IDAHO NATIONAL
Idaho
Transportation |
Fish access to Henry’s Lake, which is internationally renowned for its Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout and other resident species, through the Targhee and Howard Creek tributaries has been limited by the geometry of culverts below Idaho 87. District 6 staff and partners such as the Henry’s Lake Foundation, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and U.S. Forest Service, funded a Fish Passage Assessment to identify possible engineering remedies to increase fish access to Henry’s Lake. The Idaho Transportation Board supported a recommendation to replace the existing culverts carrying Targhee and Howard creeks under Idaho 87, and in November 2004, approved funding for the project. When the board awarded the construction contract in July 2005, it asked for periodic updates because of the tight time-line and restrictions with the in-stream work. ITD staff will provide a summary of the project to the board next week (Wednesday, Jan. 18) indicating it was finished on time and within the established budget. The board will meet Tuesday and Wednesday, beginning at 8:30 both days, at the Headquarters auditorium in Boise. The fish passage program was a successful effort in partnership with various agencies and private entities. The project won an award from the American Council of Engineering Companies and will be showcased in the Road Builder’s clinic this spring. The project also will be profiled at the Idaho Society of Professional Engineers banquet to be held in Boise in March. Other board consideration FY06 Scenic Byway discretionary funding request The transportation board will be asked to approve the application for 10 Scenic Byway projects that have been reviewed and prioritized by the Scenic Byway Advisory Committee. Some of the projects include:
The total cost of the 10 projects is $920,608, with slightly more than $710,000 requested from federal funds. Property Management System The property management unit sold or traded 299 parcels of land – representing nearly 1,450 acres, for more than $13 million since 1996. Proceeds from the sale of the surplus property are deposited in the State Highway Account, increasing the cash balance available to meet the department’s needs and goals. Property is disposed of if it has the potential for a legal liability, to avoid keeping property off the tax rolls, to avoid holding property as a future fund resource and for maintenance issues such as weed and trash control. Reasons to retain property include preserving scenic beauty into the foreseeable future and when land is adjacent to an existing facility and traffic projections indicate an expansion of the facility will be necessary. Designation of ITD as recipient of Public Transportation
funds The Idaho Transportation Board will be informed via an executive order dated Dec.22, 2005, that Gov. Dirk Kempthorne will continue to designate ITD as recipient of the FTA funds. Published 1-13-06 |