PINEHURST, Idaho — All lanes are open again after a head-on collision between two semis on I-90 caused a 12-hour closure. The accident blocked all lanes in both directions at N. Division Street, according to Idaho 511.
Little about what caused the crash or who is involved is known at this time.
Some North Idaho drivers have told KREM 2 News that the bridge configuration, construction plus speed limits of 65 mph leads to crashes like this.
"Finding out there was an accident is no surprise," Yvonne Nesler, a Smelterville resident, said. "It seems a little high for such a narrow bridge."
She said if the speed limit stays the same, drivers should pay close attention to their surroundings in a construction zone.
"Especially where it bottlenecks to one lane, slow down, be patient, give drivers space, especially when it can be dangerous," Nesler said.
Shoshone County District One Commissioner Tracy Casady says Nesler isn't alone in her concerns. Casady said the commissioners and the sheriff's office have received many calls with construction zone safety concerns.
"The way it's set up, the speed in some of the area, on-ramps, there have been some close calls," Casady said in an interview with KREM 2 News.
Casady contacted the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) to lower local construction zone speed limits two weeks ago.
In an email to ITD, Casaday wrote, "I am reaching out to you over concerns regarding the speed limits posted in the construction zones through the Kellogg area and east on I-90. The public has expressed deep concern about the limits being posted at a speed that is very high for the 2 lane areas. There also seems to be confusion as to how traffic is directed through these areas. As this is not Shoshone County’s jurisdiction, we feel that it is important the publics’ voiced opinions and worries are forwarded to you. I know firsthand of the devastating consequences of what happens during a head on collision at these speeds."
At that time, ITD denied her request.
ITD staff engineer Joey Sprague replied, in part, that the 65 mph limit is based on federal highway guidelines.
"In regards to the 65 mph work zone speed limit, this is based on guidance that can be found in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices (MUTCD) published by the Federal Highway Administration. In the MUTCD, part 6C.01 has recommendations for speed reductions:
“Reduced speed limits should be used only in the specific portion of the TTC (Temporary Traffic Control) zone where conditions or restrictive features are present. However, frequent changes in the speed limit should be avoided. A TTC plan should be designed so that vehicles can travel through the TTC zone with a speed limit reduction of no more than 10 mph. A reduction of more than 10 mph in the speed limit should be used only when required by restrictive features in the TTC zone… Reduced speed zoning (lowering the regulatory speed limit) should be avoided as much as practical because drivers will reduce their speeds only if they clearly perceive a need to do so," Sprague wrote in an email to Casady.
Casady said she will continue to advocate for the safety of those in Shoshone County.
ITD shared the following quote with KREM 2, Thursday, about the construction zone:
"As with every crash in a work zone, the project team reached out to law enforcement and has again looked into the particular area to determine if any changes, including to the speed limit, are necessary. At this time ITD is not making any changes...Work zone speed limits are a balancing act between keeping the people and drivers in work zones as safe as possible while maintaining mobility for all travelers."
ITD said road work near Pinehurst is set to be completed in a few weeks.
This is a developing news story and we will provide more updates as we receive them.
DOWNLOAD THE KREM SMARTPHONE APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE KREM+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KREM in the Channel Store.
Fire TV: search for "KREM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email webspokane@krem.com.