2013 Project Development Conference

lTD ready to put 'smarter, better, faster' to best use

The theme for the 2013 Project Development Conference in Boise this week aptly describes the status of transportation – an industry in transition, just as ITD is in transition.

“Implementing Innovations: Smarter, Better, Faster” mirrors ITD’s new operational model, Director Brian Ness told nearly 200 people assembled for the biennial conference Tuesday. ITD has made siginificant changes the past three years, today operating smarter, better and faster than ever before.

Ness said the department needs an infusion of revenue to maintain Idaho's highways and is prepared to put any new funds to use quickly. He is encouraged that late-session Legislative discussion last week could become a seed for additional revenue.

Although neither Gov. Otter nor ITD introduced legislation that would increase state transportation revenue, Ness said the discussion has begun. That is a very positive sign, he said. That discussion took a major step late in the session when legislators introduced separate bills that would increase the state’s gas tax or raise the state sales tax by one percent.

Ness encouraged Project Development Conference attendees to become engaged in the revenue conversation.

He also emphasized the role contractors will play in moving projects forward quickly. It is important, Ness said, that projects are ready when funding arrives. He called for planners, designers and builders to advance projects as much as possible in anticipation of funding.

Funding discussion can have a ripple effect, he added. It can generate more interest by bidders, more competition, faster construction and lower bids. Savings can be redirected to other projects to multiply its benefits.


Innovative transportation practices is the best way to achieve the most out of limited funding , said District 2 transportation board member Jan Vassar Tuesday. She commended organizers of the Project Development Conference for its progressive approach.

Vassar, retired Lewiston city manager, formally welcomed participants to the conference that featured national authorities on the first day and a second day packed with 24 breakout sessions organized by discipline:

  • Environmental/right of way
  • Construction/materials
  • Planning/traffic, and
  • Design/materials

Vassar said ITD faces a great “brain drain” with the number of employees approaching retirement in the next five years. That makes educational opportunities and professional networking, like that taking place at the conference, even more vital.

She also acknowledged the conference expertise, including presenters and attendees, and the role of local organizations preparing for the event, including ITD, the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council, American Council of Engineering Companies and the Federal Highway Administration.


Two FHWA speakers provided insight about federal programs during the daylong plenary sessions Tuesday. Deputy Administrator Greg Nadeau emphasized the role transportation plays in the nation’s economy and the use of innovation to maximize funding. He explained in depth FHWA’s Every Day Counts (EDC) concept and its successor EDC2.

Harlan Miller discussed the latest federal transportation funding bill, Moving Ahead with Progress for the 21st Century (MAP-21).

Other speakers featured during the first day of the Project Development Conference included Kathleen Penney, a CH2M HILL vice president from Washington, D.C., and Lise Stewart, founder of the Galliard Group, who specializes in advocacy and training for family businesses. She presented an overview of five distinct generations in today’s workforce: Silent Generation (born between 1922 and 1945), Babyboomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), Millennial ((1981-1995), and Gen Z or i-gen (1996-current).

The opening day of the conference concluded with the annual Excellence in Transportation awards banquet. (See separate stories)

Published 4-5-13