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Board considers report on vehicle/wildlife crashes in District 4

District 4 staff members took advantage of a transportation board meeting and tour last week to discuss efforts to reduce wildlife collisions in the district. They reported that 60 crashes occurred on the stretch of Idaho 75 between Hailey and Ketchum. Of those crashes, 32 involved animals, and 23 of those wildlife/vehicle collisions (72 percent) occurred at night.

District employees are part of a committee created to explore possible solutions for improving safety and protecting wildlife in the corridor. Among the options identified was reducing the speed limit from 55 mph to 45 mph during hours of darkness.

Public transportation update
Eight public transportation providers in the district recorded 650,000 boardings in the past year. A voucher program for riders continues to grow by 15-30 applications per month, according to the public transportation update.

Vouchers provide transportation for seniors and citizens with disabilities through Medicaid funds. The voucher program is invaluable for those populations – 96 percent of the users say it helps them maintain a more independent lifestyle.

Mountain Rides, based in the greater Sun Valley area, plans to expand its services in the district.

The vanpool program operates 13 vehicles in Gooding, Jerome, Shoshone and Twin Falls. It also established a bike-share program in the Hailey area, providing 18 bicycles equipped with baskets for carrying merchandise or other goods. Bicycles are available at a minimal cost to users.

Expressway designation
An administrative rule gives the transportation board authority to designate a highway as an “expressway” to limit access. An expressway is a segment of highway with partially controlled access, at locations specified by the department.

District 3 requested, and the board approved, the designation of three routes as expressways:

The U.S. 95 Council Alternate Route planned for construction in 2016;
Idaho 16, from the Idaho 44 junction to U.S. 20/26, currently under construction; and
Idaho 44, Eagle Alternate Route that was built in the 1990s.

Board tour
The transportation board’s District 4 tour included stops at the City of Rocks National Reserve and Kodiak America.

An old trail that pioneers used to migrate west by wagon trains runs through the national reserve. Names of people who passed through the area more than 100 years ago are visible on rocks. The reserve also offers internationally acclaimed rock climbing.

While in Burley, the board toured Kodiak America, which specializes in manufacturing snow removal equipment that is distributed throughout the world. ITD’s entourage saw how the equipment (a snow blower) is tested. It is placed in the Snake River at Burley to determine how well it moves water.

Photos: Board members pose in front of a rock with immigrants’ signatures. The delegation includes (from left to right) Jim Coleman, Jim Kempton, Julie DeLorenzo, Dwight Horsch, Jan Vassar, Jerry Whitehead and Lee Gagner.) Board members also visited Kodiak America to learn how snow removal equipment is made.