Construction on mainline U.S. 20 between Rigby and Idaho Falls nears completion

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – As you travel on U.S. Highway 20, you may have noticed a smoother ride on sleek new asphalt. 

Crews have been working on mainline U.S. Highway 20 since May to resurface the roadway for years to come.

"We're almost done with the main line from Idaho Falls to Rigby," said Idaho Transportation Department Engineering Apprentice Payton Hubbard. "Then we'll do a couple fixes, and then we're going to start working on the off and on ramps."

45,000 vehicles travel the highway every day in summer between Idaho Falls and Rigby – making it the busiest stretch in the area.

Construction professionals with HK Contractors, engineers, inspectors and material testers have been working nights only – leaving the lanes open in the day to minimize disruption to the high flow of traffic.

But working at night increases the level of complexity for the project. 

"I'd say the biggest difficulty is the traffic that does go through there going at high speeds," Hubbard said. "Sometimes they don't follow the traffic control, dropping it down to 60 mph."

Idaho Transportation Department spokeswoman Sky Buffat says crews have "resurfaced 60 lane miles – 15 miles in each direction, twice over, one lane at a time."

The resurfaced highway is rated to last for 25 years, provided it is chip sealed in two years, followed by additional treatments every seven years, Buffat explained.

The total cost is approximately $15 million.

The project's next phase involves resurfacing all the exit ramps from Rigby to Idaho Falls, which is expected to continue for the duration of the summer.