ITD makes planning adjustment

MULLAN — Last-minute changes allowed for a crisis of inconvenience to be narrowly averted on Monday morning.

Twelve miles doesn’t seem like a lot, but for the residents of Mullan, 12 miles was going to be required before they went anywhere west.

Beginning on Monday, the planned road work on I-90’s westbound lanes included planned closures of westbound freeway lanes, including on-ramps at mileposts 69, 68, 67, 66, 65 and 64.

However, that was changed on Monday morning when it was decided that the on-ramp at milepost 69 would remain open.

Prior to that decision, the Idaho Transportation Department had planned to enforce the closures and require anyone heading west to have to hop on I-90 at Atlas Road, head east to Lookout Pass, and then use the exit and on-ramp there in order to head west.

This was the expected plan for the next five weeks.

The citizens of Mullan were outraged, some of them even taking to social media to voice their concerns over the closures.

The projects, being completed under the umbrella of the Idaho Transportation Department are being handled with total safety in mind — even if that comes with a bit of inconvenience.

“We are keeping the westbound ramps closed to make it safer for drivers to merge with traffic,” ITD Communications Manager Megan Jahns told the News-Press. “If they were open, drivers would be forced to cross through a gap in the median barrier and merge with one lane of traffic, as opposed to the standard two. It would also increase the risk of drivers entering the work zone on the westbound side. This traffic configuration was selected for its safety benefits and will ultimately allow the contractor to finish the project up sooner, but in the meantime will be more painful for local traffic than for through traffic.”

The decision to keep milepost 69 open means that some additional safety measures may have to be taken in that area, but it will save drivers from having to add an extra 12 miles to their commutes.

I-90’s westbound lanes have been the subject of much ire over the past year, as numerous cracks and potholes have made the stretch between Mullan and Wallace treacherous to traverse, but even with the promise of smooth roads — the residents of Mullan are not thrilled with what is going to be their new normal for the coming weeks.

Upon completion, contractors will move to the eastbound lanes for similar work and repairs.

This isn’t the only closure that will affect Shoshone County. Next week the westbound ramps at mileposts 61, 60, and 48 will close for one day each as part of a different project will be completed in those areas — these projects will also likely impact the eastbound ramps as well.