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Idaho Transportation
Department

Office of Communications
P.O. Box 7129
Boise, ID 83707
208.334.8005
Fax: 208.334.8563
E-mail

November 7, 2008

– – – Centerline – – –

Employee survey, benchmarking important
to identify what works well or needs improvement

ITD colleagues,
I am pleased to tell you about the Organizational Benchmarking Survey we will be conducting in ITD. The purpose of this survey is to assist ITD in assuring that our work environment is as productive and satisfying as possible. You will soon be receiving information explaining how to access the ITD Organizational Benchmarking Survey.

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Transportation funding

Survey shows support for increasing funds
Idahoans recognize the value of roads and bridges to the economy and their safety, and support raising fees to improve them, a survey shows. Idaho Highway Users, Inc. surveyed 600 Idahoans in September. Idaho Highway Users is a statewide group that was formed in the 1930s to promote good highways and bridges. The group conducted a similar survey in 1999.
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Public Transportation to share information at conference
ITD’s Division of Public Transportation will participate in a regional conference on transportation funding, land use and politics Thursday at Boise State University. “Making Connections: A Conference on Transportation Funding, Land Use and Politics” will be begin at 8 a.m. in the Jordan Ballroom at BSU’s Student Union Building. 
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Push being made for infrastructure investment
This week, Building America’s Future (BAF), led by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor Ed Rendell and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, called on Congress to stimulate the economy by investing in ready-to-go infrastructure projects that, if funded, could immediately put Americans back to work. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader John Boehner, BAF’s Co-Chairs also expressed their strong support for reforms in infrastructure spending never before included in a stimulus package.
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Employee safety

Field employees challenged to find safety solutions
Cheryl Rost, Safety and Risk Management manager, recently provided an overview of the department’s escalating accident numbers and associated costs for ITD’s field employees during the annual “Toolbox” meetings. She challenged employees to develop specific actions or “crew plans” to reduce accidents and asked for the plans to be forwarded to the their respective district safety coordinators for review.
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Safety practices should be taken home, too
Many of us took the opportunity, with the changing of time from Daylight Saving to Standard time, to check home smoke detectors and replace batteries. That is an excellent practice twice a year, when we adjust our clocks. Smoke detectors should be inspected, cleaned of accumulated dust and equipped with a new battery at least annually or semi-annually.
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Aeronautics
Seminars offered to pilots next week
ITD's Division of Aeronautics is hosting three Safe Pilot Seminars featuring Dr. Michael Crognale and Mark Peterson. All of the presentations are open to the public.
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Emergency services
Opportunities abound for volunteers
Many people will take the opportunity to help others this month by donating food, their time or both to one of the shelters or the food bank. The holiday season is the time of year when such worthy things come to mind and people reach out and provide aid in their community. During a disaster is also a time when people want  to give back by donating goods or their time. Again, this is a very worthy desire, but...
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Employees
Treatment of ADHD improves life of teenagers
Teenagers who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their parents strongly believe that treating the disorder can lead to significant improvements in school and at home, an NMHA survey conducted last year shows. Both parents and teen credit the teens’ treatment with contributing to better grades in school, higher self-esteem, improved social relationships and enhanced participation in extracurricular activities.
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ITD Mailbox
• Excellent customer service
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Published previously

Sand Creek Byway
Flying dirt, historical lessons launch mammoth project
Forget the name Sand Creek Byway. The real name of the highway project should be "Perseverance," Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter told a crowd of more than 500 people gathered Thursday for the groundbreaking ceremony of the long-awaited project. The project spans more than 50 years, six decades and two centuries, but the community's perseverance has paid off with a project that will be an asset to the entire state, Otter said.
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Construction
Deck for Robinson Road overpass collapses
Injured workers released from hospital, investigation continues

The deck slab that employees of Graham Construction & Management Inc. were working on of just east of Nampa gave way at around 2:15 p.m. on Monday (Oct. 27), dropping approximately 30 feet to the ground. The incident damaged girders and sent 13 people to area hospitals with assorted non-life threatening injuries – primarily broken bones and lacerations.
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Environment
Former engineer's dream nearing fruition
When Orion Grunerud retired from ITD as state construction engineer about three decades ago, he didn’t exactly leave the beaten path. He started designing it. Following his retirement Grunerud and his wife Frances spent about a dozen years volunteering as camp hosts for the U.S. Forest Service’s Glacier View campground at Red fish Lake. He also spent a lot of time envisioning a handicap accessible trail that could encircle the lake, opening new vistas to people who would otherwise be unable to experience them.
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Public involvement
Corridor plans generate wealth of input
About 165 residents of Payette and Canyon counties have taken part in workshops in recent weeks to help identify needed improvements to U.S. 95 and Idaho 55. Several more workshops are planned in coming months for residents of the eight counties that rely on the vital north/south corridors. The studies will result in a corridor plan that identifies policies and projects important to the development of the major arterials over the next 20 years.
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Employees
Expert says cell phone use is safe -- with limitations
Hands-free devices that are becoming more prevalent as states restrict the use of cell phones while driving may prevent more than automobile accidents. They also could reduce the impact radio waves have on brain tissue. Recent studies and improvements in the cell phone industry have lessened the health risks, hands-free devices or the use of a speaker phone option are among the best precautions, according to Kai Elgethun, a state public health toxicologist with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
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HRD training schedule

  Nov. 18-20 Intermediate Communication
  Dec. 9-11 Introduction to Supervision
This schedule represents training classes available at Headquarters. For schedules at specific districts, please contact your EST or refer to the training calendar.