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Wilderness airstrips, road and bridge projects, and alternatives to typical transportation highlight October meeting of Idaho Transportation Board

The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) was discussed by the Idaho Transportation Board in its October meeting in Boise, along with a summary of district infrastructure projects and management of wilderness airstrips.

Business Meeting
Staff provided an overview on the Transportation Alternatives Program, which focuses on non-motorized transportation. Both infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects are eligible for funding. Projects are sponsored by local entities and are required to provide a 7.34 percent match. From FY13 to date, $9.2 million has been obligated for TAP projects and $21.2 million is programmed in the FY17-21 Idaho Transportation Investment Program.

Because additional federal obligation authority was provided to the department last month, $1.4 million was directed to TAP for safety projects. The funds are targeted to local agencies to address problem areas with a history of fatalities and serious-injury accidents through infrastructure improvements.

FY16 Infrastructure Report
The end-of-the year statement for district infrastructure projects was provided to the board.

The districts delivered 164 infrastructure projects in FY16, totaling $332.4 million. Most of the projects were for pavement work, with 55 pavement preservation projects and 41 pavement restoration projects. There were 27 bridge preservation and restoration projects. Sixty-one projects were advanced into the FY16 Program, one new project was added, and 17 were delayed.

Management of Wilderness Airstrips
The 1980 Central Idaho Wilderness Act included language that the existing airstrips in the designated wilderness are to remain open unless the state concurs with closing them. Because the language is vague, various stakeholders have interpreted it differently, resulting in conflicts.

The U.S. Forest Service believes the airstrips are hazardous and should be used only for emergencies. Aviators believe the four airstrips in the wilderness area should be maintained and kept open for public use: labeling the facilities as emergency essentially closes the airstrips. Wilderness advocates believe airplanes landing at the airstrips are doing so illegally and that the Forest Service is allowing this illegal use.

The Division of Aeronautics reported that it has taken a neutral position on this issue and has been working with the various stakeholders to reach consensus. The airstrips in dispute are known as the “Big Creek Four” — Mile Hi, Simonds, Dewey Moore and Vines. Although the Division believes there are some safety concerns with the airstrips, such as short runways and no windsocks, it also believes they have benefits such as for firefighting and emergencies. It is optimistic an acceptable resolution can be found.