Reconstruction of St. Joe River Bridge will require lane closure soon

ST. MARIES — Construction on the west half of the St. Joe River Bridge could begin as early as Monday, April 2, after the completion of the bridge’s substructure and will prompt the closure of one lane. This is the next phase of a project that began last fall to improve safety for travelers crossing the river.

Travelers can expect up to 15-minute delays while Idaho Highway 3 is reduced to one lane and one pedestrian path over the bridge. Temporary signals will direct traffic.

Once the west half of the bridge is completed in mid to late July, crews will work to complete the east half of the bridge. When crews start work on the east half of the river bridge, they will also begin work on the railroad bridge, which will be completely closed during its reconstruction.

Riverside Avenue, which runs underneath the bridge, will continue to be closed for safety reasons between First and Fourth Streets until further notice. Railroad Avenue, which intersects the highway between the two bridges, is being reconstructed. The road will be closed between ID-3 and Fourth Street until the west half of the St. Joe River Bridge is completed.

The overall project is scheduled to be finished in spring 2019 and includes designing and replacing the bridges over the St. Joe River and the St. Maries Railroad Company tracks.

Upon completion, both bridges will include one lane in each direction, with a shoulder and sidewalk on each side. Work will also include reconstructing the highway to match the bridges, replacing guardrail and signs and improving the intersections of Railroad Avenue and Meadowhurst Road with the highway.

Crews will continue to work Monday through Saturday, and Sundays as needed. Residents and businesses will continue to experience occasional noise, dust and vibration during that time.

Record Steel Construction Inc. and J-U-B ENGINEERS Inc. will complete the work for $17.3 million.