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.
POCATELLO – Beginning tonight and continuing through Wednesday morning, nighttime closures will be in place for a section of Interstate 15 and Interstate 86 at the System Interchange allowing crews to safely place girders for one of the new bridges.
The I-86 eastbound to I-15 northbound ramp will be closed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday and Tuesday nights. Drivers looking to head north on I-15 from I-86 will be detoured through the Pocatello Creek Interchange.
Ongoing construction at the System Interchange will improve safety and mobility while replacing bridges built in the 1960s. Work is expected to be complete in 2025.
Motorists should exercise caution while travelling through the construction zone. Those wishing to receive email updates about the System Interchange project can sign up at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/g9MMkN9.
Drivers can also use the 511 app for the latest traffic conditions on all state roadways.
The Idaho Transportation Department is continuing work on the Interstate roadway and bridges from the south Inkom interchange to the Portneuf interchange. Ongoing work includes guardrail repair, paving, and patching and repairing bridge decks. In addition, crews are patching pier caps, applying epoxy overlays, and waterproofing parapets on the Rapid Creek, South Inkom interchange, and Portneuf River bridges.
Work is anticipated to continue through the end of June with single lane crossovers. Drivers are reminded to slow down in work zones, allow other vehicles to merge, and drive defensively.
Replacement of the West Inkom interchange, Union Pacific Railroad, and Main Street bridges are still planned for next year.
Beginning Wednesday evening and continuing through Friday morning, nighttime closures will be in place for a section of Interstate 15 and Interstate 86 at the System Interchange to allow crews to safely place girders for one of the new I-86 eastbound to I-15 northbound bridges.
The I-15 northbound to I-86 westbound ramp will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday nights. Drivers looking to head west on I-86 from I-15 will be detoured to the Northgate Interchange.
Ongoing construction at the System Interchange will improve safety and mobility while replacing bridges built in the 1960s. Work is expected to be complete in 2025.
Motorists should exercise caution while travelling through the construction zone. Those wishing to receive email updates about the System Interchange project can sign up at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/g9MMkN9.
Drivers can also check or download the 511 app for the last traffic conditions on all state highways and freeways.
At approximately 11 a.m. today there will be a rolling roadblock on Interstate 15 between Exit 89 and Exit 93 to allow a power line to be restrung over the interstate. Motorists should expect to be slowed down and delayed about five minutes while travelling through the area.
The historic rebuild of the System Interchange in Pocatello is nearing the halfway point, and motorists will continue to see progress in the coming year.
Major milestones for the upcoming season include building five new bridges and demolishing one bridge. Bridges will be constructed to carry southbound traffic on Interstate 15, traffic over Chubbuck Road and traffic heading east on Interstate 86 to access northbound I-15.
As crews come back from the holidays, next up for the project will be drilling concrete shafts for the foundations of the new southbound bridges on I-15. Each shaft will be 8 feet in diameter and drilled up to 60 feet deep to support the weight of I-15 passing overhead. Motorists will also notice construction of retaining walls for the new ramp from I-86 eastbound to I-15 northbound.
This winter crews will be in multiple locations throughout the worksite. Motorists are reminded to follow posted speed limits and watch for work vehicles entering and leaving the interstate at any time day or night.
Originally built in the 1960s, the interchange is undergoing a $112 million redesign to improve safety and replace aging infrastructure. These safety improvements include:
- Redesigning ramps to have drivers trying to head northbound on I-15 from I-86 merge from the right, rather than the left.
- Traffic from Pocatello Creek Road will no longer have to cross three lanes to head to Chubbuck. Instead drivers will travel under the northbound and southbound lanes of I-15.
- Chubbuck Road will be transformed from an overpass into underpass. This means oversized vehicles will no longer have to detour off the interstate. Those who walk and bike will also be better able to travel from Chubbuck to the Portneuf Wellness Complex on the east side of the interstate.
Construction is slated for completion in 2025. Those wishing to learn more about the project can visit the website at https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-86i-15-system-interchange.
Beginning Saturday evening drivers should expect various nighttime detours through next week at the System Interchange in Pocatello as crew demolish old bridges on southbound Interstate 15.
Two detours are scheduled for two nights each.
Eastbound travelers on Interstate 86 trying to head north on Interstate 15 will be detoured to the Pocatello Creek Interchange the following nights:
- Saturday, Dec. 16, from 9 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 17, from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.
Northbound travelers on I-15 trying to head westbound on I-86 will be detoured to the Northgate Interchange the following nights:
- Tuesday, Dec. 19, from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.
- Wednesday, Dec. 20, from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.
During these detours it is important that drivers follow posted speed limits. As work will continue through the winter drivers need to be particularly cautious around snowplows by giving them extra room in the work zone.
Ongoing construction at the System Interchange will improve safety and mobility while replacing bridges built in the 1960s. Work is expected to be complete in 2025. Those wishing to learn more about the project can visit the website: https://itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/i-86i-15-system-interchange.
A new three-lane Interstate 86 bridge at Chubbuck is now open as construction crews head into Thanksgiving week. The new bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad adds capacity, improves traffic flow, and is designed to last 80 years.
While the bridge is complete and open, work continues nearby with the installation of a new sound wall. In addition, paneling will be installed on the bridge to protect the railroad tracks from any debris falling off the bridge.
Crews will continue to work on the I-86/I-15 System Interchange through the winter months. The next major milestone is opening the new I-15 mainline roadway slated for mid-December. Following that contractors will begin demolition of the old I-15 bridges.
This week crews will work until noon Wednesday and return to the construction site on Monday. Still, it is important that drivers be safe while travelling through the System Interchange, particularly with increased holiday traffic.
“Please pay attention to construction signs, be courteous, follow posted speed limits, and drive safe so everyone can go home safely, including workers on the project,” Engineering Manager Aaron Baird said.
