Transportation system funded on basis of regional needs One of Idaho’s greatest assets – geographical diversity created by mountains, rivers, canyons and plains – also constitutes one of our greatest challenges, ensuring that all regions of the state remain fully connected through a modern transportation system. It makes no sense – from the broad perspective – to separate Idaho’s distinct regions and debate whether one is receiving a disproportionate amount of funding or preference in construction projects. Continue

Board to hear report on safety rest areas
Roadside Program Administrator Cathy Ford will present the annual Safety Rest Area Status Report and Planning Map to the Idaho Transportation Board when it meets next week in Shoshone. The meeting will be Thursday (May 18) at the District 4 Office. The board’s visit will officially start at 7 a.m. on Wednesday (May 17) with a breakfast meeting that includes Twin Falls area transportation committees. The public meeting on the Forum on Transportation Investment will follow at 9:30 a.m.
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Federal assistance sought for Idaho 34 repairs
The Idaho Transportation Department this week forwarded a notice to the Federal Highway Administration, indicating its intent to request federal emergency funds to repair Idaho 34. One lane of the highway between Soda springs and Freedom, Wyo., (near milepost 104) sustained considerable damage when rain-saturated soil beneath the highway slid downhill.
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Teens to learn aviation from ground up
Navigating small airplanes, launching a near-earth satellite balloon and exploring Blackhawk helicopters will be featured activities of the Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy, June 26-29. ITD's Division of Aeronautics is host of the annual event for teenagers. Thirty teens will have the opportunity to participate in the academy, which is open to high school students ages 14-18. Students must submit an application by May 31.
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ITD claims six Idaho Press Club awards
The Idaho Transportation Department earned six awards from the Idaho Press Club for public information projects and material produced in 2005. Awards were announced at the annual press club banquet May 6 in Boise. “The Transporter,” a weekly administrative newsletter produced by the ITD Public Affairs Office, garnered first-place among internal newsletters
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May 14-20 designated National Transportation Week
National Transportation Week is the result of efforts started by a fantastic lady named "Charlotte Jones Woods." In 1952, as the 1st Educational Chairman of the newly formed Women's Transportation Club of Houston, an educational program was set up in the amount of $500 which was designated to go to a scholarship program at the University of Houston for their degree course in transportation subjects.
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Incentive offered for deferred comp participation
State employees who want to beat the odds of being among the 80-percent who will be totally dependent on pensions when they retire have a new incentive to invest in their future – $50 from the Idaho Deferred Compensation committee for joining the deferred comp plan.
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District 6 honors employees
District 6 recognized its employees for their hard work and dedication last week by with an ice cream social at the district office in Rigby. District Engineer Tom Cole, Assistant District Engineer Karen Hiatt and Public Information Specialist Cathy Koon served ice cream and bananas for sundaes and cones
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ITD Mailbox
• Thanks for winter maintenance on I-15
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