McARTHUR LAKE — Beginning Wednesday, drivers traveling between Bonner and Boundary counties will see the return of temporary traffic signals. 

However, their return is temporary to give work crews some breathing space, said Heather McDaniel, public information officer for the Idaho Transportation Department. The signals are being reactivated at 7 a.m. Wednesday through 7 p.m. Friday to allow installation of a guardrail and temporary barrier.

"By the end of Friday traffic is expected to be shifted onto the bridge, at which time the temporary signals will be removed permanently," McDaniel said.

ITD crews will then turn their attention to the adjacent shoofly — a temporary roadway constructed last year to divert traffic around the bridge. Once the traffic is shifted onto the bridge, McDaniel said crews will begin excavation of the shoofly as well as complete a wildlife underpass.

While days are numbered for the temporary traffic signals, McDaniel said drivers will still need to pay attention with work on the McArthur Lake project expected to continue for about two months.

The project will continue to require reduced lanes, speeds, and intermittent flagging as crews work, she said. In addition, trucks will be entering and exiting the highway throughout work days to haul excavated material.

"Final completion of this project is expected in late October," she said. "Some work, such as final paving, will be dependent on weather conditions as we approach the fall season."

Construction of the two-year project is in the home stretch and is at a critical point where work connecting the existing highway with the new bridge is being done ahead of shifting traffic onto the new roadway. 

Recent work that necessitated the need for the signals earlier this month signals prompted a flood of frustration among the region's drivers when they resulted in longer-than-expected delays.

“Although plans were in place to conduct this work with minimal delays, unexpected complications arose that required our team to be flexible in managing impacts to traffic, while also balancing safety and the needs of the project,” McDaniel said earlier this month. “Unfortunately, this resulted in unusually long delays.” 

Those unexpected complications created the need for the signals to alternate traffic through the McArthur Lake work zone. Drivers inundated ITD with complaints and took to social media to voice their frustrations.

ITD and construction crews responded as quickly as they could and worked to adjust the signals to get traffic flowing more efficiently, McDaniel said.

Scheduled for completion in late October, the project is expected to improve motorist safety and reduce wildlife collisions in the area. McDaniel said ITD officials would like to thank drivers for their understanding in light of Monday’s unexpected delays and for their “ongoing commitment to the safety of our crews through safe and engaged driving within the work zone.”

Ongoing updates regarding traffic impacts can be found using the Idaho 511 system.

Information: 511.idaho.gov