Board looks at balancing workzone speed limits, mobility
The Idaho Transportation Board earlier this month discussed how to balance safety in highway construction projects with the least amount of impact on traffic because of lowered speed limits.
A new manual that guides the establishing of work zone speed limits was presented during the board’s monthly business meeting on Feb. 9 in Boise. Mobility and safety remain the most important considerations when reducing speed limits in work areas; the intent is to keep speed limits as high as possible within safety parameters.
The type of work being completed and the proximity of construction workers to the travel lanes are important considerations. Input from motorists traveling through work zones also is a factor in deciding speed limits.
ITD staff members try to use that information to set realistic construction speed limits. Motorists also become frustrated when projects are signed and flagged for extensive lengths when no work is being done. That can lead drivers to ignore the posted speed limit. Idaho has an enhanced penalty of $50 for speeding in work zones.
Other board discussion
Annual report on Human Resources
The Human Resources staff provided an overview of its activities and programs the past year.
The report indicated ITD employees used less sick leave in 2011 than in previous years, partly because of the “back to work” program. The decrease is a continuing trend. In 2009, 153,000 hours of medical/sick leave was recorded at a cost of $3.5 million. In 2011, 148,000 hours were reported at $2.5 million.
Turnover among ITD employees remains a concern. The turnover rate increased to 9.4 percent in FY11 from 7.4 percent the previous fiscal year. The five-year data indicates that 40 percent of the separations resulted from retirement. Another 30 percent were voluntary separations; causes ranged from better job opportunities and compensation to personal reasons.
The Safety and Risk Management Office investigated 220 tort claims in FY11. Of those, 111 were denied, nine remain open, and one is in litigation. A total of 94 work-related injuries occurred during FY11, resulting in 2,278 lost workdays and $939,253 in related costs. There were 177 collisions involving ITD vehicles/drivers, resulting in $284,436 in equipment damage, $1,084 in property damage and $50,667 in tort damages.
The Federal Highway Administration recognized several of the Equal Employment Opportunity Office’s practices, including its social media program, level II contract compliance reviews and the brown-bag diversity series. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transition plan continues with reviews of buildings for compliance.
Goals for 2012 include streamlining to improve efficiencies, improving the Website, increasing training and outreach, and continuing the ADA transition inventory.
Most of the training provided by Human Resources came in the form of technical classes. More training was conducted in 2011 than in prior years because of the Transportation Asset Management Systems (TAMS). A training steering committee has been established that will provide better planning and scheduling of resources. Some of the goals for this year include implementing Share Point and increasing the maintenance training program.
Addition of Tribal Transit discretionary awards
The Federal Transit Administration solicited applications for $15 million in discretionary funds for public transportation on Indian Reservations. The Coeur d’Alene Tribe received $93,000, and the Nez Perce Tribe received $500,000 for expanded operations. The board approved the addition of the two federally funded projects to the FY12 Transit Program.
Vice-chairman
Transportation board members voted Jim Coleman of District 1 to serve as vice chairman for the coming year. Coleman, an engineer from Coeur d’Alene, joined the board in 2007. He founded Coleman Engineering Inc. in 2004, after working in the private sector for 28 years, and has been focusing on project management and value analysis for public buildings and facilities.
Published 2-24-2012