McArthur Lake project starts Monday
Construction will begin work on a reconstruction project on U.S. 95 near McArthur Lake. The project, which is expected to take about two years, will reconstruct the highway and adjust sharp curves in the area.
(Photo courtesy IDAHO TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT)
On Monday, May 22, construction will start on U.S. 95 near McArthur Lake to reconstruct the highway and adjust sharp curves.
Plans call for one mile of the highway to be realigned to soften curves and for the small box culvert to be replaced with a longer bridge. Idaho Transportation Department officials said the south end of the bridge will be shifted about 50 feet to the east. Crews also will remove dirt and other material from beneath the bridge to provide better clearance for wildlife passage.
Additionally, more than one-half mile on each side of the highway will be fenced to help funnel wildlife to the bridge for a safe crossing within the project limits.
“In this half-mile stretch of highway, 51 wildlife mortalities have been documented in the past decade, with many more going unreported,” said Norm Merz, regional wildlife habitat manager with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. “The replacement of the box culvert with a bridge and funnel fencing will allow wildlife to access habitat on both sides of the highway while reducing the risk of auto-wildlife collisions.”
Safety improvements will take two years to complete, ITD officials said.
For the first month, flaggers will intermittently stop traffic on U.S. 95 as crews remove part of the existing highway. The contractor will also begin building a temporary two-lane road around the work zone to allow traffic to flow smoothly until construction is finished in the fall of 2024.
Drivers should check 511.idaho.gov before traveling to plan ahead for any delays from work zones.