7/22/2011

Transportation board
Delegations support local highway projects
The Idaho Transportation board met with area delegations during its Coeur d’Alene tour last week (July 14). Most of the local officials, particularly those from Bonner County, Sandpoint and Ponderay, expressed appreciation for the highway improvements in their area.
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Highways
Construction projects power economic engine
Highway construction projects remain one of the state’s most powerful economic engines in the midst of recovery. A report this week by the Idaho Business Review indicates how strong that engine is and the role ITD plays in fueling it. Eight ITD projects are listed in the publication’s recent Top Projects of 2011.
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Employees
Brown-bag lunch series to focus on diversity
ITD’s workforce is evolving, like workforces across the nation. Employees are applying fresh ideas and different perspectives to the ambitious goal of being the best transportation department in the country. Great energy comes from people with different backgrounds and viewpoints working together in new combinations and situations.
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Employees
First brown-bag lunch features Native American
One can learn much about a culture through its music and stories. ITD’s first Diversity Brown Bag Lunch, at noon July 29 at noon, will feature a presentation of dance, flute and eagle feather storytelling in Headquarters’ Auditorium by Ronald Sam.
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Planning
Utah's web-based planning tool to be demonstrated
John Thomas, planning director for the Utah Department of Transportation, and representatives from a Utah consulting firm will give a presentation next month on a creative web-based tool his department uses to interact with the public in project planning.
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Technology
Project Management Office receives ITRMC award
ITD’s new project management process, created as part of its commitment to improve efficiency, received a state technology award from the Information Technology Resource Management Council (ITRMC) this week in Boise. “ITD’s Project Management Office (PMO), a Center of Excellence” received the award for Data, Information and Knowledge Management.
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DMV
3M working on Dealer Accounting sections
Since ITD signed the modernization contract with 3M, work on the GARNET (Giving customers a secure Automated Records Network) project has proceeded at a very fast pace. 3M experts have been on-site and spend every other week at ITD Headquarters working diligently with ITD staff.
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ITD Mailbox
Service beyond expectations
Debra Dopieralski, ITD. Division of Motor Vehicles Thank you, Debra, for your help on June 8 in extending my expired driver’s license.
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Employees
Plan for back-to-school purchases to preserve budget
Students aren’t the only ones who’ll need to pull out the pens, paper and calculators for the back-to-school season. Parents who want to keep back-to-school spending under control should consider doing the same. Backpacks, paper, books, pens, pencils, calculators, computers, clothes and shoes are basic necessities that can add up quickly ...
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Employees
Using physicians in network will save money
There’s plenty of lingo surrounding health insurance, benefits and coverage. One of the many terms you’ve probably come across is “network.” A network is a group of medical service providers, which means physicians and facilities.
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Communication
Encore (7-8-11): Transporter survey designed to make improvements
The Transporter has been an important information tool for employees since the Department of Highways became the Idaho Transportation Department in the 1970s. Like the department and the industry, the Transporter has steadily evolved. In 2002 it moved from a twice-monthly printed publication that was distributed to employees on payday weeks to a weekly online publication accessible on the Intranet and Internet.
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Planning
Encore (7-15-11): Comments accepted on four-year transportation plan
ITD is seeking public comment beginning Friday (July 15) and continuing through Aug. 15 on the FY2012-16 draft of the Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP). The draft provides details on projects planned for construction through 2016 and the GARVEE Transportation Program, a construction program that relies on federally backed bonds to expedite projects in six key Idaho highway corridors.
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Efficiency
Encore (7-15-11): D-5 capitalizes on rebate program, energy-efficient lights
Replacing all of the D-5 Headquarters light fixtures and installing new energy efficient eco-fluorescent light tubes is generating savings of more than a $1,000 each month on the facility’s electricity bills.
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Motor carrier safety
Encore (7-15-11): Young artist earns national recognition for safety message
When a “Be Ready, Be Buckled” national poster contest urging commercial drivers to use their safety belts was announced this year,Hannah Goertz answered the call for entries and didn’t give it a second thought until a package arrived by mail.
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Adopt-A-Highway
Encore (7-15-11): Coeur d'Alene woman honored for highway cleanups
A stretch of highway in the Moses Lake, Wash., area is cleaner today because of Katie Burke’s dedication. So is a highway in Whitefish, Mont. And so is U.S. 95 in northern Idaho. Although she is a member of the Coeur d’Alene Rotary, Katie undertakes the District 1 highway cleanup campaigns as a solo endeavor.
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Volunteers
Encore (7-15-11): Octogenarian honored for volunteer services in District 1
Don’t talk to Ernie Carr about retirement. Granted, he no longer fills out a time card and reports for duty every morning, but he’s anything but retired. For his continuing dedication and service, the Idaho Transportation Board this week presented Carr with the District 1 Volunteer of the Year award. It was given during the board’s business meeting in Coeur d’Alene.
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Accolades
Encore (7-15-11): 'Warm-mix' asphalt project garners Build America Award
A "warm-mix" asphalt overlay project last summer on Idaho 78 near Givens Hot Springs in rural Owyhee County was chosen recently for a 2011 Build America award from the Association of General Contractors of America and Aon Construction Services Group.
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