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Report confirms strong partnership with ISP

A report on the District 3 GARVEE (Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle) construction program in the Treasure Valley last week confirmed for transportation board members the excellent partnership the department enjoys with the Idaho State Police.

Construction project funds were awarded to ISP to conduct high-visibility enforcement patrols on Interstate 84. The intent was to decrease incidents of impaired, aggressive and distracted driving, with no tolerance for motorists’ failure to use seat belts.

ISP Lt. Brad Doty provided statistics for the project at the Idaho Transportation Board’s business meeting in Boise. The highway projects began in August 2008 and concluded last March.

Doty said ISP officers logged 23,813 hours while patrolling 352,265 miles during that period, resulting in 19,204 citations and more than 17,000 warnings. ISP also reported 270 warrant arrests, 333 drug arrests, 24 cash seizures of $1,000 or more, the apprehension of a kidnapping suspect, felony drug seizures and lifesaving efforts. Two fatalities occurred in the corridor during the construction.

Other board discussion

Freight study and rail plan updates
Updates on the Freight Study and Rail Plan were provided to board members. The freight study included input from engaging stakeholders, understanding the context of the state’s freight status, identifying goals and performance measures, and providing a framework for implementation.

Trucks remain the biggest haulers of freight and likely will continue to be. According to federal sources, Idaho’s top commodities transported by truck in 2010 were cereal grains, followed by other agricultural products and gravel. The top three commodities transported by rail were basic chemicals, fertilizers and cereal grains.

Proposed goals of the freight study are fairly broad, such as ensuring a freight system that features seamless modal connectivity while maintaining safety and efficiency, and strategically investing in freight system infrastructure while maximizing existing capacity.

Some of the preliminary recommendations are to create an institutional framework for communication, collaboration and partnership; align transportation policy and projects with economic development goals; and expand sources for freight infrastructure funding.

The final freight study and recommendations should be available for board consideration next month.

Report on public involvement
ITD’s staff summarized efforts to improve customer service through the public involvement process.

The Public Outreach Planner (POP) is a tool that provides guidance on the type of outreach needed for each project and calculates a cost estimate for conducting those activities. It assists ITD planners with customizing public involvement and outreach efforts to best serve stakeholders during project design and construction as well as corridor planning and maintenance.

Social networking has become an important tool for public outreach. Some of those communication methods are Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and on-line meetings.

District 3 Public Transportation Advisory Council (PTAC) update
Transportation board members heard a report on the public transportation services available in District 3.

Some of those services include traditional fixed routes or deviated bus service in 15 cities, including Ontario, Ore.; vanpool programs; and senior center transportation. One of the successes is increased use of senior center vehicles through a partnership with the Area Agency on Aging.

Duck Valley residents have expressed an interest in public transit. The increased need for mobility is partly attributable to an aging population and an increasing unemployment rate. The remote location makes it difficult for elderly tribal members to access medical care and basic life-sustaining connections and complicates efforts by transportation-dependent individuals in their job searches.

Duck Valley has completed an extensive review of its community needs and identified bus transportation and safe bicycle pathways as priorities.

Challenges include identifying local funds and increasing ridership, public awareness of the advantages of transit and alternative transportation modes, and public-private partnerships.