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Impaired-driving PSA, performance highlights, D1 road improvements, and former board member recognitions
highlight August board meeting

Lakeland High School’s impaired-driving PSA, department’s FY19 performance highlights, appreciation for improvements made and a request for specific upgrades, and recognition of the contributions of outgoing members Jerry Whitehead and Jim Coleman highlighted the August 21-22 meeting of the Idaho Transportation Board in District 1.

District 1 Tour
As part of the District 1 tour on August 21, the board visited the St. Maries maintenance shed, where employees gave presentations on projects and innovations. Some of the topics were the logging partnership to remove trees along Interstate 90, 5S, and the undercarriage washer.

After touring the PotlatchDeltic saw mill, the board met with stakeholders to discuss transportation issues. They emphasized the importance of a good transportation system. The mill has over 400 employees. About 37,000 trucks delivered logs and almost 3,000 trucks and close to 2,000 railroad cars hauled finished products from the mill this past year.

Delegations
At its business meeting in Coeur d’Alene on August 22, the board heard from a number of local delegations. The vast majority expressed appreciation to the board for its partnership, and for the improvements made to the transportation system in northern Idaho.

Some officials requested specific projects, like widening ID-200, improving safety for pedestrians crossing ID-41 in Oldtown, installing lighting on the recently constructed bridges in St. Maries, and improving the US-95 and ID-5 intersection in Plummer.

Performance Measurement Report
Every year the department must submit a Performance Measurement Report to the Division of Financial Management. The document is to provide an agency overview, core functions of the department, revenues and expenditures, cases managed and key services provided, and requirements for the Licensing Freedom Act and Red Tape Reduction Act.

Some of the information contained in the report follows. In fiscal year 2019, 88 highway construction contracts were awarded in the amount of $485.1 million and 45,819 vendor payments were processed. The 511 traveler assist system received almost 4.5 million web site visits and 1.3 million smartphone app sessions. In calendar 2018, there were more than 1.8 million vehicles registered and 1.25 million drivers’ licenses in force.

Highway Safety Presentations
Coeur d’Alene’s Lakeland High School was recognized for its efforts to discourage impaired driving. The drama department made a public service announcement (PSA) on impaired driving. The PSA was nominated for a Pacific Northwest Emmy. It features local law enforcement officers and members of the Leeder family. Jacob Leeder, the son of Sergeant Tim Leeder of the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, was killed when the vehicle he was riding in was hit by a drunk driver.

One of ITD’s partners, Coeur d’Alene Police Officer and Law Enforcement Officer Nick Knoll, was recognized for his commendable efforts to address highway safety. He reported on the North Idaho Driving Under the Influence Task Force. The Task Force increases patrols at targeted events throughout the year, such as the tractor races in June, the fair in August, Scarywood in October, and during holidays. The intent is to prevent impaired driving, so outreach activities, such as manning booths at fairs to raise awareness about highway safety are an important component.

Recognition of Whitehead, Coleman
The board held an open house in the District 1 office on August 20 to thank former member and chairman Jerry Whitehead for his service, from 2009 to 2019, and member Jim Coleman, who represented District 1 from 2007 to 2019.

Earlier this year, the Governor appointed Bill Moad from Caldwell and Jim Thompson from Sandpoint to replace these gentlemen.