Unique pavement preservation treatments begin next week in East Idaho

RIGBY - The Idaho Transportation Department will conduct scrub seal treatments to preserve the life of highways throughout East Idaho beginning Monday, June 29. Work will be done on one roadway at a time, in this order:

• US-26 Swan Valley to the Wyoming state line
• SH-31 Pine Creek Pass, Swan Valley to Victor
• SH-31 and SH-33 intersection in Victor
• SH-33 Newdale to Sugar City
• US-20 Sugar City half interchange
• US-20 South St. Anthony
• SH-47 Ashton to Warm River
• US-20 Ashton Hill

Scrub sealing must be done during daytime hours for warmer temperatures to set materials correctly. Crews will operate Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well as on some Saturdays. All work will be paused and traffic control removed July 3-5 for the Independence Day holiday. Brooming work may be conducted at night as needed.

Work zones will limit travel to one lane where only two lanes exist. Motorists should expect to see flaggers and pilot cars guiding traffic.

Many of these routes see a significant influx of recreational traffic each summer. ITD asks motorists to stay aware, be patient and know that each road section is estimated to take approximately one week. All roadways are expected to be complete by mid- to late-August.

"Surface treatments like this are essential for long term performance of a roadway," Materials Engineering Manager Mark Hayes said. "Especially considering budgetary constraints, preserving our existing transportation system is vital, and scrub sealing is a great way to help ensure that."

Scrub sealing is different than a typical chip seal in that oil is broomed into the roadway before fine crushed gravel is applied. This step ensures weaknesses in the road surface are filled and coated. The process is completed by brooming to remove excess gravel, then compacted with rollers and a final topcoat of oil applied to keep the roadway smooth and avoid damage to vehicles caused by loose chips.

This treatment was tested west of Idaho Falls in 2024 with great success. To date, no damage claims resulted, and the treatment was highly successful even in varied and extreme Idaho weather.

The exact location of work and impacts to traffic as crews move through the roadway list above will be updated on the Idaho 511 app and at 511.idaho.gov.