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Board tours northern Idaho districts, hears from delegations

Following a tour of Districts 2 and 1 on July 10, the board conducted its business meeting in Coeur d'Alene on July 11. Several area delegations addressed the board, mainly with thanks and gratitude for the major improvements that have been made in the region. The greater Sandpoint community is especially appreciates the Sandcreek Byway project.

There also were some concerns and requests for additional projects. The city of Oldtown is concerned with safety on the Idaho 41 railroad overpass because it has no lights. Pedestrian safety after dark is a concern, particularly during winter when the sun sets at 4 p.m.

Bonners Ferry believes it is now the lone bottleneck on U.S. 95 since numerous improvements were made to the highway south of town. The shoulders are inadequate, causing commercial vehicles to encroach in the oncoming traffic lane at places. City representatives would like improvements to the main north-south highway within city limits.

District 1 Report
District 1 presented its annual report on performance measures and various activities.

In FY14, the district committed to delivering 10 projects, but delivered 11. It met its FY15 target of delivering six projects. With 85 percent of the district's pavement in good condition, it exceeded the goal of 82 percent; however, the district's 70 percent of bridges in good condition was below the goal of 80 percent. The mobility index of 72 percent exceeded the state goal of 55 percent.

The GARVEE projects should be completed this summer, resulting in 13 miles of four-lane divided highway and three new interchanges. This should be a major safety improvement on the U.S. 95 corridor.

A new innovation to inventory signs also was highlighted. The previous method to inventory signs was labor and time intensive, requiring multiple entries. Using a new mobile application, a two-person crew may inventory as many as 200 signs in one day. The data also is updated immediately to TAMS.

In fact, the application is so simple that people with no transportation background can successfully use it. The district hired interns with no transportation experience to update its sign inventory and also asked someone off the street to see if they could understand how to use the app.

Director Ness tried out the new mobile app with which he successfully and accurately inventoried this sign.

129,000 Pound Route Requests
Segments of three routes in District 4 have been requested for designated routes up to 129,000 pounds: Idaho 77, and two different portions of Idaho 25. Staff completed its analyses of the routes and determined that they can accommodate the higher weight limits. Additionally, no negative comments were received during the public hearing or public comment period. The requests were then presented to the board subcommittee on 129,000 Pound Truck Routes last month and the subcommittee approved the three route requests.

The full board concurred with the subcommittee's recommendation and directed the chief engineer to issue a Letter of Determination that approves the three referenced route requests in District 4.

Public Transportation Advisory Council (PTAC) Appointment
Applications were solicited from interested parties to represent District 5 on the Public Transportation Advisory Council. The board appointed Kathleen Lewis. Her term will expire May 30, 2017.

Lewis is currently the executive director of the Southeast Idaho Council of Governments, so she knows the region well and is aware of local communities' transportation needs. She has experience with alternative transportation, as she worked with the city of Lava Hot Springs on its pedestrian pathway. She was also involved in evaluating Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility and developing transition plans to remove impediments in a number of communities.