Reconstruction on I-90 from Mullan to Montana has begun

April 24, 2015

Reconstruction has begun on Interstate 90 from Mullan to the Idaho/Montana State line, which is about a 4.5-mile-long stretch of freeway and includes Lookout Pass. The Idaho Transportation Department announces that drivers will be limited to one lane in both the east- and westbound directions. The traffic will return to four lanes during the winter months. The project is expected to finish for the year in late September, then return for Phase 2 in spring 2016. In addition to reconstruction, crews also will remove and replace guardrail from milepost 68 to 74. All metal guardrail and concrete barrier will be replaced. The existing standard concrete barrier in the median will be replaced with tall median barrier. The stormwater drainage system will be upgraded to better remove water from the roadway, all signs will be replaced, runaway truck ramps on westbound I-90 will be upgraded, and major erosion damage to the fill slopes off the roadway will be repaired. The two-season schedule includes: Phase 1 (Season 1) - Westbound I-90 will be rebuilt. During construction of the westbound lanes, traffic will be reduced to a two-lane configuration (one lane eastbound and one lane westbound) and crossed over to use the existing eastbound lanes of I-90. Phase 2 (Season 2) - Eastbound I-90 will be rebuilt. During construction of the eastbound lanes, traffic will again be limited to a two-lane configuration (one lane eastbound and one lane westbound). Traffic will be crossed over and will use the newly-rebuilt westbound lanes starting in mid-April 2016. The speed limit is reduced to 45 mph in the project area, and load widths limited to 8.5 feet due to concrete barrier. Crews will work a Monday-through-Saturday schedule, from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Acme Concrete Paving, of Spokane, Washington, is the contractor on this $28.8 million project.