JEROME, Idaho — Just weeks after announcing the substantial completion of the Jerome to Twin Falls Interstate 84 widening project, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) closed the westbound on-ramp at Exit 173 for reconstruction on Monday.
Commuters looking to head west out of Twin Falls will have to navigate a new traffic pattern along Highway 93. ITD installed a temporary turn lane with a signal for the duration of the project.
WATCH: ITD closed the I-84 westbound on-ramp at Exit 173 in Twin Falls for reconstruction. Find out how this impacts your commute on Highway 93.
"If you are going northbound and you need to go westbound, you're just going to take the southbound on-ramp instead of the loop ramp," explained Courtney Wagner with ITD.
The closure comes after two years of continuous construction, which is still underway at the new Jerome overpass.
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"This was something like 'you know what?' We have a little bit of extra funding and a little extra time— let's make this even better," added Wagner.
The department is rebuilding the ramp to improve durability.
"We’re basically redoing all of it into concrete to make it more efficient for people and have a longer life span," Wagner said.
ITD anticipates the project will last two or three months.
"This has been in discussion for a little while. Originally, it was anticipated to start in about a month or two. But we got progress rolling, and we decided to get it up and going," Wagner said.
"Before July 4th, we hope to have it open— depending on weather and conditions and all the other things that could happen during construction— we're hoping anywhere from one month to three months," Wagner said of their estimated timeline.
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