The highway will be reconstructed through town, first between Kootenai River Bridge and Alderson Lane (Stage 1) and then between Alderson Lane and Labrosse Hill Street (Stage 2).
Work will extend the three-lane highway section through town and bring wider shoulders, sidewalks on both sides, new lighting and updated drainage to Bonners Ferry.
The final season of a two-year project will begin early March to extend the three-lane section on U.S. Highway 95 from Alderson Lane to Labrosse Hill Street.
The first year of work from Alderson Lane to Eisenhower Street is complete, and this year work will focus on the highway from Eisenhower to Labrosse Hill Street. When work starts again next year, drivers can generally expect a lane to be open in each direction. Most work will take place during the day, with some night work and detours possible as intersections and driveways are improved.
Plans call to shift US-95 slightly to the east to straighten the curve in the area, allowing Pine Island Road to be realigned to be more perpendicular to the highway. Realignment is designed to lessen the incline on the side street and ease turning movements onto and off the highway.
Pine Island Road will be closed at US-95 for the duration of construction, which is expected to wrap up in October. All traffic will be detoured to Mirror Lake Road and Riverside Street, but there may be periods of time as the work allows when local passenger-vehicle traffic will be allowed use the intersection.
The first year of work is expected to wrap up in October and will focus on US-95 from Alderson Lane to Eisenhower Street.
June 2021
Utility and sign relocation
To prepare for construction, utilities and signs will be relocated on both sides of the highway beginning in the summer of 2021. Impacts to traffic are expected to be minimal and typically only require the closure of the shoulders. Trees will also be removed to make room for future widening.
June 2020
Kootenai River Bridge to Alderson complete
As of June 2020, stage 1 work between the Kootenai River Bridge and Alderson Lane is complete.
April 2020
Final season of stage 1 starts
Work starting in late April will make final changes to Stage 1 improvements completed fall 2019.
November 2019
Stage 1 nearly complete
The first stage of construction is expected to end before Thanksgiving. Minor work on sidewalks and landscaping will continue through the month but highway traffic will not be stopped.
June 2019
Stage 2 delayed one year
As part of the department's process of balancing the highway demands of the northern five counties and the associated budget, the break between stages, earlier described as tentative in 2020-2021, has been extended to 2022 and reflected in the official ITD program. The second stage will now go to construction in 2023 and 2024. In July, the department's plan and schedule for projects in the region will be available for comment at itd.idaho.gov/funding.
May - June 2019
Wide loads
General impacts from May to June include one-lane traffic on week nights and intermittent closures of side streets to the west of US-95. Note wide loads are permitted Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m., as well as on the weekends without assistance. Pavement markings near Ash Street are expected to be redone in mid-May.
April 2019
Signal removal and surveying
The signal at Alderson Lane is scheduled to be removed next week. It will be replaced with stop signs on Alderson Lane.
Other properties from Alderson Lane to Labrosse Hill Street will be marked by surveyors beginning April 1. That work is expected to take two weeks, with stakes left on the properties. Please leave them in place to ensure a quick appraisal process. Anyone with staked property is expected to be contacted by project staff after the stakes have been placed. Given the number of parcels involved, the appraisal process could take some time. If you have any concerns in the meantime, call Carrie Ann Hewitt (208) 772-1230.
March 2019
Utility work starts
Utility work will start in March in advance of roadway construction, which is scheduled to start in April.
Due to the complexities of coordination with all entities involved in an urban setting (utilities, city, property owners), the second stage has been rescheduled to start in 2022, rather than 2021. This sets completion for all work to 2023.
Reconstruction from Madison Street to Alderson Lane is still scheduled to begin this April.
October 2018
Kootenai River Bridge to Madison Street complete
Paving between the bridge and Madison Street were completed this year, along with lighting and drainage improvements. The merge point for the highway was moved approximately 2,800 feet closer to the bridge, increasing visibility for the crosswalk to the city pool near Madison Street. Acceleration lanes at Ash Street were also added.
Work over the winter will allow the construction of a utility trench near the existing sidewalk for the next phase of work. Construction in 2019 will stretch from Madison Street toward Alderson Lane and include adding beacons to the crosswalk, removing the signal at Alderson Lane and constructing sidewalks on both sides of the highway.
Project Updates
The final season of work is set to begin early March. Read more.