Site Migration Notice
The Salmon River Road project website has been migrated to the Projects section of the Western Federal Lands Highway Division website as part of a DOT initiative to centralize project information on official agency sites.
All of the information that was available on the previous website at SalmonRiverRoad.org has been transferred here and remains available for public reference. If you have any questions regarding the migration, or if you encounter any difficulties locating information on the new site, please contact salmonriver@dot.gov for assistance.
Salmon River Road Project Background
In 2007 and 2010, the Federal Highway Administration awarded projects along the Salmon River Road to Debco Construction, of Orofino, Idaho. Twelve ‘mechanically-stabilized earth’ retaining walls will be constructed as part of the project. In order to construct this type of retaining wall, the contractor must dig out part of the existing road, thus making the road impassable to traffic. The contract includes provisions which allow the contractor to close the road and/or delay traffic for up to 5 days at a time. During the closure, the contractor is also required to shuttle residents and business persons around the work area. For the full text of those provisions, click here (Acrobat, 317 KB).
The Salmon River Road project is needed to improve the safety of the roadway and to enhance the access the roadway provides. The road provides critical access to both property owners and recreation in the area, and currently contains a number of unsafe conditions, including substandard road conditions and landslide risks. The project will provide the people who depend on this road with the means to access their property, run their business, or enjoy the features of the area with a safer road and reduced risk of landslides and washouts.
The project area has many key resources, including the fish and wildlife that habitate the river, the evidence of past cultural use and historical features, and the many recreational opportunities available. Addressing the needs for the project involved an intensive effort to balance impacts to these resources while considering cost and quality of the improvements initially and in the years to come. This involved a multi-agency effort, gathering information from specialists of many disciplines, and public involvement through newsletters, public meetings, and individual discussions.
Location & Description
This project is located approximately 114 miles southeast of Lewiston, Idaho, and approximately 150 miles north of Boise, Idaho, near the town of Riggins, in Idaho County, Idaho.
The project consists of grading, drainage, base, paving, and twelve retaining walls. The project length is 4.24 miles; beginning 2.27 miles up the Salmon River from Riggins (near Shorts Bar) and ending at the Lake Creek Bridge.
Completion Dates
- May 30, 2011: ID PFH 60 (3) & "Connector" portion of ID PFH 60 (5), Highway 95 to Lake Creek Bridge
- May 13, 2013: ID PFH 60 (5), Lake Creek Bridge to Spring Bar Campground
Future Projects
The Forest Highway Program is administered through a Tri-Agency made up of representatives of the Forest Service, Idaho Transportation Department (ITD), and the Western Federal Lands Division of the Federal Highway Administration (WFLHD).
The Tri-Agency has committed to complete the road from Highway 95 to Lake Creek Bridge. The remaining portion is tentatively funded for construction in 2010, which would mean a follow-up project immediately on the heels of the current project. Work beyond Lake Creek Bridge will have to compete with other future projects when the Tri-Agency calls for new projects in a few years.