Board emphasizes economic opportunity on D-1 tour

Members of the Idaho Transportation Board next week will explore ways that transportation in northern Idaho contributes to healthy economic development. The board will visit area businesses, chambers of commerce and Jobs Plus as part of a tour and business meeting in the Coeur d’Alene area.

The Wednesday tour will precede the board’s regular monthly business meeting at the ITD District 1 headquarters Thursday in Coeur d’Alene.

Wednesday’s tour agenda also includes an afternoon meeting with the Coeur d’Alene Airport Board and then travel on the U.S. 95 GARVEE corridor north of Coeur d’Alene.

Business meeting topics

State railroad grade crossing protection fund
At its business meeting Thursday, the board will receive the annual report on expenditures from the State Railroad Grade Crossing Protection Fund.

Idaho law authorizes an annual allotment of $250,000 to fund the program in the form of matching funds for projects in the federal-aid Highway Safety – Federal Rail Program. The goal of the program is to reduce the number and severity of vehicle-train collisions at public railroad-highway crossings.

In 2011, there were 10 vehicle-train collisions at public rail-highway crossings in Idaho. Those crashes resulted in one fatality and one injury. The five-year average is 13 collisions, one fatality, and three injuries. Of the 66 collisions during that time period, 50 occurred during the day.

There also were three pedestrian fatalities on railroad property last year in Idaho.

Draft FY13-17 Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP)
The board will continue discussions on the draft ITIP that began at the workshop last month.

ITD staff used the data-driven approach to nominate projects for additional funding that will maximize the use of available funds to most effectively improve the condition of the state highway and bridge system. Some of the prospective projects for funding include U.S. 95, Sandpoint to Kootenai Cutoff; Idaho 21, Warm Springs Creek Bridge; I-84, Junction U.S. 93, Stage 2; and U.S. 20, Thornton Interchange.

The unfunded projects in the 13 original GARVEE corridors were reviewed and rated based upon pavement condition, safety and congestion. The exercise resulted from the board action in June when it approved issuing approximately $80 million in additional GARVEE bonds that had previously been authorized by the legislature.

The five top-ranked projects include three interchanges on I-84 (Gowen, Meridian and Broadway), and two Idaho 75 projects (Buttercup Road to Alturas Drive and Elkhorn Road to River Street).

Upon board concurrence of the draft ITIP, it will be released for public review and comments. The final program will be submitted to the board for approval in September.

Cheyenne Overpass, Pocatello
The South Valley Connector project, known as the I-15, Cheyenne Overpass project in Pocatello, was added to the ITIP in 1999. The project is scheduled for construction in FY12; however, staff will request board approval to delay the project to FY13.

With the recent replacement of the Topaz Bridge on U.S. 30, the Interstate 15/U.S. 30 corridor is now free of restrictions for overlegal loads. Several firms in Pocatello fabricate industrial equipment that is shipped nationally.

District 5 staff has been working with the city of Pocatello to ensure the continued support of regional economic development through modifying the proposed Cheyenne Overpass structure to better accommodate industry and mobility.

Because of concern that the overpass could hinder commercial traffic as designed, the new proposal is to cross under I-15, eliminating the potential restriction and enhancing the economic vitality of the corridor for commercial travel.

The redesign will require a delay to FY13.

The proposal also includes a loan to the Bannock Transportation Planning Organization to fund the cost of reconfiguring the structure to an underpass.

Published 7-13-2012