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Transportation board tour of districts
begins with District 2 meeting in Grangeville March 23-24

An update on cleanup in the aftermath of the massive Idaho 14 landslide, discussion of the Thorncreek to Moscow U.S. 95 alignment, and review of an incentive grant linked to the Thornton Interchange project will highlight the Idaho Transportation Board’s March 24 meeting in Grangeville, at the U.S. Forest Service Office building, 104 Airport Road. The meeting will begin a day earlier with a tour of area highways.

Board Tour
The board is starting its annual visits to each district in March this year. It normally starts touring the state in April.

On March 23, the board will tour District 2, focusing on Idaho County. The schedule includes viewing the landslide on Idaho 14 west of Elk City and touring the Blue North sawmill in Kamiah. The board also will travel Idaho 13, a portion of U.S. 12, and Idaho 162. The department has received requests to designate these three routes for vehicle combinations up to 129,000 pounds. The requests are pending before the Board Subcommittee on 129,000 Pound Truck Routes. The subcommittee is scheduled to meet after the tour to revisit the Idaho 13 request. The subcommittee intends to present its recommendation to the full board for consideration March 24.

Idaho 14, landslide repair
A massive landslide Feb. 18 deposited rocks, mud, and forest debris across Idaho 14 and into the South Fork of the Clearwater River. The slide, approximately 10 miles west of Elk City, closed the highway, isolating up to 300 residents.

Idaho County cleared snow from one of the Forest Service roads, usually closed in winter, in order to provide limited emergency access to Elk City. Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter signed a proclamation declaring a state of emergency Feb. 24. A few days later, the Federal Highway Administration provided ITD $500,000 in Quick Release funds for emergency repairs. The total estimate for the slide repair is just under $2 million.

A contract has been awarded and West Company Inc. is diligently working to stabilize the slide and remove an estimated 100,000 cubic yards of slide debris.

Staff will request board approval to add the "Idaho 14 Slide Repair near Elk Cit"y project to FY16 of the Emergency Relief Program.

U.S. 95, Thorncreek to Moscow alignment
The board will be asked to designate E-2 as the preferred alternative for the U.S. 95, Thorncreek Road to Moscow project.

The project will expand a 6.5-mile section of Idaho’s main north-south highway from two lanes to a four-lane divided highway just south of Moscow. Three alternatives will be presented for the board’s consideration. Upon selection of the alignment, District 2 staff will proceed with final design.

STIC Incentive Grant
Idaho received an FY16 State Transportation Innovation Councils (STIC) Incentive Grant. The STIC Incentive Program offers technical assistance and funds to support the costs of standardizing innovative practices.

State match will be added to the $97,888 STIC grant for a total project cost of $122,360. The project consists of hosting a two-day demonstration workshop on 3-D Modeling and Automated Machine Guidance. This demonstration is associated with the Thornton Interchange project, which is under construction on U.S. 20 in District 6.

Staff will be requesting board approval to add this FY16 STIC Incentive Grant project to the program.