Second construction season begins on I-90/SH-41 interchange
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 2 years, 10 months AGO
An aerial photo of the Interstate 90 and State Highway 41 interchange work zone in Post Falls, taken in February. The second season of project construction will resume this month, with bridge work to be a major focus this year.
Photo courtesy of Idaho Transportation Department
The second season of construction will resume this month in Post Falls at the Interstate 90 and State Highway 41 interchange, funded by Gov. Brad Little’s Leading Idaho initiative.
Work this spring will primarily cause nighttime closures on I-90 and Highway 41 as weather allows, the Idaho Transportation Department reported in a Monday news release. Nighttime lane closures on I-90 begin tonight. In late March, Highway 41 will be closed for several nights as construction of a temporary bridge on I-90 over the highway progresses. Drivers should pay attention to signage in the work zone for exact timing of impacts, ITD said.
“Everything we do is dependent on the weather particularly in these next few months,” project manager Shannon Stein said. “This work zone is complex, with crews planning to work on several areas of the interchange at the same time.”
Bridge construction will be the main focus of the 2023 season. Crews will work on a temporary bridge on I-90 over Highway 41 to maintain traffic flow during construction as well as three permanent structures for eastbound I-90. Later this year, crews will also begin building the three permanent bridges for westbound I-90.
“Unlike last year, though drivers will see construction shift to other areas of the project, including the Seltice Way/SH-41 intersection and near Central Avenue to work on the future underpass for pedestrians,” Stein said.
Similar to last year, impacts to traffic are as follows:
• Two lanes will be open during the day with reduced shoulders on I-90.
• The speed limit will be lowered to 55 mph on I-90 and 25 mph on Highway 41 and Seltice Way.
• Intermittent lane restrictions on I-90 at night. Nighttime work hours are generally from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Work will start at 10 p.m. during special events.
The best way to stay informed is to sign up for email updates by visiting itdprojects.org/i90sh41ic or by calling 208-738-4190. Visit 511.idaho.gov for live traffic updates.
The Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds through Little’s Leading Idaho initiative allowed this $78 million interchange reconstruction project to begin one year earlier than expected. This program has allowed ITD to address rapid growth and build critical infrastructure today across the state that would otherwise have taken many years to fund and build.