New transportation funding allows ITD to continue
effective, efficient management
            

This week, two transportation bills were passed into law, giving ITD access to millions of dollars to invest in improving state roads and bridges.

In passing SB1206 and HB334, elected officials showed a high level of trust for ITD to manage money well and improve Idaho’s system of roads and bridges. At the beginning of the session, transportation funding was not a top priority for many lawmakers. However, following a record harsh winter members of both houses united to address the needs of critical repairs and expansion.

ITD director Brian Ness spoke on the matter: “Governor Otter said when SB1206 became law, ‘the Idaho Transportation Department has never been more efficient, effective, or motivated to succeed.’ We now must make good on that promise to execute the projects that will make Idaho roads safer, increase capacity, and improve the flow of goods and services across the state.”

During the Transportation Board meeting April 21, board members will be given a list of possible projects to fund through the newly authorized GARVEE (Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle) bonds. These include six corridors with work left incomplete from the 2005-2014 GARVEE bonds. This is information shared first in The Transporter, before we inform the general public through a future news release.

The funds from these bills will allow ITD to address the most critical needs for infrastructure, but an annual shortfall will persist. According to a Governor’s Task Force, existing roads and bridges require an additional $165 million each year to be maintained. There is an additional need of $281 million to add lane miles as the state population grows.

“This year’s work is a great step forward to meeting the needs in our transportation funding. We look forward to working with state and federal officials to continue to close that gap,” said Ness.

The bills create four revenue streams for transportation funding. First, it authorizes ITD to borrow $300 million in GARVEE bonds. Next, it extends the “surplus eliminator” until 2019, but creates a 60/40 split with state and local transportation agencies. It also includes 1% of sales tax and a portion of the cigarette tax going to a Congestion Mitigation Fund. This makes a total estimated funding of approximately $320 million.

This marks the third new road-funding package in recent years. In 2004, lawmakers authorized an initial round of GARVEE bonding to increase lane miles on critical corridors. In 2015, increases to the gas tax and registration fees allowed ITD to perform necessary maintenance on deteriorating infrastructure.

ITD has effectively and efficiently put these funds on the roads. Through GARVEE, ITD completed 59 projects across the state, including adding lanes to I-84 between Meridian and Nampa, and to U.S. 95 between Garwood and Sagle.

The new revenue from user fees has gone into repairs on 60 projects across the state. All but a few of those projects were completed in just 18 months. The remaining few will finish this summer and fall.

Watch a video about the rapid repairs using new revenue here.

 

Published 04-14-17