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10-19-7
Transportation
Board
Draft
of proposed access plan to be presented
The
transportation department plans to introduce legislation
during the 2008 session that will govern access to
state highways resulting from the state’s continued
rapid growth in residential and commercial developments.
Staff members will outline plans for the department’s
proposed Transportation Access Plan (TAP) when the
board convenes next week in Boise for its monthly
business meeting. It is planned for Wednesday and
Thursday at the Headquarters in Boise.
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Environment
ITD,
partners receive one of AASHTO's highest awards
ITD
and a coalition of public and private partners dedicated
to saving the Yellowstone cutthroat trout population
recently earned one of the highest awards given by
the American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials (AASHTO). The Henrys Lake Fish Passages
Project Team received an AASHTO President’s
Transportation Award for Environment during the organization’s
2007 annual meeting held in Milwaukee, Wis., last
month.
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Highways
Ceremony
officially opens new four-lane segment of U.S. 95
With
two bolts, a couple of nuts and several twists of a
wrench, construction on a 16-mile stretch of U.S. Highway
95 between the top of the Lewiston Hill north to Thorn
Creek Road ceremoniously ended Thursday. Bruce Sweeney,
vice chairman of the Idaho Transportation Board, and
Jim Carpenter, district engineer for the Idaho Transportation
Department at Lewiston, did the honors by erecting the
last sign, mile marker 320, on the $55 million project.
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Research
Pavement
management tops list of 11 funded projects
ITD’s
14-member Research Advisory Council identified 11 proposals
for funding, including three pooled fund projects, and
is looking for alternatives to conducting four other
projects, said Research Program Manager Ned Parrish.
Council members, representing a cross-section of ITD
disciplines, met in September and chose a six-month
pavement management system evaluation as the department’s
highest priority.
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Council
looks for projects that improve transportation, efficiency
Members
of the ITD Research Advisory Council met Sept. 26 to
discuss research proposals and priorities, narrowing
an initial proposal list of 29 projects to 11 for funding
and committing to fine alternative resources to conduct
four other project.
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Funded
projects
District
4
Employees
await start of new facility
This
time it is not a drill. The reality of a new District
4 Headquarters building is closer now than ever before
with actual building plans being circulated in Shoshone.
While the plans provided to the district are far from
a final draft, the reality of a new building shows commitment
by the state to likely proceed with construction this
time.
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Road
warriors brush up on winter techniques
The
first snow of the season has already landed across the
top of District 4’s highest peaks, signaling the
beginning of the snow season. The Winter Start-up meeting
on Sept. 12 at the District 4 Headquarters highlighted
a few of the safety issues, new policies and chemical
applications to be utilized this year. Drivers were
encouraged to enact “no boundaries” between
assigned road sections when other drivers need
assistance.
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District
4 Newsletter: Interchange
Technology
Beware of awakening 'Dancing Bunnies'
Forrest
Anderson, ITD Cyber Security Officer
Not so long ago in a company not so far away, Bubba
was busy at work. While Bubba was busy working his computer
suddenly flashed and said “Ding, you’ve
got mail.” This really was not too surprising,
because it always does that whenever Bubba gets an e-mail
message. The
subject line of this particular message was “See
the Dancing Bunnies.”
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Safety
Caution
needed in battle against infections
National
news reports the past week have drawn attention to a
growing medical crisis – the rampant spread of
staph infection that might be killing more than 19,000
victims per year in the U.S. Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant
bacteria are far more widespread than scientists previously
thought, according to a study published this week.
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ITD
Mailbox
•
Customer service made lasting impression
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Environment
ITD begins efforts to curb greenhouse gases
Idaho
Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter issued an executive
order this spring directing state agencies to assess
energy consumption and identify measures that can
reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). He charged
the Department of Environmental Quality to coordinate
efforts by all state agencies.ITD has produced a preliminary
report on its facilities and transportation fleet
but wants to learn about the commuting patterns and
work schedules of employees.
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Technology
New
Chief Technology Officer brings global perspective
Jon
Pope, a three-year veteran of the Idaho Department of
Lands, will embark on a new, yet similar, position Oct.
22 when he assumes responsibilities for managing ITD’s
information technology program. He was chosen from a
pool of outstanding candidates to become the department’s
Chief Technology Officer. Dave Tolman, administrator
of the Division of Administration, announced the selection
last week.
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Making
(web) sense of cyber security
Second
of two parts:
The transportation department provides employees with
high speed internet access as a business tool to be
used primarily for business related purposes. Access
to the Internet places a variety of content at the
fingertips of ITD employees. This content provides
employees many potential benefits and opportunities
for increased efficiency, collaboration, research,
communication, personal and professional development.
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Safety
Idaho
Safe Routes program scores high in report
The new federal Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program
has been quickly embraced by most state departments
of transportation, according to a report released by
the national Safe Routes to School Partnership. Safe
Routes to School is a national program that creates
safe, convenient and fun opportunities for children
to bicycle and walk to and from their schools.
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Aeronautics
Effort
launched to register pilots, aircraft
Mark
Lessor attached the first poster on a hangar door in
northern Idaho Thursday, inviting pilots to become part
of an elite group – registered airmen. Actually,
it’s more than an invitation. The campaign is
intended to inform pilots and aircraft owners of an
Idaho law that requires them to register with the Division
of Aeronautics in much the same way drivers must obtain
an operator’s license and register their vehicle.
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