2/28/2014

Transportation Board
Innovating ITD and battling impaired drivers highlight February board meeting
The Innovative Business Practices (IBP) team unveiled a new program called Innovate ITD to transportation board members during the group's monthly meeting last week. The board also elected its vice chairman, heard about Human Resources activities and learned about Highway Safety efforts to eliminate impaired driving in Idaho during the Feb. 19 business meeting.
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Customer Service
Motorist stranded in Florida airport gets help from Idaho DMV
ITD's commitment to customer service has gone transcontinental. A recent communication to the Division of Motor Vehicles carried a message of heartfelt thanks from a north-Idaho motorist stranded in a Florida airport with an expired driver's license. Assisting the stranded motorist were Naomi Rawls, Kimberly Moyer and Deana Post.
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Excellence in Transportation
Nominations sought for 2014 Excellence in Transportation Awards
Seeking the best projects, people and accomplishments to honor, ITD is accepting nominations for its 2014 Excellence in Transportation Awards. Nominations are due by 4 p.m. Friday, March 28. "The awards are a great opportunity to honor outstanding transportation projects and the people who make them happen," said Adam Rush, public involvement coordinator and the awards program coordinator.
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Community Partner
Surplus ovens in District 1 go high tech at NIC in second life
When District 1's Materials Section determined last fall that a pair of large aggregate ovens needed repair beyond what was practical -- the cost to calibrate them was much too high -- Dan Boston (D-1 driller) immediately thought of his father's work with North Idaho College's Aerospace Composite Technology program.
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Employees
Davis creates new logo for Lower Payette Heritage Byway
The Lower Payette Heritage Byway has a new logo thanks to ITD Graphic Artist Pauline Davis. The byway is located on Idaho 52, between Horseshoe Bend and Payette. The Scenic Byway Committee recently adopted her design for the logo based on byway committee pictures and ideas. Davis has developed five other byway logos including Fort Henry, Sacajawea, Lost Gold, Hells Canyon and Peaks to Craters.
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Highways
Encore (2-21-14) Divisions of Highways realignment moves forward following staff meetings
The Divisions of Highways at Headquarters took a big step Thursday in ITD's efforts to become the best transportation department in the country by announcing the framework of the new organizations.
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Innovate ITD
Encore (2-21-14) Innovate ITD campaign wants your thoughts and ideas
If you have ever had a hunch, inkling or idea after hearing someone else talk about their own ideas, or if you have thought to yourself, "if only they would tweak this or change that," then you have had an innovative idea. "Innovate ITD" is a new campaign sponsored by the Innovative Business Practices (IBP) team meant to encourage innovative thinking and a flow of fresh ideas from throughout the department.
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Employees
Encore (2-21-14) Ron Wright contributes to recent National Geographic article
An unusually severe winter across much of the United States left no shortage of snow and ice on the nation's roadways. The "polar vortex" and other weather patterns that brought winter misery to drivers also has rekindled interest in salt and its use for melting accumulated snow and ice. In a recent National Geographic article titled "The Surprising History of Salt," writer Brian Clark Howard talked with ITD's Ron Wright about salt and the current scramble for it, particularly in the East and Midwest.
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Avalanche Winter
Encore (2-21-14) Avalanche threat closed several Idaho highways
Avalanches, or the threat of them, caused a number of closures to Idaho highways in the last few weeks, and also caused at least one death in the central Idaho area. The 12-mile, avalanche-prone section of Idaho 21 between Grandjean Junction and Banner Summit closed, reopened, then went through the cycle again in mid-February. During the closures, the area received more than 50 inches of snow and experienced the volatility of rain and melting temps.
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