Untitled Document

ITD board to tour D3 projects, discuss appropriation request, review ITIP
and talk truck rules

The Idaho Transportation Board returns to the Treasure Valley for its monthly meeting June 15-16. On Wednesday, June 15, the board will tour District 3 where plans include meeting with the mayors of Middleton and Nampa, and visiting the Broadway Bridge construction project and the new Esther Simplot Whitewater Park, still being developed, in Boise.

Draft FY18 appropriation request
During the business meeting at the District 3 office on Thursday, June 16, staff will present the proposed FY18 appropriation request. Staff will continue to refine the request and present it to the board for approval in August before submitting it to the Division of Financial Management by Sept. 1.

Some of the budget highlights include 1,678 full-time positions, a one-percent change in employee compensation and $22.8 million for equipment. The total budget request is $686.7 million. The majority of funds would be spent on construction, $358.2 million, followed by personnel and operating at $130.5 million and $87 million, respectively.

FY17-21 draft Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP)
The draft FY17-21 ITIP will be presented to the board. The program is multimodal, including highway construction projects, planning, public transportation, alternative transportation such as bicycle and pedestrian projects, and aeronautics.

The five-year program totals $2.9 billion, with an average of $584.3 million annually. The majority of funds, $2.2 billion, is for highway projects.

Upon board concurrence, a 30-day public comment period will be held on the draft program. Public involvement and input from stakeholders and interested citizens is a valuable part of the process and gives the board a better understanding of Idaho’s various transportation needs.

Proposed truck permitting negotiated rules
The department initiated negotiated rulemaking for permitted vehicles in April. This was encouraged by the Governor due to concerns expressed during the 2016 legislative session when the bill to allow 129,000-pound trucks on the interstate system was being considered.

Approximately 40 comments were received during the public-comment period and at the public hearing. Those comments were categorized, resulting in 17 groups. Some of those categories included safety inspections and enforcement, driver qualifications, road characteristics, 129,000 pound regional harmonization, support for existing rules and regulations, enforcement and penalties, reasonable access, data collection, funding and local authority.

At a special board meeting on June 8, staff provided an overview of the comments received, a potential modification if one was provided, an analysis on the issue or relevant information, and a recommendation, if appropriate.

The board consented to pursue the following:

Safety inspections and enforcement – owner inspections: revise the Administrative Rule Governing Safety Requirements of Overlegal Permits to state the proper inspection requirements for all vehicles that are operating under the authority of an overlegal permit, with the agricultural exemption remaining in place;
Equipment/overlegal loads: add language to the rules that address brakes stating that brakes are to be maintained to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards according to the standards that were in effect at the time the commercial motor vehicle was manufactured;
Driver qualification: implement a training program, which would be the responsibility of Idaho State Police;
129,000 pound truck regional harmonization: amend administrative rules to increase regional harmonization of 129,000 pound truck permitting; and
Allowable vehicle size: because the legal length limits for overhang are defined in Idaho Code Section, this language can be removed from the administrative rule.

The draft rule changes will be presented to the board for further consideration.