MARSING, Idaho — Recent moderate temperatures have allowed Idaho Transportation Department construction crews to make steady progress on the Idaho Highway 55 bridge over the Snake River in Marsing. The team has hit a major milestone, as one side of the new bridge opened to traffic this week.
“This is a major project for the rural town on the Owyhee/Canyon County border. Starting last spring, the project will replace an old (built in 1955), dilapidated bridge and completely rebuild the highway through the heart of Marsing,” said ITD spokesman Jake Melder.
“The work in town wrapped up this year, but the bridge project will take another construction season to complete. One lane at a time will be demolished and rebuilt,” he added.
This week, work was completed on the new lane to allow travel.
“This is a uniquely challenging project,” said ITD Project Manager David Barrett. “The city of Marsing is built right along the river and doesn’t have a great local road network to handle traffic during construction. By collaborating with the city, we were able to address concerns of the nearby businesses and get the work done in a timely manner.”
“We’re still plugging away on the bridge," he added. "The Snake River is a precious natural resource, so we’re taking precautions to reduce impacts to it from our work. The bridge is the primary entryway to both the city and Owyhee County.”
The project is scheduled to be completed next summer.
(photo courtesy: Idaho Dept. of Transportation)
