Construction Prep for 1-5 Rose Quarter Project Under Way
By Lori Tobias CEG CORRESPONDENT
Construction on Oregon’s Interstate 5 Rose Quarter Project is set to begin this summer on what could ultimately be a $1.5-$1.9 billion effort to remedy the worst bottleneck in the state.
The project includes Oregon’s first highway cover, new roadway crossings over I-5, a car-free bridge, street improvements for “walking, biking and rolling,” new ramp-to-ramp connections, a ramp relocation and wider shoulders.
The primary contractor is Hamilton/Sundt Joint Venture (HSJV) in association with Raimore Construction
The project was given the greenlight after the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) allocated $250 million to the project in December. Combined with $450 million awarded from the federal government in March and other grants — which brought available funding to $850 million — that was sufficient to begin work on significant components of the 1.8-mi. stretch of highway.
“For the 2025 construction start, we are focused on project elements that are shovel-ready and can get us to construction quickly, and with a focus on elements that maximize opportunities for disadvantaged business enterprises and a diverse workforce,” said Megan Channell, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Rose Quarter project director. “The 2025 construction package will include stormwater improvements on the north side of the project and then bridge preservation components on the south end of the project.
“What I think is exciting about these is we’re leveraging the projects with what we call the mini CMGC — mini construction management general contractor — approach. That means that our contractor is bringing on disadvantaged business enterprises to serve in a mini prime capacity for elements of this work so that they can be mentored and provided technical assistance along the way. So, that when they are done with this particular package on the Rose Quarter, they’ll be better suited to have additional skill sets and capacity and indigenous acumen for success, not only in future business
with ODOT, but future business in the region and the state.”
Efforts to relieve traffic congestion and safety issues in the Rose Quarter, a site where three major interstates converge, have been ongoing since 2017 when the Oregon State Legislature directed ODOT to address congestion in the area.
“This 1.8-mile stretch of highway is the only two-lane section of I-5 in a major urban area between Canada and Mexico,” according to the ODOT website. “It has the high-
A rendering of what the Rose Quarter Project will look like upon completion. see ROSE page 8
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An aerial view of the area of Interstate 5 that the Rose Quarter Project will address.
Ada County Hosts Groundbreaking for $93M Boise Park
Ada County officials and local mayors were on hand on Dec. 18, 2024, for the groundbreaking ceremony for The Park at Expo Idaho in Boise.
When completed in 2026, the $93 million 50-plus-acre park will feature nature trails, open spaces, skateparks, nature play areas for children and more.
The CM Co. of Boise is the contractor.
The park will connect to the Boise River and the Boise River Greenbelt on the Expo Idaho Property. Ada County’s 240-acre Expo Idaho Property has been a treasured part of the community for decades. It is home to the annual Western Idaho Fair and draws more than a million visitors each year for trade shows, sporting events, public gatherings, concerts, agricultural events and more.
“The Park at Expo Idaho is our gift to the future,” Ada County Commission Chairman Rod Beck said. “This park is our gift to everyone who lives, works and visits Ada County. Sometimes when circum-
stances in our communities change, and we are called upon to adapt to unprecedented growth, we lose things; things are downsized, cut down or replaced. In this case, we are all gaining something priceless.”
The park will be built on the site of the former Les Bois horse racing track, according to idahonews.com.
“One of the advantages of this park is it runs by the river,” Tom Dayley, an Ada County Commissioner told idahonews.com. “We have the Green Belt, and this will connect to that, connecting Lucky Peak to Star, Eagle, and all the other points in between.”
Ada County received $93 million in federal funds to build the park, according to idahonews.com.
The Park at Expo Idaho is funded entirely by the Federal American Rescue Plan (ARPA), according to idahonews.com. ARPA is an 2021 initiative that provided $1.9 trillion to combat the pandemic’s economic impacts.
Aside from The Park at Expo Idaho, a second phase will involve The Fields at Expo Idaho.
On Oct. 30, 2024, the Ada County Commissioners awarded a 30-year lease of 27 acres to Boise Pro Soccer. The organization will pay $150,000 in annual recent and improve and renovate the area around the former grandstands and Turf Club. (All photos courtesy of Ada County.)
Demolition Begins at I-82 Truck Weigh Station at State Border
The Plymouth Weigh Station for motorists crossing the Columbia River from Oregon into eastern Washington is being demolished, according to the Tri-City Herald.
The station at Interstate 82 and Highway 14 will be closed until late next year.
The Washington State Department of Transportation in partnership with the Washington State Patrol launched the $14 million project over the summer.
Granite Construction Co. of Yakima is the contractor.
The two agencies determined that the port of entry needed to be updated to better perform its mission of screening commercial vehicles for compliance with state regulations.
According to the Washington DOT, the contract “requires demolition of the existing scale house
and related existing infrastructure, including decommissioning existing septic system.”
When demolition concludes, a scale house, inspection building and restroom will be constructed, along with new electrical, mechanical, water and sewage systems, pavement, curbs, gutters, safety
barriers, lights and more, the newspaper reported.
There will be two scale pits, one on either side of the building, along with an inspection building with two bays and a pit, the Tri-City Herald reported.
The station will feature electronic screening equipment, which allows enforcement agencies to waive more vehicles past weigh stations. That saves money, fuel and time.
WSDOT estimates its system processed more than 6.5 million
commercial trucks statewide in 2023, the paper reported. Of those, 3.36 million equipped with transponders or identified by license plates received green light signals allowing them to bypass open weigh stations, up from 3.08 million in 2022.
A WSDOT spokesperson told the newspaper that the new station is expected to open in fall 2025.
The state-funded project includes provisions to support small businesses and veteranowned businesses.
Granite Construction Co. logo
Area dignitaries shovel a ceremonial scoop of dirt at The Park at Expo Idaho groundbreaking.
Another rendering of The Park at Expo Idaho.
Nature will figure prominently at The Park at Expo Idaho.
A rendering of The Park at Expo Idaho.
THE DOER’S DREAM
Micron Technology Plans $75M Parking Garage in Idaho
Micron Technology plans to build one of Idaho’s largest parking garages as part of its $15-billion site expansion in Boise, boisedev.comreported.
The city of Boise granted a $75-million building permit for a southwest campus parking garage, which is the fourth most valuable permit it issued in 2024, according to BoiseDev research. Only two other Micron projects and the new Element/AC Hotel building in downtown Boise are larger.
The garage will be four stories tall and total 903,301 sq. ft, boisedev.com reported. Each deck will cover about 5 acres. There will be space for about 2,813 vehicles. A separate garage on the campus’ northwest quadrant will include space for 753 cars more.
In comparison, the eight-story Boise Plaza Parking Garage at 12th and Jefferson streets in Boise is approximately a quarter of the size of the new Micron facility, with just 276,775 sq. ft. It holds about 950 cars, according to boisedev.com.
Multiple construction projects are under way on the Micron campus at 8000 S. Federal Way. In 2024, permits were issued for the new fabrication structure (valued at $707 million), new support building ($101 million), the structural foundation for a probe building ($67.4 million) and more, boisedev.com reported.
Micron previously announced it would spend $15 billion to expand in Boise for additional research and development function, along with some manufacturing capacity in a project continuing through the end of the decade.
The expansion is subsidized by U.S. taxpayers through the CHIPS and Science Act and Idaho taxpayers through 2022 legislation, according to boisedev.com.
The U.S. Department of Commerce and Micron Technology have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to approximately $6.14 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. competitiveness in leading-edge memory
semiconductor production. The proposed funding would support the construction of two leading-edge Dynamic RandomAccess Memory (DRAM) fabs, one of which would be in built in Boise.
The proposed funding would unlock a $25 billion investment in a DRAM fab in Idaho, which will be co-located with Micron’s R&D facilities in Boise and create approximately 6,500 facility and construction jobs. Together, these investments would advance the company's plans to onshore approximately 40 percent of its DRAM chip production over the next two decades.
In Idaho, the plan is to develop a high-volume manufacturing (HVM) fab, with approximately 600,000 sq. ft. of cleanroom space focused on the production of leading-edge DRAM chips. The fab would be co-located with the company’s R&D facility to improve efficiency across its R&D and manufacturing operations, reducing lags in technology transfer and cutting time-to-market for its memory products.
Twelve High Schools in Washington Achieve AEDF Recognition
The AED Foundation (AEDF) announced the recognition of 12 High School Equipment Technology Programs in Washington including the following schools:
• Aberdeen High School (Aberdeen, Wash.)
• Auburn High School (Auburn, Wash.)
• Coupeville High School (Coupeville, Wash.)
• Goldendale High School (Goldendale, Wash.)
• Newport High School (Newport, Wash.)
• NEWTech Prep (Spokane, Wash.)
• Pierce County Skills Center (Puyallup, Wash.)
• Shelton High School (Shelton, Wash.)
• Sunnyside High School (Sunnyside, Wash.)
• Tri-Tech Skills Center (Kennewick, Wash.)
• Wenatchee Valley Technical Skills Center (Wenatchee, Wash.)
• Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center (Yakima, Wash.)
The term of AEDF recognition is five years, starting in December 2024 and ending in November 2029.
AEDF is dedicated to developing and improving equipment industry partnerships that meet the mutual needs of local dealers, manufacturers and high school programs.
“The AED Foundation is proud to be affiliated with these twelve High School Equipment Technology Programs,” said Karina Utreras, accreditation and recognition program manager, Associated Equipment Distributors (AED).
“AED and AEDF are committed to each program’s continued success and look forward to a continued partnership with each school.”
“At SkillsUSA Washington, our mission is to equip students with the skills and confidence they need to excel in their chosen careers, and our partnership with AED is a shining example of this commitment," said Karmen Warner, executive director of
SkillsUSA Washington. “By aligning SkillsUSA’s technical standards with AED’s high-level industry benchmarks, we’re creating a framework that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of today’s workforce.”
With AED’s support, SkillsUSA Washington’s apprenticeship efforts are reaching new heights.
“As our programs achieve AED accreditation, they qualify for engagement in our proposed Registered Apprenticeship Program, creating a seamless pathway from high school classrooms to required on-the-job training," Warner said.
Rendering courtesy of Micron
A rendering of Micron’s proposed factory.
Rose Quarter Project Aims to Alleviate Traffic Bottleneck
est crash rate on any urban interstate in Oregon and is the state’s top traffic bottleneck.”
It’s also the 28th-worst freight bottleneck in the nation. It has some of the most used pedestrian and bicycle crossings in the area, along with use by the Portland Streetcar, Trimet’s Max System and the Rose Quarter Transit Center, as well as the Moda Center, which attracts 1.5 million people to Trailblazers’ games annually, Channell said.
“So, all that is to say there’s a lot happening in this area, and one of the challenges for us is to make sure that we are being as quick and efficient as possible with construction but also balancing that with making sure we are limiting as best we can the impact to the traveling public and people utilizing this space,” Channell said. “That’s a balance that remains a challenge for us as we look towards the construction.”
While the primary goal of the project is to alleviate congestion and accidents, of equal importance is to reconnect the historic neighborhood of Albina.
“In the 1950s and 1960s, the federal government, working with state and local governments, transformed the way Americans travel,” according to the project website. “Together, they built an interstate highway system connecting people and goods from across the country.
“But there were problems with how that system was built that continue to this day. In Portland, governments chose a path for the new I-5 freeway that went directly through the heart of the Albina community. This destroyed hundreds of homes, predominantly owned by Black Portlanders, and severed a thriving community from the river and itself.”
The I-5 Rose Quarter Project aims to repair the division in part through the state’s first highway cover, about a quarter of a mile in length.
“It will provide roadway connections on top, but it’s also providing about four acres of new land over I-5 that can support up to three-story buildings in much of the area,” Channell said. “This new land that’s being created for future
development to help reconnect the lower Albina area is serving as a catalyst for kind of a broader district vision that’s being led by our partners at Albina Vision Trust for a restorative redevelopment component of nearly 100 acres of this area for which the highway cover is within.
“As someone walking, biking or rolling across, the future I-5 with a highway cover won’t feel like you’re crossing an interstate. It’ll feel like you are seamlessly connected with the central Portland community.”
The state’s initial estimate for completion of the highway cover is about 2030, but Channell said that could change as funding as additional funding is madeavailable. CEG
(Photos courtesy of the Oregon Department of Transportation.)
Construction Begins On University of Idaho Housing Project
Construction will begin immediately on new housing on the University of Idaho’s South Hill after the Idaho State Board of Education approved a building project worth $162 million at a special meeting on Nov. 21, 2024.
The project also includes renovations to two undergraduate housing facilities, Wallace Residential Complex and Theophilus Tower, as well as the Elmwood
Apartments.
“We continue to see enrollment growth as we prove again and again the U of I’s value,”
President Scott Green said. “Our on-campus housing is an important piece of that value, and our students need and deserve modern living and learning facilities.”
The university also received approval from the board to enter into a development agreement with Gilbane Development Co. as the lead contractor for the project.
The project will be funded long-term with bonds.
Initial utility and street preparation on South Hill began several months ago. Students living in the apartments were notified last spring that while their contracts would not be renewed, they would have the opportunity to begin new contracts in available apartments in the unaffected area of South Hill. The project includes the razing of old, dilapidated apartments with 431 beds and the construction of apartments with 251
single-student beds and 150 married/parenting beds. The area also will include a commons community center.
The new apartments are scheduled to open in August 2026.
“As we get closer to achieving R1 Carnegie Research status, it is imperative we provide the high-quality housing that graduate students and families need to continue their educational journey,” said Cami McClure, associate vice president for Auxiliary Services, which oversees university housing.
The renovations of Theophilius Tower and Wallace Complex will be done in phases, with completion from August 2025 to August 2027.
Theophilus Tower was constructed in 1969, with no major renovations since. Wallace Complex was built in 1963, with the last major renovation done in 2021.
The South Hill apartments were built in 1970, and several units have already been demolished or taken out of service.
To ready the project for construction, the I-5 Rose Quarter Project team conducted potholing testing on sections of the project area in 2023. University of Idaho photo
Hill.
Potholing testing equipment.
ROSE from page 1
Tractor Supply Co., the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, announced on Jan. 28, 2025, plans to construct a new distribution center in Nampa, Idaho.
The approximately 865,000 sq.-ft. facility is expected to create more than 500 new fulltime jobs for residents and represents a nearly $225 million investment in the local economy. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2025, with an anticipated completion in late 2026-early 2027.
“Nampa stood out as an ideal site as we evaluated distribution center locations to better serve our customers in the Pacific Northwest region,” said Colin Yankee, chief supply chain officer of Tractor Supply. “Nampa has a rich agricultural history and a strong sense of community, characteristics that align with our company’s mission and values. We appreciate the support of the many state and local officials who have played an integral role in bringing this exciting project to the region. We look forward to investing further in Canyon County while making it even easier for Tractor Supply customers to find everything they need for ‘Life Out Here.’”
The distribution center will eventually
serve more than 200 Tractor Supply stores throughout the Pacific Northwest, including nearby stores in Middleton, Kuna and Emmett, Idaho. This is the company’s first distribution center in the Pacific Northwest. It will be built with the goal of LEED certification.
“As Tractor Supply chose Nampa for the location of [its] new distribution center, we appreciate that [the company] worked with our community, exceeding fire and building safety standards,” said Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling said. “While providing products for the hobby farmer to the full-time
farmer, we also applaud the support Tractor Supply gives to local agriculturally related educational programs.”
“Nampa’s strong agricultural roots and talented workforce make it an ideal location for Tractor Supply’s newest distribution center,” Idaho Department of Commerce Director Tom Kealey said. “We are excited to welcome Tractor Supply’s substantial investment in Nampa, creating more than 500 new jobs and additional economic opportunities across Idaho.”
Tractor Supply is commemorating its arrival in Nampa with two donations of
Tractor Supply Announces New Idaho Distribution Center
$10,000 each to Ridgevue FFA and Canyon County 4-H to support its work in developing the next generation of leaders. Tractor Supply has supported FFA for nearly 30 years and is the organization’s largest funder, donating nearly $24 million through various initiatives including the Tractor Supply FFA Future Leaders Scholarship. In addition, Tractor Supply has helped to raise nearly $25 million for 4-H nationwide through its partnership.
The company operates 10 distribution centers in Frankfort, N.Y.; Casa Grande, Ariz.; Franklin, Ky.; Hagerstown, Md.; Macon, Ga.; Pendleton, Ind.; Waco, Texas; Waverly, Neb.; Navarre, Ohio; and Maumelle, Ark.
About Tractor Supply Co.
For more than 85 years, Tractor Supply Co. has served the needs of recreational farmers, ranchers, homeowners, gardeners, pet enthusiasts and all those who enjoy living “Life Out Here” and is the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, ranking 293 on the Fortune 500. The company has more than 5,000 employees and, as of Sept. 28, 2024, operated 2,270 Tractor Supply stores in 49 states.
For more information, visit www.tractorsupply.com.
Tractor Supply Co. photo
More than 200 Tractor Supply Co. stores will be serviced by the planned distribution center in Nampa, Idaho.
