Reviews of plans for future projects and strategic plans, recognition of
teen highway-safety efforts highlight June board meeting

A tour of the region, review of rest-area and strategic plans, check of the Idaho Transportation Investment Program, and recognition of area teens engaged in highway-safety efforts, highlight the District 4 meeting of the Idaho Transportation Board June 15-16 in Shoshone.

District tour
The board’s visit to District 4 will begin with a tour of the area on June 15.

One of the stops will be at Clear Springs Foods in Buhl. The company was started in 1966 to raise rainbow trout. The board also will visit the Gooding Airport, owned and operated by the city of Gooding, Monday afternoon. The facility has 80 individually-owned hangers at the site and it is anticipated that the airport will continue to grow.

Workshop
A workshop on the proposed FY17 budget and the draft FY16-20 ITIP will be held Tuesday morning in the District 4 office in Shoshone.

Staff estimates approximately $619 million in funds will be available in FY17 from all sources.The workshop will summarize the proposed expenditures, including the six-year capital-facilities program, replacement equipment, highway-materials costs, and employee-development costs.

The draft ITIP also will be presented. After the board reviews it and proposed revisions are incorporated into the document, it will be available for public review and comment.

Highway safety presentations
The board will recognize three District 4 entities for exemplary highway-safety efforts.

Twin Falls High School students participated in a national distracted-driving awareness campaign in April, creating an award-winning billboard -- “Stop. Distracted Driving Kills.” The group also was invited to Governor Otter’s signing of the Distracted Driving Awareness proclamation in April.

Students at Jerome High School participated in a national seatbelt campaign. It surveyed students on seat belt usage before and after the campaign. Seat belt usage increased 16 percent during that time.

Camas County will also be recognized. For the second year in a row, there were zero highway fatalities in the county.  

Annual update of Safety Rest Areas and Oasis Partnerships
Every year, staff presents the updated Safety Rest Areas and Oasis Partnerships map for board approval. Eighteen of the state’s facilities meet current requirements.  Nine rest areas are in need of rehabilitation or expansion, but no funding is currently programmed to improve them.

The department also has partnerships with several entities. Flying J Truck Stop in McCammon is an Oasis rest area, providing facilities to the traveling public. Similarly, the Nez Perce Tribe owns a fuel station and convenience store in Winchester that serves as a public rest area. Other partnerships include a visitor center with Bonners Ferry, a rest area at Lost Trail Pass in conjunction with the Montana Department of Transportation, and the Lolo Pass Rest Area in partnership with the Montana DOT and U.S. Forest Service.

'FY16-19 Strategic Plan
The board will be asked to approve the FY16-19 Strategic Plan. Idaho Code requires state agencies to submit a Strategic Plan covering a minimum of four years to the Division of Financial Management by July 1.

The document is to include the Department’s vision and/or mission statement, goals, objectives, performance measures and benchmarks and external factors.

Two key external factors were identified. The first is the uncertain future. A number of things, such as revenue challenges, rapidly-changing technology, and new federal legislation and policies have an influence on transportation. This can change how the department manages its transportation systems by emphasizing the maximizing of available resources.

The second issue is the state’s growing population and economy with an unstable revenue structure. The department is very appreciative of the additional revenue the legislature approved this past session – it is a good first step. However, funding is not keeping pace with growing needs. ITD must stay responsive to shifting customer needs and requirements regardless of these factors.

 

 

 

 


Published 06-12-15