4/27/2012

Transportation Board
Board tour of District 2 included visit to state-of-the-art lumber mill
Old Highway 7 was on the minds of Idaho Forest Group and other area businessmen when the transportation board’s first district tour of the year included a visit to Idaho Forest Groups Lumber mill in District 2 on April 18. The businessmen believe the old highway functions as a state highway and asked the board to add the route to the state’s system.
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Districts
Eastern Idaho project garners ARTBA Globe award for Environmental considerations
The US 30 Corridor Improvement project from McCammon to Lava Hot Springs in Eastern Idaho recently won the ARTBA (American Road & Transportation Builder’s Association) Globe award for Environmental Protection & Mitigation. It is the second ARTBA award won by ITD projects this spring, following the community relations award won by the Sand Creek Byway project for the level of public involvement in the project. Both awards are being presented in Washington, DC on May 30.
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New traffic light installed on state's busiest non-interstate route
A new traffic light on Eagle Road (Idaho 55) ­ the state¹s busiest non-interstate route ­ has gone in between Fairview Avenue and Ustick Road for River Valley Street.  The signal heads will remain covered until they are made operational around May 1. The signal will allow safe access to and from the project site and the neighboring River Valley Elementary School.
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Human Resources
Workforce outreach efforts gain attention and support
Workforce outreach by the Idaho Transportation Department has garnered national attention with three papers detailing ITD’s efforts selected for the National Transportation Workforce Summit held this week (April 24-26) in Washington, D.C. The papers were assembled and submitted by ITD’s Human Resources Equal Employment Opportunities Office.
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Employees
Camaraderie helps D-3 staff shed pounds during Capitol Mall Fitness Challenge
Daily walks, discipline during the weekends, debriefings each Monday morning and the Emmett High School track team helped the District 3 “Bootie Busters” take second place in the Capitol Mall Fitness Challenge. The captain of “Bootie Busters,” Judy St. Germain, said team members Jeff Brothers, Kelly Byrne, Julie Schwendiman and Zane Smith encouraged and motivated each other during the 10-week fitness event that started Jan. 30.
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Partner with a “Buddy” for the London Bridge to Fitness exercise challenge
Have tea with the queen and see Big Ben with a traveling companion while improving your physical fitness during the London Bridge to Fitness. From April 29 to July 7, ITD staff can track and monitor their physical activity on a challenge log sheet that vicariously takes them through the streets of London and see sites like the Tower Bridge and Big Ben.
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Headquarters
Floragraph of daughter presented to Haye family at ITD ceremony
Lacey Haye’s decision selfless decision to become an organ donor was honored last week (April 20) during a special presentation held at ITD as part of National Donate Life Month. Representatives of Intermountain Donor Services presented the Haye family with a floragraph of their daughter that adorned the Donate Life parade float in the Rose Parade Jan. 2 in Pasadena, Calif.
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Legislature
Encore (4-20-12): Staff tracked 59 transportation-related bills in Legislature
The Idaho Legislature considered 628 pieces of legislation, including House and Senate bills, resolutions, memorials and proclamations, and forwarded more than half (342) to the governor. ITD staff analyzed and tracked 59 bills that related to transportation or how the department operates.
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Highway safety
Encore (4-27-12): Highway construction prompts workzone safety caution
Safe driving means safer work zones. That’s why ITD reminds motorists to drive carefully through work zones – for their own safety and the safety of construction workers. The Federal Highway Administration, ITD and other state departments of transportation draw special attention to safe driving in or near work zones during national Work Zone Awareness Week April 23-27.
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AASHTO
Encore (4-20-12): ITD project featured in AASHTO Earth Day report
A project to restore a central Idaho streambed to its natural channel is among eight initiatives nationwide highlighted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) this week.
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Employees
ProFiles: Show us your best side
How do you do what you do and what motivates you to keep doing what you do? The ITD Transporter will introduce a new feature – ITD ProFiles – that provides insight about the variety of jobs that collectively make up the unique work environment at ITD. We want to know what you do, what it takes to do your job and what you would like to be doing in five or 10 years.
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Communications
Encore (4-20-12): Quick Facts book available
"Quick Facts," a compact 26-page publication recently published by the Office of Communications, includes information on administrative leaders and board members, budget facts, highways and bridges, motor vehicles, aeronautics, public transportation and highway safety.
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Highways
Deadline for removing studded tires is April 30
ITD reminds drivers that studded tires used to improve vehicle handling in snow and ice most be removed by April 30. The use of studded tires is legal in Idaho from Oct. 1 through April 30. Studded tire laws vary in neighboring states.
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