Work set to start on Lakeshore project

The second phase of a construction project to improve safety on U.S. 95 south of the Long Bridge is set to start Sunday night.

Construction on U.S. 95 between Sagle Road and Lakeshore Drive to increase safety for drivers on the highway and reduce delays for drivers turning onto it, Megan Jahns, Idaho Transportation Department public information officer, said.

Work during this phase also includes building a U-turn for drivers and installing a signal at Sagle Road.

Impacts to traffic will begin during the evening hours of Sunday, Aug. 14. Jahns said that, for the next two weeks, crews will work at night to repave U.S. 95 from Pit Road in Sagle to the Long Bridge.

Motorists can expect the following impacts:

• Flaggers will control one lane of alternating traffic on US-95 Sunday through Thursday from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.

• Nighttime lane closures will intermittently affect the Long Bridge

• Speed limits lowered to 45 mph

• Up to 15-minute delays

• For live traffic impacts, check 511.idaho.gov

“The highway needs to be resurfaced this fall to avoid severe potholes in the winter,” ITD Project Manager Phil Stout said.

After the Labor Day weekend, crews will begin building a U-turn northeast of Bottle Bay road as an option for drivers to use when trying to head northbound on U.S. 95 from Lakeshore Drive.

While work will take place during the day, ITD officials said one lane will remain open in each direction.

“Due to long lead times on some key materials, parts of the project will likely not be finished until the spring, including opening up the U-turn for traffic,” Stout said.

Sagle Road improvements are planned to start in mid-October. Drivers on U.S. 95 will not be able to turn east onto Sagle Road, and westbound drivers on Sagle Road will not be able access the highway. Instead, they will be temporarily detoured to Monarch Road for up to one month.

“Our goal is to have the detour in place only as long as necessary, so we have put an incentive in the contract to encourage that work to be completed early,” Stout said.

Work this year will realign the intersection, add turning lanes and prepare for signal installation next spring.

Improvements and anticipated impacts during construction were presented at an open house held in April.

The project was among those projects that received funding under House Bill 362. The legislation channeled $80 million in ongoing funding for transportation infrastructure projects statewide, allowing the state to bond for up to $1.6 billion. Idaho Governor Brad Little said previously that the amount is the single largest state investment in transportation infrastructure in the state's history.

Funding was achieved by redirecting a larger share of the existing sales tax to the funds that support transportation projects, state official said.

Visit the website at itdprojects.org/us95lakeshoredrive to sign up for construction updates and for more information.