The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is set to remove a railroad bridge spanning U.S. Highway 95 in Culdesac Canyon, a project designed to eliminate vertical clearance restrictions and improve freight flow through Nez Perce County, as first reported by bigcountrynewsconnection.com.
Working in partnership with the BG&CM Railroad, ITD will begin demolition operations on September 9 near milepost 283. The removal targets the Lapwai Creek Bridge, which currently imposes a vertical clearance limit of 14 feet and 11 inches on the state’s primary north-south corridor.
Traffic Disruptions Planned
Motorists traveling through Culdesac Canyon should expect intermittent delays over the next two weeks. During daytime hours, traffic will be managed by flaggers with single-lane alternating flow, resulting in anticipated delays of approximately 15 minutes.
More significant disruptions are scheduled for three nights. ITD plans to close U.S. Highway 95 completely between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. from September 14 through September 16 to facilitate the bridge removal. During these overnight closures, drivers will be detoured via Gifford-Reubens Road to U.S. Highway 12.
Infrastructure Improvements
The project aims to support commercial freight movement between Oregon and Canada by removing physical barriers on the highway. Officials noted that clearing the bridge also accommodates future infrastructure improvements planned for the canyon section of the road.
The work is expected to continue for roughly 15 days, though construction schedules remain subject to change based on weather and operational conditions. Drivers are advised to check local traffic updates before traveling through the area during the project window.