US-95: Thorn Creek Road to Moscow
Expanding the highway to four lanes on a new alignment will not only add capacity and reduce travel times but also significantly improve safety.
Construction will begin in March 2022.
Construction
Construction is expected to take three years, with work in the first year focusing on the southern end of the project. Since the highway is being rerouted to the east, impacts to drivers will be minimal and they will have two paved lanes throughout most of construction.
Work in 2023 and 2024 will build a bridge over Eid Road and pave the new set of lanes. Each season of construction will generally occur between March and October.
Drivers will be able to take the new route in fall of 2024.
Envision the new route
The new alignment will tie in at Reisenauer Hill, where the current four-lane section ends, and reconnect near the grain bins on the south end of Moscow.
Compared to the existing route, after construction US-95 will ascend at a more gentle grade up Reisenauer Hill to the prairie below Paradise Ridge. The highway will cut through small hills below the ridge to maintain a consistent grade, cross over Eid Road via a bridge and descend into Moscow.
Generally, US-95 will be shifted to the east less than three-quarters of a mile, and ITD is in the process of relinquishing its jurisdiction of what will be old US-95 to North Latah Highway District.
With a flatter grade and fewer approaches, the new route will provide safer travel between Moscow and Lewiston.
Map of new route (E-2)Design details
About 6.5 miles of highway will be expanded to four lanes divided by a 34-foot median in the rural section. Shoulders will be widened, curves will be made easier to navigate and the grade will be less steep. New ditches will keep precipitation from gathering on the roadway, and a 30-foot clear zone will provide a safe area if a vehicle goes off the road.
County road intersections will have right and left turn lanes, and some current access points will be combined to limit the number of new intersections and driveways.
In the urban section just south of Moscow, a center turn lane, curbs, gutters and sidewalks will be added.
Leading Idaho
As part of Governor Brad Little’s “Leading Idaho” initiative, the 2021 Idaho Legislature dedicated $126 million of one-time funds from Idaho’s budget surplus to transportation projects statewide. The funds were split 60/40 between ITD and local jurisdictions. This project is partially paid for with ITD’s portion of the funds that will accelerate projects to replace bridges, restore pavements, and improve mobility in communities across Idaho.
More on Leading Idaho fundingDownloads & Resources
Project
Updates
M.A. Deatley Construction out of Clarkston, WA, is the apparent low bidder at $57.7 million as of November 9, 2021.
Sign up for Updates