Board to receive report on 511 system improvements, use
With snow blowing horizontally and drivers maneuvering carefully on slick highways, it seems only fitting the Idaho Transportation Board will revisit Idaho’s 511 Traveler Information next week.
Although coincidental in timing, the report will come as part of the board’s first meeting of 2013. The business meeting is scheduled for the Darrell V Manning boardroom and auditorium at Headquarters Wednesday.
Staff will provide a history of Idaho’s system that is among the most robust and technically sophisticated in the nation. ITD provides the system free to Idaho travelers. It consists of a comprehensive website and a toll-free 511 phone service.
ITD staff will showcase how the system has developed into an integrated system. The presentation will include an overview of the information and features currently available and how information is tailored to the needs of different sectors of the traveling public. System enhancements under development will also be discussed.
The presentation on the Traveler Information System will be followed by a related issue. Representatives from the National Weather Service will highlight the cooperation and collaboration that has been developed with ITD. Through the partnership, both entities are providing better service to Idaho customers.
Other board agenda items
Dealer Advisory Board proposed legislation
The Dealer Advisory Board will present proposed legislation to the board, with the intent of securing board support during the coming legislative session.
New and used vehicle dealers are required to keep a $20,000 surety bond on file as part of the licensing process. This bond level has been in place for more than 15 years but has failed to keep up with the rising costs of vehicle sales. Increasing the bond amount would significantly increase costs to dealers and potentially could put some dealers at risk of losing their license.
The proposed legislation would replace the bond requirement with an Idaho Consumer Asset Recovery (ICAR) fund. Dealers would contribute to the fund, rather than carry a surety bond. The fund would allow reimbursement of a single claim up to $50,000 and place a cap of $120,000 on payouts for a single dealer. It also would require the revocation of a licensed dealer when a payout is made unless the dealer reimburses the fund. A board would be created to oversee the ICAR fund and the process to administer it.
Service contracts
The Business & Support Management section will report on the non-construction professional service agreements processed during the previous month. The Consultant Administration Unit has been reporting monthly on professional services used for Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP) projects for many years. The board recently requested a monthly report on the professional service agreements processed through BSM.
No new service related contracts were processed in December; however, five current contracts were modified, resulting in an overall $75,000 decrease in contractual liability. The biggest decrease came in the Human Resource employee training contract. The reduction reflects the actual service needed.
Project advances
Because of savings on recent projects, both Districts 4 and 6 will request the advancement of projects to the ITIP this year.
District 4 would like to advance the Idaho 81, 300 South Road to Satellite Port of Entry project in Cassia County. The project is part of a $10 million pavement restoration initiative that was programmed in three stages, in 2012, 2014, and 2017. Advancing the requested project would allow the district to combine the first two stages for construction this summer, minimizing public inconvenience and realizing safety and mobility benefits earlier.
The U.S. 93, Salmon River Bridge, near Carmen in Lemhi County, is a bridge rehabilitation project. District 6 would like to advance the project, estimated at $570,000, through savings from two other projects.
Published 1-4-2013