line. Crews will be replacing water damaged concrete and installing anti-skid surfacing to greatly extend the life of the bridges. Travelers should expect to see lane restrictions and lower speed limits where work is occurring through the summer and fall.

Crews are beginning today where the most significant repairs are needed, on the northbound lanes of Exit 184 at Stoddard Creek. Traffic will be routed off the bridge and on to the ramps, with travel affects much like those seen last year on the southbound lanes.

Stoddard Creek Road underneath I-15 is the access to popular camping areas and will be restricted to one lane or closed intermittently during construction. The closure will only be in place when passing under the bridge is not safe based on the work being done. When closed, motorists can proceed to Exit 190 at Humphrey, turn back around and head south to Stoddard Creek, then make a right turn toward camping areas.

From I-15 mileposts 136 to 189, repairs are also being done on ten other bridges and interchanges through the summer and fall. Work at Exit 180 at Spencer and Beaver Creek Overpass will continue for approximately six weeks. At the other locations, it will last just three to four days. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction on I-15 where these efforts are being completed.

Updates on specific work zones and travel impacts will be available on the Idaho 511 app or at 511.idaho.gov.

Chubbuck Road to open for Fourth of July weekend

Chubbuck road underpass as viewed from the west.

Chubbuck Road is open for traffic under Interstate 15. As part of the redesign of the System Interchange project Chubbuck Road was rebuilt as an underpass with lanes for bicycles and sidewalks. Over the last month the new underpass was closed so crews could build the eastbound lane, construct sidewalks, paint permanent lines and add signs.

ITD expects no further closures of Chubbuck Road. However, crews will continue to work around the site adding vegetation and doing cleanup work. Drivers are encouraged to slow down for workers on and near the roadway.

No cleanup work will occur during the holiday.

Originally built in the 1960s, the I-86 and I-15 System Interchange is undergoing a rebuild to improve safety and replace aging infrastructure. This week crews are painting the final lane lines throughout the project area. Once the lines are completed the remainder of the project will consist of seeding vegetation and other cleanup work that will not affect traffic.

Motorists are encouraged to use 511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours. Project details are available on ITD’s projects website at itdprojects.idaho.gov/i-86i-15-system-interchange.

Chip sealing to begin Wednesday at I-86 and I-15 System Interchange

Aerial photo of the system interchange at Pocatello.

Beginning tomorrow the Idaho Transportation Department will chip seal the System Interchange in Pocatello. Once this work is complete, the roadway will be restriped to indicate the final lane configurations.

Chip sealing covers temporary lane markings used throughout various phases of construction and maximizes the taxpayers’ investment by extending the lifespan of the pavement. A sticky slurry is sprayed on the pavement then rock chips are applied on top for a long-lasting seal. This treatment protects pavement from sun, oxidation, weather, water, oil and gas, and increases traction for safety.

Tabs will be placed on the new chip seal to indicate lanes for the short time before striping work can occur.

The previous connection between I-86 and I-15 was originally built in the 1960s. Now nearing completion, the System Interchange is a $112 million redesign to improve safety and replace aging infrastructure that began construction in 2022.

Motorists should carefully follow signs and slow down to 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 travel safely.

Motorists are encouraged to use 511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of related detours. Project details are available on ITD’s website at itdprojects.idaho.gov/i-86i-15-system-interchange.

Inkom on-ramp to northbound I-15 (Exit 58) night closures planned for next week

Map of detour in construction area around Inkom.

Due to bridge demolition, the Inkom northbound entrance ramp onto I-15 will be closed for two nights. The West Inkom Interchange northbound entrance ramp (Exit 58) closure will take place from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Monday, June 23 and Tuesday, June 24, weather and other factors permitting.

Traffic will be detoured to Old Highway 91 and then to Exit 63 to head north on I-15. Please watch for crews, use caution, and drive safely.

Due to the nature of the work, considerable noise is expected during the bridge demolition.

The Idaho Transportation Department is in the process of replacing bridges on I-15 at Inkom:

Over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and Old Highway 91.
Over Rapid Creek Road (Main Street).
I-15 bridges and reconstructing the West Interchange.

ITD combined and streamlined the projects to reduce the construction timeline to approximately two years rather than doing one location at a time over three years. This approach minimizes disruption to the local community and the traveling public and efficiently uses construction funds.

To learn more about the project or sign up for construction updates, please visit: itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i15-inkom-corridor. This temporary closure and other traffic impacts will be posted to 511.idaho.gov.

Paving begins north of Blackfoot

A dump truck and paver working on repaving a road.

Tomorrow the Idaho Transportation Department will begin repaving the southbound lanes of Interstate 15 from the Rose/Firth Exit 98 to one mile north of West Blackfoot Exit 93. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction and moved over to the northbound side of I-15.

The project will reconstruct the road to address rutting and potholes. Work is anticipated to be completed in mid-August. The northbound lanes were similarly repaved last year.

Motorists should carefully follow signs and posted speed limits while traveling through the construction area and are encouraged to use 511.idaho.gov or the 511 app to keep track of project detours.

I-15 corridor identified for further funding

Today at its regular monthly meeting the Idaho Transportation Board accepted staff recommendations on priority corridors across Idaho using TECM funds to address congestion, including three projects on Interstate 15 near Blackfoot. Since Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation funds were first used by the department for bonding and advancing major projects in 2022, ITD has delivered timely construction of expansion projects across the state. Today’s actions are a continuation of that.

Funding came from House Bill 25, which was passed by the Idaho Legislature earlier this year. The legislation provides an additional $20 million a year to the Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation fund for the next three years and allows the department to invest an extra $1 billion in the Idaho transportation system.

With this new funding, the following projects have been recommended for advancing to construction:

I-15 and US-26 Interchange (Exit 93): The existing interchange will be replaced to accommodate additional lanes on the interstate and to include longer on- and off-ramps for safer merging. Construction is anticipated to start in 2026, five years earlier than planned.

I-15 widening from milepost 89 to 93: This project will add capacity by widening the interstate to three lanes in each direction between the US-26 Interchange and the South Blackfoot Interchange. Construction was previously not funded but is now anticipated to start in 2027.

I-15 and US-91 South Blackfoot Interchange (Exit 89): The existing interchange will be upgraded to accommodate additional lanes on the interstate and include longer on- and off-ramps for safer merging. Construction is anticipated to start in 2028, three years earlier than planned.

With these projects now included in the draft Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP), the public will have the opportunity to give feedback on this project and the department’s full list of planned projects from 2026-2032 during the annual comment period in July. Then the draft ITIP will be presented to the board for approval in September.

The board’s action today reflects continued investment targeting congestion and capacity in major corridors that were previously funded by TECM bonds as authorized by the Idaho Legislature. TECM funds have allowed for the construction of the I-86 and I-15 System Interchange in Pocatello, as well as the widening of I-15 from Northgate to Fort Hall.

These projects were identified because they are existing high-priority corridor needs that will improve traffic flow and increase safety.

Night work Tuesday and Wednesday on I-15 at 2.5 Mile Road

The Idaho Transportation Department will move Interstate 15 traffic Tuesday and Wednesday nights to accommodate girder placement at 2.5 Mile Road Bridge.

Traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction and shifted onto the same side of the interstate. Work will be conducted between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. each night with a speed limit of 55 miles per hour through the work zone.

Motorists should carefully follow signs and posted speed limits while traveling through the construction area. With crews working day and night on the project to make I-15 three lanes from Northgate to Fort Hall it is especially important that drivers be alert and travel safely.

I-15 serves as a major transportation corridor through eastern Idaho. These improvements will increase capacity and improve safety to serve the region’s growing transportation needs for years to come.