CALDWELL, Idaho — Drivers on I-84 will need to be prepared for some overnight closures this week as sixteen, 96-foot girders that weigh 77,963 pounds each will be transported to their final locations.
They're part of a project to begin building the Interstate 84, State Highway 16 Interchange as part of the Leading Idaho program. Overnight closures on I-84 between the Garrity (Exit 38) and Ten Mile (Exit 42) Interchanges are as follows:
- Eastbound I-84 will be closed on Wednesday, March 13, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Westbound I-84 will be closed on Thursday, March 14, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Six bridges along SH-16 are being built with girders made in Caldwell. The bridge supports will be used at Ten Mile Creek, McMillan Overpass, Quasi Place, Five Mile Creek, Cherry Lane and I-84.
In total, Contech Engineered Solutions will build 57 girders and the retaining walls for the I-84, SH-16 Interchange.
"The materials to make these are local. The bar we buy is from a local supplier. The concrete and aggregate come locally from Idaho. We try to support the local community as much as possible. We are very proud of the work we do here,” Contech Engineered Solutions Sales Manager Lee Wegner said.
The multi-year project encompasses more than four miles of new highway from I-84 to U.S. 20/26 (Chinden Boulevard). Beyond the jobs that come from building a new highway, the project creates better connectivity to Gem County, promising a future of increased accessibility and growth.
This project is funded with Transportation Expansion and Congestion Mitigation (TECM) funds as a part of Governor Little’s Leading Idaho program. This initiative allows ITD to address rapid growth and aging infrastructure in critical corridors throughout the state.