1/6/2012

Employees / technology
Chief Technology Officer Jon Pope to pursue new challenges
Jon Pope, who has served as ITD’s chief technology officer the past four years, will leave his position Friday and return to Adelaide, Australia, where he has family and a owns a small farm.
Continue

Headquarters
Historic steam shovel destined for new home
For as long as many people can remember, it called the busy Boise intersection of Broadway Avenue and Myrtle Street home. It lives in the shadow of the monolithic six-story concrete building. But in the near future, a 125,000-pound steam shovel that once served as the muscle of many highway construction projects, will pack up and head for a new residence – in front of the ITD Headquarters building on State Street.
Continue

Employees
Hiatt's 'little' brother provides pre-Rose Bowl heroics
District 6 Office Manager Karen Hiatt, is proud of her “little” brother. But in her case, little is relative. Perhaps younger brother is more appropriate. Mark Asper is a 6-foot-7, 325-pound offensive lineman for the University of Oregon football team that claimed the 2012 Rose Bowl championship this week, beating the University of Wisconsin 45-38.
Continue

Accolades
Engineering industry honors Portneuf River bridge project
In the 2012 Engineering Excellence Awards, Portneuf River Bridges in Eastern Idaho, part of the U.S. 30 corridor improvement, emerged as the top engineering project in a statewide competition sponsored by the Idaho chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies.
Continue

Highway safety
Journalists get impaired view through special goggles
Impairment goggles may not be stylish eyewear, but they are powerful tools used to educate people of all ages about the consequences of alcohol misuse and abuse. Treasure Valley video journalists recently learned how when they donned the simulation goggles and tried to beat field sobriety tests and navigate a police cruiser through the Idaho State Police motor-vehicle track in Meridian.
Continue

Highway safety
Avalanche threat leads to 3-day closure of Idaho 21 segment
Although snowfall has been scarce in most Idaho locations this winter, enough snow has fallen in the central mountains to warrant intermittent closures. The section of Idaho 21 between Grand Jean Junction and Banner Summit, lived up to its nickname “Avalanche Alley” last month.
Continue

Education outreach
Workshops offered on EEO/Affirmative Action requirements
Affirmative action requirements don’t need to be perplexing when working with federal contracts. Julie Caldwell, EEO/contract compliance officer for ITD, will offer free half-day workshops outlining civil rights responsibilities and requirements for federal-aid contracts and subcontracts exceeding $10,000.
Continue

Education outreach
Free workshops offered on doing business with government
Learn the rules of doing business with the government at free half-day workshops to be offered later this month in Buhl and Hailey. The Buhl workshop will be held Jan. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Buhl City Hall, 203 Broadway Avenue N. The workshop will be repeated in Hailey Jan. 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at AmericInn, 51 Cobblestone Lane.
Continue

Icon Credit Union
Reflecting on 60 years of change
In anticipation of our 60th Anniversary as a credit union in 2012, I have been reflecting on the vast number of changes for Icon Credit Union. These changes include moving our first small office, located in downtown Boise in the 1950s, to our current Rose Street location that houses our largest branch today.
Continue

Insurance
Questions remain about Idaho health insurance exchange
You likely have heard a lot in the news media over the past several months about health insurance exchanges. I've heard from few people objectively opposed to the idea of a one-stop clearinghouse for the best, most up-to-date and concise information available about options for insuring themselves and their families against the potentially catastrophic costs of health care.
Continue

Highway safety
Encore (12-30-11): Fatalities on pace for 50-year low
Idaho motor vehicle fatalities on pace for 50-year low As 2011 winds down, Idahoans can be thankful that motor vehicle fatalities in the state have declined dramatically, according to preliminary ITD statistics. With less than a week remaining in 2011, Idaho’s motor vehicle fatalities are on pace to be the lowest recorded since the state began tracking the statistics in the early 1960s.
Continue

Highway safety
Encore (12-30-11): Traffic crashes claim high cost on society
In the United States the annual societal cost of traffic crashes is $300 billion, more than three times the $98 billion cost of congestion, according to a report released by the auto club AAA. This report highlights the far-reaching economic impacts traffic crashes have on the nation and encourages that highway safety is made a top priority.
Continue

Highway safety
Encore (12-30-11): One Team targets impaired holiday drivers across the Northwest
Local law enforcement agencies are using a new tool in the effort to locate and stop impaired drivers on Idaho highways this holiday season.
Continue

Volunteers
Encore (12-30-11): Education outreach activities to include more volunteers
For more than five years, ITD education outreach volunteers have shown countless Idaho young people that engineering and transportation-related activities can be interesting and sometimes even fun.
Continue

Planning
Encore (12-30-11): Outreach planner to streamline public involvement decisions
From planning to construction and through maintenance, the public’s needs, concerns and questions must be considered and addressed. It’s all part of ITD’s efforts to improve public safety, enhance mobility and support economic opportunities.
Continue

Highway safety
Encore (12-30-11): New approach considered for spring breakup battle
Every spring, when the road surfaces begin to thaw, heavy loads can inflict serious damage to some of our highways. D-3 Maintenance is taking the lead in investigating methods to avoid this damage in frost-susceptible roads. In addition to D-3 involvement, the Spring Breakup Team is composed of ITD representatives from D-1, D-2, D-5 and D-6.
Continue