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Transportation board to tour intermodal site, review aviation funding plan
at monthly meeting July 23 in Boise

The Idaho Transportation Board will tour Boise’s proposed intermodal transit site, review a request to advance a turnbay project in northern Idaho, and make determination on a funding plan for Idaho aviation during their monthly meeting July 23 in Boise.

District 3 Tour
The board will visit District 3 on July 23.

Since the board is meeting the day after ITD hosts the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ annual conference in Boise from July 19-22, the board will have a short tour and meeting in District 3.

For the tour, the board will visit the new intermodal transit facility under construction in downtown Boise. It will then travel to the District 3 Office to conduct its business meeting.

Idaho 53 Turnbays
The board will be asked to advance a turnbay project in northern Idaho (District 1).

The Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization has been designing an interchange at Idaho 53 and North Pleasantview Road. High-priority funding was made available for this project through “Bridging the Valley,” which was a big undertaking to review and address the numerous rail/highway crossings in the region.

The design and right-of-way have been completed. Although there are inadequate funds to construct an interchange, funding is available to build an interim turnbay. ITD’s partners, including Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization (KMPO), the Post Falls Highway District, and Idaho State Police, request the project be advanced to FY15 from FY19. Local entities are funding the project to accelerate the much-needed infrastructure improvement.

Idaho Airport Aid Program
The board also will be asked to approve the FY16 Idaho Airport Aid Program.

This program provides state funding to public airports. Funding is dependent upon Aeronautics' revenues, the level of federal funding available and the demonstrated needs of Idaho airports. This year, base funding is $550,000.

The proposal includes projects at 18 general-aviation facilities and four projects at community airports. Some of the projects in the program include rehabilitating the apron and lighting improvements at Caldwell; reconstructing the runway at Grangeville; extending the runway at Payette; and rehabilitating runways at Hazelton, Murphy, and Soda Springs.

Rule Revisions
A number of rule revisions are also on the board’s agenda. The majority relate to commercial vehicles, such as oversize permits for no-reducible loads and annual overlegal permits.

Revisions to the rule regarding Vehicle Dealer’s Principle Place of Business went through the negotiated-rulemaking process, in which industry was involved and public comments on the proposed revisions were accepted. ITD also conducted a webinar on the rule change. This process netted 21 comments, with 15 in support of the change, 4 opposed, and 2 neutral.

Previously, dealers were required to declare in writing to ITD at least four business hours per week that they are open, part of which must be during normal business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, when customers or department employees could contact the dealer.

The new rule is more flexible, and states that dealers are to declare in writing the regular hours that their dealerships are open and when they are available to be contacted.