Update: Weather delays opening of extra lanes on I-84 between Caldwell and Nampa
The Idaho Transportation Department said in a news release late Thursday night that Thursday’s long-awaited opening of a third lane in each direction on Interstate 84 in Canyon County had been delayed.
The release stated that ITD postponed the opening “due to wet roads and cold temperatures overnight. The lanes will open when conditions allow construction crews to stripe the roadway.
“ITD cannot safely open the new lanes until the stripes are placed on the roadway.”
A release earlier in the day had indicated that drivers could take advantage of the extra lanes between Franklin Road (Exit 29) in Caldwell and Karcher Road (Exit 33) in Nampa starting Thursday morning, but snow and rain fell in the Treasure Valley on Wednesday night, and temperatures were dipping to near freezing.
The project, which began in the summer of 2021 at a cost of $136 million, is scheduled to be fully complete by August, according to the first ITD release.
Improvements along the corridor include: adding the third lanes on I-84; adding additional ramp lanes at Franklin and Karcher westbound off-ramps; building two median walls on I-84; adding two soundwalls along I-84; and replacing 20 bridges throughout the corridor.
Over the next several months, construction crews will finish installing fences, sealing bridge decks and seeding shoulders.
“ITD would like to thank the community for their patience during the construction of this important project, as well as all the projects that were tied in with the widening,” said Mark Campbell, Idaho Transportation Department project manager.
He also thanked the contractors “for completing the work on time and within budget.”
This summer, ITD plans to continue widening I-84 in Caldwell between the Centennial Way interchange and Franklin Road interchange. For details about the continued I-84 expansion in Canyon County, visit itdprojects.org/projects/84corridor/.
This story was originally published April 19, 2023 at 7:06 PM.
