Crews make progress on construction projects in Idaho Falls

Construction season is winding down, but plenty of projects are still in the process around Idaho Falls.

Some are wrapping up very soon, but but other projects haven’t even started yet.

“Hopefully, we’ll be finished before Thanksgiving,” said John Heady, a superintendent at the Idaho Construction Company, of the Pancheri Overpass project.

Locals have at least a couple of months left of detours and delays surrounding that project, including rolling road blocks in the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 beginning at 10 p.m. Monday night and continue until 6 a.m. Tuesday while crews transport girders.

Thankfully, crews say construction of the new overpass is going smoothly and right on schedule.

“They’re sure going to be happy when it’s completed, and it’s going to be a great improvement to the west side of Idaho Falls,” Heady said.

On Memorial Drive, it’s pretty hard to ignore the road blocks and loud construction noises. The narrowing of that road and the expansion of the neighboring Greenbelt could go on through late October.

Greenbelt work begins Tuesday as crews will extend the path an extra half-mile, into Ryder Park.

“What I really love is the connection to nature that we have,” said Greg Weitzel, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation in Idaho Falls. “We built this trail above a really nice natural area with trails that lead right to the river.”

Weitzel said construction there should not get in anyone’s way, and the project is being paid for entirely by duck race proceeds.

Looking into other projects, 49th South in Ammon will be paved Wednesday, and renovation at the D Street overpass in Idaho Falls is set to begin in about two or three weeks.