5/24/2013

Highways
Construction takes a holiday break
Construction projects that could impact travel on state and federal highways during the Memorial Day weekend will be suspended for the convenience of motorists, ITD announced. The holiday break will begin today (Friday) and continue through Monday evening, except in special circumstances
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Being the best
Mineta Institute delegate impressed with ITD programs
A representative of the prestigious Mineta Transportation Institute visited ITD last week to learn how the department operates its emergency program and to explore program innovations that distinguish it from other transportation departments.
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Accolades
ITD earns 10 Idaho Press Club awards
ITD outreach efforts the past year earned 10 awards, including two first places, from the Idaho Press Club. News media and public relations professionals from throughout the state gathered in Boise Saturday (May 18) for the awards presentation.
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Rail plan
Public invited to comment on 20-year rail plan
A draft of the Idaho Rail Plan is available for public review and comment. The draft plan guides the development of Idaho’s freight and passenger rail system for the next 20 years. It was generated from 18 months of stakeholder involvement and input.
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Highways
Rock patrol removes vagrant boulder from Idaho 52
Spring thaws sometimes loosen rocks and debris from hillsides above the highways, depositing material in travel lanes. The latest victim in District 3 was Idaho 52. Maintenance crews last week needed to bring in a front-end loader to push a boulder back to the highway shoulder. Removal took about an hour.
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Employees
Walk to benefit special ops warriors, families
Allen Amundson, a transportation technician in District 2’s traffic services, put together a fundraising walk from Walla Walla, Wash., to Lewiston to benefit wounded soldiers and help their families in ties of need. The journey is affiliated with the Red Circle Foundation.
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Employees
Little horses invited to ITD brown-bag lunch series
Miniature horses may look like ponies but they are full-grown horses that stand a whopping three feet tall. Learn more about these amazing animals and how they are used to make a difference in the lives they touch June 5 at noon in the Darrell V Manning Boardroom and Auditorium at Headquarters
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Leadership
Encore (3-171-13): Director to discuss transportation policies, funding
ITD Director Brian Ness will describe how transportation decisions are made and implemented as part of “A Road Map to Transportation Policy,” organized by the Idaho Business Review.
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Outstanding Customer Service
Encore (3-171-13): ITD hosts quartet of conferences with precision
What began as a subcommittee meeting on information systems for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) morphed – or snowballed, says Jackie Lynskie – into a party of four, concurrent and overlapping conferences.
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Highway safety
Encore (3-171-13): Team discusses strategies at annual safety summit
Sharing ideas for eliminating motor-vehicle deaths on Idaho highways brought more than 220 law enforcement officers and highway safety professionals together as “One Team” for the 2013 Highway Safety Summit recently in Coeur d’Alene.
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Outstanding Customer Service
Encore (3-171-13): Walking a mile in an engineer's shoes
Ryan Landers, a sophomore at Cascade High School, worked with Human Resource Services (HRS) staff to schedule a day of professional observation in April. Michelle George and Cindy Fosella of HRS put him in touch with Nestor Fernandez, who in turn scheduled quality learning time with four ITD engineers.
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Accolades
Encore (3-171-13): CE News honors Brinkman as a 'Rising Star'
Civil Engineering News features ITD’s Jason Brinkman among the nation’s top “rising stars” of the engineering field in its current edition of the online magazine CE News. Bob Drake, editor of the magazine, announced Brinkman’s inclusion in the prestigious group in March.
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Employees
Encore (3-171-13): District 2 initiates annual roadeo series
A different breed of cowboys will strap on their boots, mount up and chew the dust as the annual roadeo competition resumes in Idaho this spring. Equipment operators and snowplow drivers from District 2 initiated the ITD Roadeo circuit that tests driving skills and equipment knowledge, Tuesday at Dworshak Dam near Orofino.
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Highway safety
Encore (3-171-13): D-3 flattening median, reducing roadside distractions
District 3’s maintenance crews will work this summer to improve safety along two critical highway corridors -- on Interstate 84 east of Boise and on Idaho 55 about three miles north of Donnelly.
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