Work to begin at I-90 interchange

COEUR d'ALENE — After several years of planning, construction is set to begin next week on a newly designed Interstate 90 interchange at Highway 41 in Post Falls.

The $78 million overhaul aims to reduce deadly accidents and improve traffic flow at one of the region’s busiest interchanges.

Work to replace and upgrade the interchange will start Monday, along with impacts to traffic.

“Initial efforts are going to include a lot of night work,” said Idaho Transportation Department information officer Megan Jahns.

Work beginning Monday will be in the median, so motorists traveling in both directions on the interstate should expect to see heavy equipment and temporary concrete barriers to protect the work area and the workers.

Primarily eastbound traffic on I-90 will be affected during this first phase. At night, an eastbound lane will be closed, although speed reductions are planned in both directions.

Construction is expected to continue through 2025.

The current interchange was constructed in the early 1970s and the eastbound offramp was modified in the early 1990s. Congestion in recent years has contributed to crashes at the interchange, especially at the westbound offramp.

Information gathered during several open houses hosted by the state transportation department beginning in 2018 helped guide the design of the new exchange.

Jahns said the history of crashes in that spot, some fatal, and current and future expected traffic volumes were the main factors that prompted the interchange redesign.

“When you have congestion, reaction time is reduced,” Jahns said.

Crash data gathered during the planning phase found that 297 crashes were reported at the interchange over a five-year period from 2012 to 2017.

Major changes the new interchange features include:

• Revising the westbound offramp so it runs parallel to the freeway and eliminates the tight loop that has caused traffic to back up onto I-90 at peak times

• Revising the eastbound offramp so it passes under the freeway and empties onto a future section of Highway 41 instead of Seltice Way

• Shifting the southern tip of Highway 41 at Seltice Way from Ross Point Road near Capone's Pub and Kentucky Fried Chicken to the west at Herborn Place near Verizon

• Having all freeway ramps meet at a single point just north of the interstate

• Reducing the total signals at the interchange from three to two

Drivers are encouraged to allow extra time when traveling around the interchange as crews work along I-90.

Motorists can expect the following impacts:

• Two 12-foot lanes of I-90 will be open during the day

• Shoulders will be reduced to 2 feet

• Speed limits will be lowered to 55 mph on I-90 and 25 mph on SH-41 and Seltice Way.

• Intermittent lane restrictions will occur on I-90 at night between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.

• During special events, night work will begin at 10 p.m. Initial efforts include primarily night work.

Live traffic impacts will be available for individuals to check at 511.idaho.gov.