Idaho submits Alternative Fuels Corridor application to USDOT

The nation’s recent transportation act, the FAST Act, requires the USDOT secretary to designate national alternative fuels option -- electric-vehicle charging, hydrogen, propane, and natural-gas fueling corridors. The Federal Highway Administration issued notice to invite nominations from state and local officials to assist in making such designations. Idaho submitted a 19-page proposal based on nine routes in the state that held the promise as future alternative fuels corridors.

The Idaho application was spearheaded by Freight Program Manager Jeff Marker and Federal Programs guru Matt Moore. ITD pulled together various stakeholders (public and private sector representatives) to review and choose routes in the state. These routes were chosen based on connectivity within the state and to bordering states (for instance, four of Idaho’s routes are a continuation of routes selected by neighboring states Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Utah).

In addition, selections were made in accordance with the Federal Register’s stated goal to “connect communities, cities and regions to develop a national network of alternative fuel facilities.” An additional consideration, particularly for electric-vehicle charging stations, was to select corridors that served the communities that best supported the concept and where those alternative fuels were already being used. This initial corridor proposal is not meant to mandate or limit what is largely a market-driven process, but rather to incorporate those realities into our decisions. Market-driven decisions will ultimately influence design, use, types and locations. This backbone network is designed to create a viable north-south-east-west framework to allow for an effective national network of alternative fuel corridors and through Idaho. 

ITD also anticipates an opportunity to add to these initial corridor selections in the future, so some routes not selected in the initial discussion are candidates for inclusion as the state continues to develop and become more populated.

ITD, on behalf of stakeholders, came up with nine routes, representing electric vehicle and/or natural-gas corridor selections:

Electric Vehicle Corridors
•   All Idaho interstates
•   U.S. 95 (entire length within Idaho)
•   U.S. 93 (Nevada border to Montana Border)
•   SH 75 (Shoshone to Challis)
•   SH 55 (Boise to U. S. 95 at New Meadows)
 
Natural Gas Corridors
 •   All Idaho interstates

 

 

 


Published 09-16-16