Most unique overpass in state making drivers, businesses irate

    CHUBBUCK  — Construction of a unique interchange at Interstate 86 and U.S. Highway 91 is on schedule, but the businesses it has impacted say it’ll be tough to keep their doors open until the project is completed this fall, and commuters say the site is a hazard.

    The diverging diamond interchange will be Idaho’s first, but businesses don’t seem much impressed,

    Romero Valencia, owner of the Chapala Mexican Restaurant in Chubbuck, said his business is down 50 percent since the construction started.

    “There is no left-turn lane into the restaurant,” Valencia said. “People have to go up the street and make a U-turn.”

    Valencia, who’s been at his current location for 11 years, said he’s also fielding complaints from his regular customers.

    Further west through the parking lot at the Ramada Inn, manager Marlene Funk said the construction project has been a blessing and a curse.

    “The workers are staying here, but there is no left-turn (lane) for other people to get into the parking lot,” Funk said.

    An accident at the construction site recently left both the Yellowstone Avenue businesses without power for about seven hours.

    “We couldn’t check anyone in or out, we couldn’t do laundry and the phones were out,” Funk said.

    Dave Williams, project manager for general contractor Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction in Draper, Utah, said a subcontractor swung a piece of equipment the wrong way to avoid traffic and knocked over a utility pole leaving about 1,500 users without power.

    Williams said Idaho Power will bill the subcontractor for repair and restoration of power following the incident.

    The intersection will be complete in November and landscaping on the project will be finished in May 2014, Williams said.

    “It will resolve traffic flow problems on Yellowstone Avenue,” Williams said.

    In the meantime, commuters from Chubbuck to Pocatello are concerned about navigating the construction zone for the rest of the summer.

    Crystal Sanderson lives in Chubbuck and commutes to a laboratory near Portneuf Medical Center.  She said that she narrowly escaped being rear-ended last week.

    “It’s horrible — traffic is going everywhere and some days it’s backed up to Chubbuck Road,” Sanderson said.

    The posted speed limit on the interstate through the construction zone is 60 mph, but Sanderson said only one lane is open to traffic exiting I-86 to Chubbuck.

    “There are no warning signs that tell you that there could be cars stopped on the road,” she said. “When you are going

60 mph, it’s not that easy to stop.”

    An accident at the Chubbuck exit Monday backed up traffic east on I-86 to the Flying Y, she said.

    Chubbuck Engineer Steve Smart said the project is under state supervision and the city has little input on the project. However Smart said representatives from the city have attended meetings conducted by the Idaho Transportation Department to stay abreast of progress at the site.

    Ironically, the intersection was designed to improve safety, according to the Idaho Department of Transportation.

    The biggest benefit of the diverging diamond interchange is continuous left turning, eliminating traffic signals and the potential for crashes by vehicles turning left onto I-86. According to a press release last month, the design is meant to increase capacity and relieve congestion.

    The new intersection has been in the works since 2010 when it was determined that the old bridge was at the end of its intended lifespan. A number of proposed designs were considered and the diverging diamond concept was determined to be the most efficient.

    A traditional diamond interchange has 26 conflict points, while the diverging diamond interchange has only 14.

    Adam Rush, spokesman for the ITD said the high volume of traffic at the Chubbuck exit on I-86 warranted the $10.8 million, federally funded design.

    Rush said safety meetings are held each morning at the site and commuters, businesses or residents with questions or concerns regarding the construction project can call him at 208-334-8119.