Thornton interchange wins regional transportation award

An upper valley highway project was a regional winner in the America’s Transportation Awards in Juneau, Alaska Wednesday. The new Thornton interchange on U.S. 20, south of Rexburg, was named “Best Use of Technology and Innovation, Small Project” during the annual conference of the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Completion of the interchange marked the end of a decade of safety improvements on U.S. 20. It was the last of seven new interchanges on a 34-mile stretch of highway between Idaho Falls and Sugar City. The projects were all designed to improve access management and traffic flow for greater highway safety and mobility. “Providing the contractor with a 3-D model for the Thornton Interchange and requiring them to use automated grade control during construction shortened the required construction time and reduced the impact to traffic through the busiest part of the summer,” said ITD District 6 Engineering Manager Wade Allen. Engineers said that even though traffic flows had doubled, the improvements drastically decreased serious-injury crashes and fatalities. Several money-saving innovations and technological advances also shaved at least $450,000 off the final price tag of the Thornton project. The Idaho Transportation Department was also recognized for its operational excellence in clearing a massive mudslide from State Highway 41 near Elk City in 2016.