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Idaho Transportation Board to discuss fish passage, celebrate employees
at March 24-25 meeting in Boise

Celebration of employee service, a planning workshop, possible addition of a fish-friendly new north-central Idaho highway project, and discussions centered on highway improvements and subsequent exchange in Sandpoint will highlight the Idaho Transportation Board’s monthly meeting in Boise, March 24-25.

Workshop on program update
The board will participate in a workshop in the District 3 conference room on March 24. The planning session will provide guidance on updating the FY16-20 Idaho Transportation Investment Program.

Idaho 14, Legget Creek and Moose Creek fish passages
At its business meeting at Headquarters on March 25, the board will be asked to add a project to the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.

The Nez Perce Tribe and U.S. Forest Service asked District 2 to partner on a project on Idaho 14. The intent is to construct fish friendly pipes at Legget Creek and Moose Creek along the highway because those two locations have been identified as fish barriers. ITD would design the proposed structures and administer the construction contracts. The Bonneville Power Administration will be providing the majority of funds. The project would benefit ITD because the pipes identified as fish barriers do not have much remaining service life and/or are not adequate hydraulically. The request is to add the project to FY15 for $105,000.

U.S. 2/5th Avenue, Sandpoint
The Board Subcommittee on State Highway Systems has been working with the city of Sandpoint to address traffic concerns in downtown Sandpoint. The construction of the U.S. 95 Sandpoint Byway eliminated a lot of through traffic from downtown. Efforts have been underway to address the U.S. 2 traffic in the city and relinquish the US-95 route to the local jurisdiction.

The Subcommittee has approved a proposal to reconfigure U.S. 2 along 5th Street to a two-way route. This would enable the relinquishment of Pine Street, 1st Avenue, Superior Street, and Cedar Street to the city.

The board will be asked to approve the agreements necessary to proceed with this transaction. The request also includes programming a project in the ITIP to construct the operational changes on 5th Avenue, or U.S. 2.

Employee service awards
The board will participate in the semi-annual Employee Service Awards program, honoring nearly 50 employees for their years of service. Chairman Jerry Whitehead will provide comments on behalf of the board.