4/25/2014

Transportation Board
Board learns about area transportation issues at Lewiston meeting
Regional public-transportation activities, work to improve truck safety on Lewiston Hill, commerce concerns about restrictions on Idaho 55, partnerships with the city of Moscow and an airport runway project led discussion at the transportation board’s April 16 meeting in Lewiston.
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Headquarters
Points, Crider assume new roles at department
Tom Points and Monica Crider will assume new positions within the department before the end of the month, following their recent promotions announced April 17. Crider will be the new contracting services engineer and Points the new transportation systems engineer.
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Headquarters
GIS completes updating department’s milepoint logs
The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) section at ITD has generated new and current milepoint logs, using Network Manager, the linear referencing system for the department. Milepoint logs contain "events," such as bridges, passing lanes, intersections, historical sites and overhead utility crossings, that occur along state highways and local highways that receive federal aid.
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Highways
ITD design-build project southwest of Eagle wins engineering excellence award
The reconstruction of Idaho 44 from Linder Road to Ballantyne Lane, completed in October 2013, won an award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Idaho at their Engineering Excellence awards luncheon April 14 in Boise. It was ITD's first design-build project. Central Paving was the contractor and Horrocks was the lead designer.
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Aeronautics
ACE Academy offers teenagers chance to learn about careers in aviation
Navigating small airplanes, controlling air traffic and exploring Blackhawk helicopters are all part of the Aviation Career Exploration (ACE) Academy, June 16-18, hosted by ITD's Division of Aeronautics in Boise. Thirty teenagers will have the opportunity to participate in the academy, which is open to high school students ages 14-18. The deadline for submitting applications is May 9.
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Business Workshop
Contreras-Sweet, Idaho Sen. Risch headline contracting event
Maria Contreras-Sweet, newly appointed national Small Business Administration administrator, and Idaho Senator Jim Risch spoke about federal contracting opportunities during the ChallengeHER—Boise, ID, workshop held at Headquarters Wednesday.
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Highways
Encore (4-18-14) City, officials celebrate groundbreaking for Meridian interchange
The bridge from the past to the future is not often an actual bridge, but in this case it is not just a theoretical concept. It is a tangible object, a structure built in 1965 that is in the process of being replaced. And not a moment too soon, in the minds of a lot of people gathered in a corner of the Home Depot parking lot Tuesday.
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2014 Highway Safety Summit
Encore (4-18-14) KU researcher tells safety summit participants why people drive distracted
A big contributor to distracted driving is the human brain, said a University of Kansas researcher to more than 200 people in Boise representing law enforcement, emergency medical services and highway safety. Professor Paul Atchley, associate chair of undergraduate studies and director of the Cognitive Psychology program at KU, was a keynote speaker at the 2014 Idaho Highway Safety Summit who guided summit participants on a tour through the “distracted” brain.
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Division of Motor Vehicles
Encore (4-25-14) Republic of China (Taiwan), Idaho continue partnership through signing of driver's license agreement
Representatives of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) formally signed a reciprocity agreement this week that enables citizens of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Idaho to obtain a driver's license without taking a driving skills test, if they already have been tested and licensed in their home country.
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Employees
Encore (4-25-14) Register now for the Exercising Safety Challenge
Register now for the 10-week "Exercising Safety" challenge set to begin on April 26. This annual activity motivates ITD employees to begin or improve their regular exercise routine. This year's theme is tied to safety and you can earn rewards for your exercising efforts. See the registration form for more challenge details and the 2014 incentives for your options.
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