I-84, Franklin Blvd. to Franklin Road 

Owner: Idaho Transportation Department  
General Contractor: Idaho Materials & Construction  
Start Date: May 2017 
Completion Date: July 2017 
Subcontractors or Key Contractors: Specialty Construction Supply, Coughlin Co. 
Materials Used on Project and Quantities: 

• 70,000 tons of Hot Mix Asphalt (SP-5),
• 2,800,000 SF of Milling  

Idaho Materials & Construction (IMC) completed a unique project this summer in Boise, Idaho. The I-84, Franklin Blvd. to Franklin Road project highlights efficient business practices and construction methods as part of a project that not just meets the Idaho Transportation Department’s (ITD) mission of safety, efficiency, mobility, and economic opportunity but exceeds it. A harsh winter caused the pavement to deteriorate more quickly than anticipated on I-84 between Nampa and Caldwell. ITD District 3 moved quickly to assemble a plan to repair it with the least impact on the traveling public. Teaming with other ITD districts, the entire project was designed within a matter of weeks. Multiple factors tied to safety and mobility were considered and implemented as part of this project, including weekend crossovers to complete work. This approach diverted traffic to one side of the separated interstate during a weekend time frame while construction commenced on the closed lanes. This heavily used stretch of highway is critical to the Boise metropolitan area transportation system. Due to the high volume of traffic on this section of highway, ITD required that this project be completed over four directional weekend closures with a restricted work window between 10 PM Friday to 5 AM Monday.

Due to its size, scope, and expedited timeline, ITD worked closely with the Idaho AGC and local contracting community early on in the design phase to determine how we could complete the work with the least amount of impact to the traveling public. The timeline of this project was very ambitious, and some believed that we might not accomplish it. IMC was up to the challenge. IMC worked out a detailed project phasing and approach plan before beginning work that would minimize ramp closures on the four interchanges within the project limits with a bit of creative thinking, ingenuity, and commitment. Work included milling out the existing surface, inlaying a base course, and then overlaying approximately 8 miles of I-84. In addition, the project included miles of guardrail upgrades and crossover work. To complete this large volume of work in such a short period, IMC had to figure out a way to complete eight days’ worth of work in a 48-hour window each weekend. IMC produced approximately 18,000 tons of hot mixed asphalt during each weekend closures out of two different hot plants supplying non-stop materials for 48 hours placed by three separate paving crews. The milling operations covered 900,000 sf each weekend, requiring three mills running for 24 hours straight with a 12-person support crew. IMC had up to 64 trucks on-site hauling to and from the mills and pavers at the production peak. It has taken 125 IMC employees plus another 40 subcontractor employees to make this project happen. A genuine team effort has defined this project. Critical to the success of this extensive repaving project was a very detailed communication effort with local businesses leaders, stakeholders, communities, and the traveling public, so they had the information needed ahead of all scheduled work. Through detailed phasing plans developed by IMC, ITD and its communication team distributed detailed maps showing traffic flows, ramp closures, and any changes to the traffic flow for all those impacted. The communication plan was very well put together and received well by the public. By the Monday morning commute, if not for the smooth new asphalt surface, most motorists will never know the efforts that took place.