CALDWELL — An unexpected closure of the U.S. Highways 20 and 26 bridge north of Caldwell in early August after it was struck by a semi has caused major traffic congestion at a nearby overpass and led the Idaho Transportation Department to seek temporary solutions as it works quicker than usual on a design for the new bridge with plans to begin the construction in late 2027 or early 2028.
The replacement of the U.S. Highway 20/26 overpass has made its way to the top of ITD’s list of priorities to complete, turning a project that typically takes six years into one that’s estimated to be done in two years, according Jason Brinkman, District 3 district engineer…