An interchange will provide safer access to Aht'Wy Plaza residents and local businesses.
After the structure is built, the Idaho Transportation Department will assume ownership and maintain it as part of the public transportation system.
Construction
Due to rising costs for essential materials like steel, concrete, asphalt and fuel, both the NPT and ITD have delayed advertising this project for construction. While the project will still make use of $19 million in grant funding, costs have escalated since the grant was announced in September of 2020.
In response to price increases, the NPT has contributed an additional $1.2 million to construction, but more recent estimates call for another $5.5 million. To cover this increase, the project was submitted for additional federal funding with recipients announced later this summer. Advertisement will be delayed until this summer, at which point the NPT and ITD will decide how to proceed. If the project is awarded more money, construction could begin late this summer.
Construction delayedAht'Wy Plaza: Interchange Design
The interchange will include a bridge over the highway and four ramps to access the plaza near the east entrance.
The four-lane highway will be separated by concrete barrier, eliminating the existing median, turn lanes and acceleration lanes, to make room for ramps in ITD right of way and avoid environmental impacts. North of the interchange, the grassy median will remain. Retaining walls will be built to support the elevated ramps.
The bridge over US-95 will include a sidewalk and broadband conduit.
The parking area just north of the east entrance will be shifted south to provide the Army Corps of Engineers access to maintain the nearby wetland mitigation site for the Lower Granite Dam (labeled as the goose pasture). The old parking area will be restored with natural vegetation.
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Project
Updates
Due to rising costs, both the NPT and ITD have delayed advertising this project for construction as of April 2022. In response to price increases, the NPT has contributed an additional $1.2 million to construction, but more recent estimates call for another $5.5 million. To cover this increase, the project was submitted for additional federal funding with recipients announced later this summer. Advertisement will be delayed until this summer, at which point the NPT and ITD will decide how to proceed. If the project is awarded more money, construction could begin late this summer. Read more.
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