ITD News Releases

Eastbound I-84 ramps at Vista will be flagged Wednesday and Thursday nights (June 1-2)

Tue, 31 May 2011 14:36:09 GMT

May 31, 2011

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Eastbound I-84 ramps at Vista will be flagged Wednesday and Thursday nights (June 1-2)

BOISE - Weather permitting, flaggers will direct traffic overnight at the Vista Interchange eastbound off-ramp Wednesday night (June 1) and the eastbound on-ramp Thursday night (June 2) between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. The Idaho Transportation Department is shifting traffic to temporary ramps during paving on I-84.

Traffic can expect up to a 10-minute delay during the flagging operation.

The temporary ramps will make room for construction crews to pave the new eastbound lanes on I-84. All work is weather dependent.

Motorists can still expect intermittent overnight lane restrictions on I-84 during the month of June. Restrictions will be from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

ITD is adding four new lanes to I-84 and rebuilding the four existing lanes. When the project is complete in summer 2011, I-84 will be eight lanes wide from the Broadway on-ramps to Meridian.

Questions? Visit us online at itd.idaho.gov, follow ITD on Twitter (IdahoITD) or Facebook and check travel conditions at 511.idaho.gov or dial 5-1-1. Please slow down in highway construction zones and pay attention. Safety for drivers and workers is our highest priority.

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Federal highway agency approves Idaho 16 extension

Tue, 31 May 2011 16:52:53 GMT

May 31, 2011

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Federal highway agency approves Idaho 16 extension

BOISE - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved a new highway extension that will eventually connect Idaho 16 to Interstate 84, the Idaho Transportation Department announced.

FHWA issued the formal environmental approval document, known as a Record of Decision, on the project. That decision authorizes the transportation department to proceed with design, land acquisition and construction as funding becomes available.

The Record of Decision confirms the selected alternative best meets the purpose for a new highway that connects Idaho 16 to Interstate 84. The project will involve building a new bridge over the Boise River, south of Idaho 44. To view a map of the extension, please visit: http://www.itd.idaho.gov/Projects/garvee/D3/Idaho16Materials/Selected%20Alternative.pdf

As western Ada County and eastern Canyon County develop, the ability to move north- and south-bound traffic is a primary concern. The new extension will provide a vital north-south link in the Treasure Valley.

The project features include:

- Four lanes - two in each direction.

- Interchanges at I-84, Franklin Road, Ustick Road, U.S. 20-26 and Idaho 44.

- Bridges over Union Pacific Railroad tracks, an existing creek, canals and the Boise River.

- Improvements to existing local roads and construction of new local roads to maintain access.

The project will be built in phases. The initial phase will be the 2.7-mile section between U.S. 20-26 and Idaho 44, including a bridge over the Boise River. Construction will begin in early 2012. The initial construction includes signalized intersections at U.S. 20-26 and Idaho 44. Full interchanges with on- and off-ramps at U.S. 20-26 and Idaho 44 will be part of a later construction phase. Funding for the interchanges and the remainder of the project are not programmed yet.

The environmental planning for the Idaho 16 project began in late 2007. The recent Record of Decision marks the completion of the process in approximately half the time that similar projects take nationally.

Additional project information is available at www.itd.idaho.gov. Select "Projects," then "Southwest Idaho," then "Idaho 16, I-84 to Idaho 44 Environmental Study."

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Panhandle area driver's license offices prepare for new design and issue system; half-day closures scheduled

Tue, 31 May 2011 10:11:15 GMT

May 31, 2011

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Panhandle area driver's license offices prepare for new design and issue system; half-day closures scheduled

BOISE - Idaho driver's licenses and identification (ID) cards will have a new look, state-of-the-art security features, and a new way of being issued beginning this summer.

To prepare for the transition, county licensing offices in the Idaho panhandle area will close for half-day increments during mid- and late June for staff training, equipment upgrades and installation. The closure schedule will be:

CLOSURE DATE	COUNTY OFFICE	CLOSURE DATE	COUNTY OFFICE
Wednesday, June 15	Latah Driver's License Moscow	Tuesday, June 21	Lewis Driver's License Nezperce
Thursday, June 16	Nez Perce Driver's License Lewiston	Wednesday, June 22	Idaho Driver's License Grangeville
Monday, June 20	Clearwater Driver's License Orofino

Schedules are subject to change. Some offices are also in the process of remodeling, and may be closed on additional dates. Customers are advised to check with individual county offices to confirm daily schedules.

Similar equipment upgrades are happening at all of Idaho's 53 county driver licensing locations between May and July.

The updated system will help protect drivers and ID card holders from identity theft and fraud by incorporating security features that are nearly impossible to counterfeit. The switch also means cards will be issued from a central secure location instead of over-the-counter.

With this new central issuance process, applicants leave the county office with a temporary paper document, valid for 30 days. The new plastic license or ID card is produced at the central production facility and mailed to the customer within about 10 business days. Because it is mailed, it will be critical for applicants to provide a correct address.

The temporary card is issued for driving and identity purposes until the new plastic card arrives in the mail. It includes a photo, the same information that appears on the plastic card (name, address, date of birth, height, weight, etc.), and a machine-readable bar code containing that information.

Current Idaho licenses or ID cards remain valid through their expiration date; however, individuals can opt to renew a license or ID card within one year of the expiration date.

There's no additional cost to the consumer. License and ID card fees remain the same: $30 for as four-year license and $55 for an eight-year license (if it's within a year of expiration); $15 for duplicate licenses; $10 or $20 for ID cards. Individuals with valid licenses or ID cards that are not within the one-year renewal window have the option of surrendering the card and applying for a duplicate card.

All other license and ID card application processes will remain basically unchanged. Fees for all drivers licenses and ID cards will also remain the same.

"The central issuance system is an established process that has proven successful and secure," says Alan Frew, DMV Division Administrator. "This is proven technology shown to improve the security of the license, the data behind it, and the security of local DMV offices."

Neighboring states including Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington are among those that issue driver license and identification cards from a central location.

The new cards incorporate numerous security features, including micro-printing, ghost images and a laser-perforated pattern that reveals the shape of Idaho when held to the light. Not all security features are evident, and the enhanced security features make it obvious when a card has been tampered with.

More information is available at http://itd.idaho.gov/dmv/centralissuance.htm. Or, contact ITD's Driver Services at (208) 334-8000 or driverlicense@itd.idaho.gov.

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REMINDER: Eastern Idaho driver's license offices prepare for new system; half-day closures scheduled starting June 6

Tue, 31 May 2011 10:12:50 GMT

May 31, 2011

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

REMINDER: Eastern Idaho driver's license offices prepare for new system; half-day closures scheduled starting June 6

BOISE - Idaho driver's licenses and identification (ID) cards will have a new look, state-of-the-art security features, and a new way of being issued beginning this summer.

To prepare for the transition, county licensing offices in eastern Idaho will close for half-day increments during early and mid-June for staff training, equipment upgrades and installation. The closure schedule will be:

CLOSURE DATE	COUNTY OFFICE	CLOSURE DATE	COUNTY OFFICE
Monday, June 6	Bonneville Driver's License Idaho Falls	Monday, June 13	Lemhi Driver's License Salmon
Tuesday, June 7	Jefferson Driver's License Rigby	Tuesday, June 14	Custer Driver's License Challis
Wednesday, June 8	Madison Driver's License Rexburg	Wednesday, June 15	Butte Driver's License Arco
Thursday, June 9	Fremont Driver's License St. Anthony	Thursday, June 16	Teton Driver's License Driggs
Friday, June 10	Jefferson Driver's License Mud Lake	Friday, June 17	Clark Driver's License Dubois

Similar equipment upgrades are happening at all of Idaho's 53 county driver licensing locations between May and July.

Current Idaho licenses or ID cards remain valid through their expiration date; however, individuals can opt to renew a license or ID card within one year of the expiration date.

All other license and ID card application processes will remain basically unchanged. Fees for all drivers licenses and ID cards will also remain the same.

Neighboring states including Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington are among those that issue driver license and identification cards from a central location.

More information is available at http://itd.idaho.gov/dmv/centralissuance.htm. Or, contact ITD's Driver Services at (208) 334-8000 or driverlicense@itd.idaho.gov.

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REMINDER: ITD will host online meetings, open house for Eagle Road improvements

Tue, 31 May 2011 16:24:23 GMT

May 31, 2011

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

REMINDER: ITD will host online meetings, open house for Eagle Road improvements

BOISE - The Idaho Transportation Department will provide several opportunities in the next few weeks for commuters, residents and business owners to review planned improvements to Eagle Road between Franklin Road and Idaho 44.

ITD will hold a public open house on Thursday (June 2), from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Boise First Community Center (3852 N. Eagle Road in Boise).

An online public meeting will begin Friday (June 3), at www.itd.idaho.gov and continue for two weeks. Participants can view displays and listen to a presentation from project manager Wade Christiansen.

Christiansen will host four live question-and-answer sessions on the website during the two-week period. The sessions will begin at 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday, June 6, and Tuesday, June 7. To register for a session, please visit http://www.itd.idaho.gov/Projects/D3/eagle-road-improvement/.

The proposed Eagle Road improvements include repaving the roadway, building raised medians and repairing pedestrian ramps that do not meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards. Public comments will help the department finalize the plans and minimize construction inconveniences for businesses and motorists.

The most visible of the improvements will be the continuous raised medians between intersections. The medians will replace the center left-turn lane, a common location for accidents on Eagle Road.

In 2010, the state recorded 276 reportable crashes on the stretch of Eagle Road. A number of those could be attributed to drivers using the center lane for left turns, Christiansen said. The medians are designed to reduce crashes, increase safety and improve traffic operations along the corridor.

Christiansen cited a Federal Highway Administration study and federal guidelines, which show that replacing a two-way left-turn lane with a continuous median reduces the average crash rate between 23 and 37 percent. It reduces the injury rate by about 48 percent.

The $9.2 million improvements are part of the Eagle Road Improvement Project, a multi-year effort to improve the route.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2012.

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