The Idaho Department of Transportation will consider two different options for the future of the Cloverdale Overpass that was damaged in a deadly crash this past weekend.
The fiery crash killed four people, including three airmen from the Mountain Home Air Force Base, and following the accident, officials closed the Cloverdale Overpass indefinitely.
Jake Melder of ITD said the first option will be replacing the section of the bridge that was damaged, he said this option would be the fastest way to reopen the overpass and the least expensive.
Option two would take a look at the entire bridge with the idea of making improvements, that could include replacing the entire structure which would take a lot longer and come with a higher cost.
ITD will discuss these options at a board meeting, they will also get the approval of the Ada County Highway Department because ITD said that this is their road, but they oversee the bridge.
It is unclear at this time what the dollar figures are for both options.
The ITD said that inspectors determined that the overpass can support its own weight and that bicyclists and pedestrians are welcome to use it, but the bridge is closed to vehicles because truck traffic could cause problems.
"It's just the heavy loads on top of it may add to the stress and it might cause some flaking of the concrete underneath which could fall on traffic on I-84," said Jake Melder of the Idaho Transportation Department. "That is why we are restricting vehicle traffic."
Residents in the nearby Walden neighborhood were concerned on Monday, here's a link to that story, that there were no signs warning drivers that the bridge was closed.
The ITD in coordination with the ACHD have put in signage to remedy that.
