8/16/2013

Aviation technology
Idaho competing to take lead in unmanned aircraft
Idaho Department of Commerce: Known for its agriculture and diverse landscapes, Idaho’s natural attributes and technical expertise position the state for leadership in the dynamic Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) industry.
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Aviation technology
ITD joins effort to land unmanned aircraft industry
Idaho is ideally positioned to become a national test center for the burgeoning unmanned aircraft industry – a message state officials delivered this week at an exposition in Washington, D.C. ITD’s Aeronautics Administrator Mike Pape joined a delegation from Idaho to at the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International's (AUVSI) exhibition this week in Washington, D.C.
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Wildfires
Fires blacken central Idaho, turn skies to smoky haze
Wildfires shrouded much of south-central Idaho in a blanket of smoke this week as crews battle nine blazes, the largest two of which could become one. Most of the region north of U.S. 20, between Idaho 55 and the Sun Valley area, was under a red flag warning Wednesday.
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Wildfires
Rapidly spreading fire prompts disaster declaration
Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter issued a state disaster declaration this week in support of the firefighting efforts in Elmore County and other areas impacted by significant fire activity. Idaho’s Emergency Operations Center, located at the Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security (BHS), Gowen Field, has been activated to coordinate state of Idaho support to the affected fire areas.
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Safe school travel
Return to school requires renewed safety emphasis
School playgrounds, halls and buses – most of which have been dormant the past three months – will return to life in the next few weeks as children migrate back to class. That means more children walking and riding bicycles to school, boarding school buses and riding in private vehicles. ITD wants to ensure those trips to and from school are as safe and incident-free as possible.
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Safe school travel
School zones require lower speeds, more driver awareness
Flashing yellow lights and fluorescent signs clearly identify most school zones and pedestrian/bicycle crossings in Idaho. Drivers who fail to slow down to school zone speeds (generally posted at 20 mph or slower when children likely will be present) pay enhanced fines as a result of legislation passed in 2008.
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Safe school travel
Drivers need to use increased vigilance in school zones
Streets and neighborhoods become more crowded when school resumes every fall. Routes that might be free of pedestrians and bicycle riders in the summer can become congested. Travel times increase along with the potential for vehicle crashes with school-age children. Motorists need to increase their vigilance, especially around schools and along crowed routes.
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Safe school travel
Children, drivers should follow bus safety procedures
Few things are as exciting – and at the same time intimidating – as a young child’s first ride on a school bus. Those buses and the professional drivers represent one of the safest forms of transportation for school children. Keeping those rides safe depends on following some basic rules and practices.
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Safe school travel
Children who ride bikes to school need to pay attention
Children face considerably more challenges – and threats – than their parents and grandparents who rode their bicycles to school when they were young. Cars travel faster. Drivers have more distractions. And many neighborhoods still aren’t adequately designed for safe bicycling.
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Safe school travel
Parents should prepare children before walks to school
Walking to school can be invigorating before school and help children unwind after spending a day in the classroom, but it also brings inherent risks. Programs like Safe Routes to School help schools, cities and counties ensure routes are as safe as possible.
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Safe school travel
Ensure vehicle is road worthy before handing over keys
Families spend more than $600 on back-to-school supplies every year, but how much do they spend to ensure their teenager is traveling safely to and from school? A new school year is an exciting time for teens. It means new clothes, new school supplies, a new schedule of classes. It’s a great new start! But it cannot happen if students don’t arrive at school.
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Highways
Diamond in the rough
Construction continues to transform the front yard of Pocatello and Chubbuck, where U.S. 91 and Interstate 86 meet. The new diverging diamond interchange -- the first to be built in Idaho -- replaces the existing bridge and will increase capacity and safety.
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Outstanding Customer Service
Encore (8-9-13): Sand Creek Byway honored for early completion
Already well honored and publicly decorated, the Sand Creek Byway construction project in Sandpoint earned a regional America’s Transportation Award this week and may qualify for consideration on the national level in October. The largest single highway construction in Idaho history received the award for a medium-sized project that was completed ahead of schedule.
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Accolades
Encore (8-9-13): ITD projects earn two national FHWA awards
ITD’s innovative program to track winter storm maintenance performances and the completion of a highway safety corridor project captured awards from the Federal Highway Administration this summer.
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Accolades
Encore (8-9-13): 2013 National Roadway Safety Award
The winter performance measure system that began in District 5 and has become a state standard for winter storm responses received the 2013 National Roadway Safety Award. ITD budgets approximately $30 million annually for winter maintenance, snowplow operations and operator salaries.
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Accolades
Encore (8-9-13): Highway Safety Corridor Analysis Project
A project to improve cost effectiveness and safety earned a FHWA award for highway safety corridor analysis. Improving the safety of the state transportation system is one of ITD’s highest priorities. Toward that end, ITD launched an innovative, data-driven program for safety analysis.
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Public involvement
Encore (8-9-13): Comments solicited on 129,000-pound truck rules
The public is invited to comment on administrative rules that will govern the addition of highway routes for semi trucks and trailers that weigh up to 129,000 pounds. ITD will conduct meetings throughout the state to gather public input. The rules are necessary to implement three bills approved by the 2013 Legislature.
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Outstanding Customer Service
Encore (8-9-13): Partnership drives improvements on U.S. 95
A unique partnership will accelerate safety improvements this fall on U.S. 95 at Anderson Corner, located at the Canyon/Payette county line. Improvements at the intersection also will enhance traffic flow.
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