11/15/2013

Transportation board
Transportation board to review annual report
ITD’s annual report, a summary of the department’s activities and success the past year, will be presented to the Idaho Transportation Board when it meets Wednesday at Headquarters in Boise. Idaho Code requires the submission of an annual report by Dec. 1 or at any time the governor requests.
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Highway safety
Don’t spoil Thanksgiving by driving impaired
Thanksgiving is filled with choices. Ham or turkey? Sweet potatoes or yams? Pumpkin pie or pecan? Drinking or driving? Make the right choice to keep this Thanksgiving and the holiday season safe by not mixing alcohol consumption with driving
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Employees
Board to honor employees for longevity, retirements
The Idaho Transportation Board and ITD leaders will celebrate the professional achievements of Headquarters' employees at the semiannual Employee Service Awards presentation next week. Employees who reach employment milestones, from five years to 40 years and those who retired during the first six months of 2013, will be recognized during the Wednesday (Nov. 20) board meeting in Boise.
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Safe winter driving
Enhancement enables motorists to report on highways
What you see is what you get. ITD now offers an opportunity for others to get what you see. A new enhancement to the 511 Traveler Information system puts highway condition reporting in the hands of those who know the conditions best – drivers.
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Safe winter driving
Hazardous condition alerts to be more visible on 511 system
A new alert notification on ITD’s 511 Traveler Services system (511.idaho.gov) will be introduced this fall to let motorists know of potentially hazardous conditions. The new alerts are based on highway and weather data recorded at more than 100 Road Weather Information Stations (RWIS) located at strategic sites across Idaho.
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Safe winter driving
ITD's 511 evolving system remains one of best in nation
ITD’s 511 Traveler Services system replaced the Idaho road report in 2005, providing computer access to information that previously was voice recorded and made available through a toll-free telephone number. Technology has improved exponentially the past decade, along with consumers' appetites for immediate information.
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Safe winter driving
Best approach to winter driving: Be prepared
Many Idahoans will go "over the river and through the woods" for Thanksgiving reunions this month, and chances are good that winter driving conditions will be on the holiday menu at higher elevations. ITD encourages drivers to plan ahead, make sure their vehicle is properly checked, equipped for winter travel and exercise appropriate caution on the highways.
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Safe winter driving
Ten commandments for safe winter travel
As Idaho motorists take to the roads this winter, ITD reminds that a few extra precautions can make winter journeys safer. ITD's top 10 recommendations for safe winter travel are ...
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Safe winter driving
Make sure your vehicle is in good winter condition
The American Automobile Association (AAA) recommends that drivers check their vehicles to ensure equipment is in good winter operating condition. If in doubt, replace parts or equipment. Consult a repair technician for complicated inspections.
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Safe winter driving
Stay safe when driving near snowplows
As winter weather approaches, ITD reminds motorists to use caution when traveling the state's highways during inclement weather and to cooperate with maintenance workers clearing the highways. When driving near snowplows, keep a few safety tips in mind:
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Safe winter driving
Operating a vehicle safely in winter conditions
It may seem obvious, but operating a vehicle in winter conditions is vastly different than in normal, dry conditions. Stopping distances are greater, handling is more difficult and driving requires your undivided attention. You can't be too cautious.
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Safe winter driving
Emergency procedures
Basic automobile parts can help save a stranded motorist. Put these automotive parts to good use in an extreme emergency:
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Safe winter driving
Emergency supplies for your vehicle
Emergency essentials: Carry the following in an emergency box or plastic tub in your vehicle trunk or cargo area of your SUV or pickup:
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Accolades
Encore (11-8-13): ITD receives two national Roadway Safety Awards
Two Idaho highway safety projects earned National Roadway Safety honors at an awards ceremony Wednesday (Nov. 6) on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. The Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recognized ITD for its Highway Safety Corridor Analysis Project and its Winter Performance Measure (WPM) System.
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Outstanding Customer Service
Encore (11-8-13): Idaho’s FARS activities impress visitors
Idaho’s successful Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) recently gained new friends from across the state’s western border. Representatives from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission visited ITD’s Office of Highway Safety Oct. 16, 17 to learn how Idaho manages its FARS program and ties it into highway safety data.
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Highway safety
Encore (11-8-13): ITD partners with local communities to end impaired driving
ITD recently launched an initiative to end impaired driving in Blackfoot, Lewiston and Twin Falls. The effort, called Courageous Voices, encourages everyone to get involved by stepping up and speaking out to stop people from drinking and driving.
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Outstanding Customer Service
Encore (11-8-13): ITD gets early start on erosion, sediment control near Mountain Home
Keeping soil where it should be, and not over or in the wrong place under a highway, is at the heart of work recently conducted along U.S. 20, from Mountain Home toward Fairfield. Carl Vaughn, new foreman of D-3’s Mountain Home Maintenance area, could see a potential problem with erosion and sediment control along U.S. 20 because of fires in the area.
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Highways
Encore (11-8-13): Profiler van video shows friendly roadside guest
ITD pavement management engineer Karen Merrick drives every mile of state highway in Idaho. She usually makes the trips to every district in the fall, driving with district materials engineers and discussing pavement projects, successes and issues.
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