Board tours hazardous materials transfer center
Members of the Idaho Transportation Board learned last week how hazardous materials arrive by rail and are transferred to trucks for disposal at the US Ecology transfer site. They visited the site as part of their three-day workshop, tour and board meeting in District 3.
Hazardous material arrives by train from throughout the country and then is transported by truck to the US Ecology site near Grand View for decontamination and disposal. The trucking activities fluctuate depending on the projects. When they were receiving waste from the cleanup of the Hudson River, they averaged about 150 truckloads per day.
The District 3 tour also included an overview of the Simplot Feedlot operation near Grand View and a drive-through tour of the expansive lot. The 750-acre site accommodates 150,000 head of cattle. The average annual precipitation is 6.6 inches and the average annual temperature is 67 degrees, making it an ideal location to feed cattle year-round.
Other board business
Mobility report
The Idaho Pedestrian and Bicycle Alliance reported on Idaho’s rating in the 2012 League of American Bicyclists’ Report Card during the monthly business meeting in Boise Friday. Nationally, Idaho ranked 36th. Its lowest category rating was for infrastructure and funding; education and encouragement efforts rated the highest at 3 out of a possible score of 5.
The report identified areas where improvements are needed: a safe passing or vulnerable road user law, a complete streets policy, dedicated state funding, a state bicycle plan (adopted in 2002 or later) and funding of congestion mitigation and air quality programs.
The delegation offered to work with ITD on issues such as ensuring all users can safely and effectively use state corridors, strengthening biking and walking education and adding walking and biking paths to projects wherever feasible.
Idaho moves freight
The board heard about freight issues from a Boise Valley Railroad (BVR) representative.
BVR operates on 36 miles of track, providing service to 84 customers in Ada, Canyon, and Elmore counties. Most of the products hauled are agricultural, petroleum, and paper and lumber.
A study recently was conducted to determine if there is a market need and a viable operations site for a multi-modal/transload center in Boise. The study concluded the use of rail could be expanded significantly, and a site could have a substantial economic impact on the geography and enhance the ability to attract new industries to the area. A minimum site of 40 acres and approximately $15.5 million is required to accommodate the volume and variety of products needed at a multi-modal site.
District 3 annual report
District 3 Engineer Dave Jones reported on some of the district’s activities and accomplishments the past year. Safety projects included completing the sign inventory analysis – resulting in the removal of redundant signs – and installing flashers and reflectors at high-accident locations.
The avalanche program on Idaho 21 has been a successful in improving mobility, which is an important element of ITD’s Strategic Plan. During the winter of 2005-2006, before ITD hired full-time seasonal avalanche forecasters, Idaho 21 was closed 73 times. That winter, 354 inches of snow fell in the avalanche corridor. During the 2010-2011 winter, when 388 inches of snow fell, the road was closed only 18 times, largely through better avalanche monitoring and forecasting, which improves mobility and economic opportunity.
Also in support of ITD’s Strategic Plan goal to foster economic opportunity, District 3 supports major events such as bicycle races and Iron Man competitions. It is involved, not only to ensure safety of the participants and traveling public, but also because of the economic benefits of those events to the region and its businesses.
Published 6-22-2012