3/9/2012

Transportation board
Gov. Otter names Julie DeLorenzo to D-3 board position
Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter Monday (March 12) appointed Julie DeLorenzo, a noted Boise Realtor, to the District 3 vacancy on the Idaho Transportation Board.  She succeeds Jerry Whitehead, who was elevated to chairman of the seven-member Board in January.
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Transportation board
Board to consider changing Wild Horse scenic byway
The Boundary County Commissioners last fall requested removing the Scenic Byway designation for two portions of the Wild Horse State Scenic Byway on U.S. 95. The transportation board will consider the county’s request at its monthly business meeting Wednesday in the Darrell V Manning Auditorium/Boardroom at Headquarters.
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Highway safety
Highway Safety Summit planned May 8 in Boise
Highway safety and transportation professionals are encouraged to attend the annual Highway Safety Summit to learn of ways ITD and its partners can continue the road Toward Zero deaths on our highways. The all-day summit is scheduled for Tuesday, May 8, at the Owyhee Plaza in Boise. More information will be provided later, but those planning to attend should mark their calendars.
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Highway planning
Design-build pilot project targeted for Idaho 44
A new, more efficient project-delivery system called Design-Build will be used by ITD for the first time in the state on an intersection-improvement pilot project at North Linder Road and State Street (Idaho 44) near Eagle High School.
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Highway safety
New safety messages to focus on transforming behavior
More than 30 people representing federal, state and local groups across Idaho participated in a new communications strategy, "Positive Community Norms," that ITD is developing to reduce fatal car crashes.
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Employees
Headquarters plans Wednesday service awards ceremony
The Idaho Transportation Board, colleagues and family will gather Wednesday to honor Headquarters employees who reached professional milestones or retired during the second half of 2011. The recognition ceremony will be at 10 a.m. in the Darrell V Manning Auditorium/Boardroom. Employees are encouraged to arrive early to secure seating because standing-room-only turnouts are typical.
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Driving & texting
NBC Today interviews parents of teen who died in crash
Two women, two very different passings and two families making their loved ones’ passing count for something bigger. This morning on TODAY, we interviewed the parents of 18-year-old Taylor Sauer. Taylor was an Idaho college freshman heading home from school in Utah.
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Highway safety
Effort targets impaired drivers
Ensuring safe travel on Idaho’s highways is a prime reason for high-visibility education and enforcement campaigns that target impaired driving, such as one planned statewide beginning Monday and continuing through March 18. 
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Highway safety
Stay Alive at 25 – and all other ages
If your past weekend was anything like mine, then you know that spring is on the way, and with it comes warmer weather and the many outdoor activities we all enjoy from living in Idaho. Also on the horizon is the end of school, and that means young people (both in age and spirit) will be driving more.
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Icon Credit Union
Nominations accepted for Icon board
The entire credit union benefits when members participate. All members are equal owners of the credit union. Icon Credit Union’s annual meeting is an occasion for management and elected officials to report to you, the owners.
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Preparedness
Snow becomes water; water becomes flood risk
Snow gives us skiing in the winter and rafting in the summer. It is a critical element of the water cycle; as much as 75 percent of the water supply in the western United States comes from melting snow. It helps drive the spring flows in the Boise River and can provide the total flow for smaller, unregulated streams and creeks that flow in and around the community.
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Legislature
Encore (3-2-12): JFAC sets transportation department budget
In a series of unanimous votes, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has set a budget for ITD for next year that's down 5.5 percent in total funds from this year, mainly due to a 13.9-percent drop in federal funds.
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Idaho Legislature
Encore (3-2-12): Concurrent resolution honors former board chairman
The august body that once included Darrell V Manning, paused recently to acknowledge – in the form of a concurrent resolution – his contributions to ITD, state government and the military. Manning retired in January after serving nearly six years as chairman of the Idaho Transportation Board (since 2007).
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Transportation research
Encore (3-2-12): U of I receives $3.5 million grant to lead transportation center
A national grant recently awarded to the University of Idaho will support the efforts of university researchers to make the nation’s transportation system more sustainable. The University of Idaho’s National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology (NIATT) will receive $3.5 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to lead a national Tier 1 University Transportation Center.
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Transportation research
Encore (3-2-12): NIATT to partner with other regional universities
Officials at the National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology (NIATT) recently learned the award of a $600,000 grant to partner in a Regional University Transportation Center led by the University of Washington. NIATT, which is supported by the Idaho Transportation Department, will focus on the diverse transportation needs of the Pacific Northwest,
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Planning
Encore (3-2-12): Planning for new Snake River bridge in Magic Valley put on hold
After several meetings with local government agencies regarding continued planning for a roadway corridor, the proposal to pursue another crossing of the Snake River west of Twin Falls has been discontinued, the Idaho Transportation Department announced.
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Employees
Encore (3-2-12): Brianna Fernandez gets jump start on business
She has spent the last six years refining business ethics and decision-making skills, money management, personal skills and goal setting. This spring she added public relations and promotion to her marketing experience. That resume would put Brianna in strong competition for corporate leadership or sales positions. But businesses and organizations will have to wait another decade or so.
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Employees
Encore (3-2-12): Zubery's son part of state math, science winning team
Ryan Zubery, son of ITD engineer manager Muhammad Zubery, was part of a middle school team that won a statewide math and science contest last month. Treasure Valley Math & Science Center students advance to the National Science Bowl next month in Washington, D.C.
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