3/21/2014

Innovation
D-4 survey effort garners state, national recognition
“This project was full of adventure. There were railroad, canal, and river crossings; swamps to crawl and steep rocky cliffs to climb to locate monuments,” read the award application. The project included "aerial mapping and a multitude of paperwork to get the entire project described and prepared.” Who knew an old county road could be so full of challenge and intrigue? Nevertheless, the Idaho 46-Buhl to Wendell corridor is now recorded, defined, and ready for a future for roadway improvements.
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Service Awards
Board honors employees for service, retirements
The ITD board and the department’s executive team and employees honored colleagues who reached important career milestones Wednesday at the semiannual Headquarters Employee Service Awards program. Forty employees and 17 retirees were recognized at a ceremony held during the transportation board’s March meeting.
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Customer Service
District 3¹s Development Services singled out by Sali for praise
ITD's Development Services group in District 3 was recently the object of praise from former Idaho Congressman Bill Sali for assistance on a permitted-access request. On Feb. 25, D-3 Engineering Manager (Development), Amy Schroeder, received a forwarded call from the front desk. The person identified himself as Sali and stated that he had just had the most wonderful experience with a state agency, and that Dave Szplett had provided excellent customer service.
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Employees
ITD asphalt binder technicians achieve national certification
Congratulations are in order to Bob Engelmann, Bill Fogg, Blair Barrington and Sandra Alberti for becoming nationally certified under the National Binder Technician Certification (NBTC) program. ITD hosted the certification training with participants from other agencies and industry.
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Districts
Idaho 21 avalanche closure, clean up unusual but not unprecedented
The recent Idaho 21 avalanche closure, in the 12-mile stretch from Grandjean Junction to Banner Summit, was one of a kind, but also not completely unprecedented. The highway was closed the afternoon of March 3 for avalanche threat. The first of multiple slides occurred March 6, and the road was closed until Sunday afternoon, March 16, in the aftermath of the avalanche activity.
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Idaho State Police
Idaho State Police present heroism awards to eastern Idaho troopers
Idaho State Police recently awarded its Life Saving Award to two of its own, Corporal Todd Orr and Detective Horacio Caldera, during a ceremony at ISP's District 5 office in Pocatello March 18. The Idaho State Police Life Saving Award was presented by Colonel Ralph Powell to Cpl. Orr and Detective Caldera for saving the life of a man on Oct. 5, 2013.
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Customer Service
Encore (3-14-14) D-1 employees scour old records to help family define water rights
A question related to a family's water rights put two District 1 employees on the hunt for old documents pertaining to a waterline crossing in north Idaho. Terry Troutman, D1 transportation technician principal, and district Property Manager Yvonne Dingman culled through documents more than 40 years old searching for information on behalf of the Jutila family.
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WASHTO
Encore (3-14-14) Jensen, Schroeder nominated for WASHTO Hewes Award
Two ITD employees have been nominated for one of the highest awards bestowed by the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (WASHTO). Amy Schroeder and Dennis Jensen have each been nominated for the Dr. L.I. Hewes award that recognizes outstanding contributions to the highway development program by an individual actively engaged in highway development in the West with a WASHTO state organization.
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Highway Safety
Encore (3-14-14) Highway Safety seat belt survey results for 2013 released
Idaho recently completed and published the seat belt survey for 2013. A total of 32,251 vehicle occupants, comprised of 25,597 drivers and 6,654 outboard passengers, were observed. Seventy percent (70%) of the vehicles were cars, vans, or Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) while 30 percent were pick-up trucks. Find out how the state has progressed
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Community Partner
Encore (3-14-14) Middleton says thanks for ITD efforts to reduce congestion
ITD restriped a center turn lane in Middleton last week, with the promise to return to touch up anything that needed more attention in a couple of weeks. Middleton Mayor Darin Taylor made a point of reaching out to say thanks. The city requested the change to relieve congestion and improve safety in town, especially near the middle school.
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