Budget, ITIP planning, funds for
airports and bridges will
highlight June 17 board meeting

Budget request workshop, Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP) planning, financial assistance for Idaho airports, and funding for bridge repair will highlight the June 17 Idaho Transportation Board Meeting. Here's the agenda:

Workshop
The board will start its session with a workshop on the draft budget and ITIP.

Due to the uncertain economic conditions, the budget request has been kept to the base amount where possible. The draft FY22 budget includes 1,648 full-time positions. The total program funding is $734.1 million, which is $116.5 million less than the FY21 appropriation. The equipment replacement items are $1.5 million less than in FY21, and there are nine fewer line items.

The multimodal ITIP lists the upcoming projects to be funded and the year they are scheduled. The average annual funding level from FY21 to FY24 in the draft ITIP is $602.2 million, with 82% of the funds dedicated to highways, 9% to public transit, 6% to aeronautics, and 3% to GARVEE. In the Highways Program, the most money is being directed to pavements, followed by safety and capacity, bridges, and other programs, including local public agencies and planning.

Draft ITIP
During the business meeting immediately following the workshop, the board will be asked for approval to conduct a 30-day public review comment period on the draft ITIP. An extensive public-outreach campaign is planned, including ads in local papers, news releases, promoting the draft plan on social media, and contacting stakeholders.

The final updated ITIP will be presented to the board in September for approval.

FY21 Idaho Airport Aid Program (IAAP)
The IAAP provides state funding to public airports annually, with the amount dependent upon revenues, the level of federal funding available, and the demonstrated needs of Idaho’s airports. This year, the program will fund three types of projects: community airport construction, community airport planning, and any rollover or remaining emergency funds.

The Aeronautics Advisory Board reviewed the potential projects and selected which ones to recommend for funding. This list will be presented to the board for action. Some of the recommended projects include pavement maintenance projects at Emmett, Craigmont, Hazelton, and Soda Springs; planning projects at Cottonwood, Fairfield, Midvale, and Oneida County; land acquisition at Rigby; and a complete airport reconstruction at Glenns Ferry. The recommended FY21 IAAP totals $965,764; however, final grant amounts may change due to a revised match rate, actual bids received, or minor scope changes prior to construction.

General Funds Apportionment for State Highway System Bridges
Earlier, Idaho received an additional $8.45 million in federal funds specifically for bridge replacement and rehabilitation. In February, the board decided to split those funds evenly with local public agencies.

Staff will report which projects will be funded on the state highway system. District 1 has two structures on I-90: Golconda Access Road Interchange and Over No Tracks Bridge, both in Shoshone County. Three projects are being funded in District 5: US-26, Snake River Bridge Repair in Blackfoot; and US-89 Bear River Bridge and US-89 Bear Lake Outlet Canal Bridge in Bear Lake County. The SH-33 S, US-20 Intersection in Madison County, District 6, is also being improved.

 

Published 06-12-20