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Board to discuss use of consultants next week

The Idaho Transportation Board will meet in a work session at the Headquarters auditorium Wednesday to discuss the department’s use of consultants and other agenda items.

A team of ITD personnel from Headquarters and the districts will join consultants to present information and participate in discussions about how and when consultants are used. The presentation will include:

  • historical data on completing design activities with the private sector and the importance of this partnership,
  • how a consulting firm is selected,
  • consultants’ costs,
  • how their overhead rates are determined, and
  • accountability.

Other major items on the board’s Wednesday/Thursday agenda are:

Rest Area Construction Program
Based on previous discussions with the board, ITD’s staff developed a special Rest Area Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Program to maintain and improve existing facilities. The program will include $2.6 million annually from the Highway Development Program and $1.4 million from the Operations budget for FY05.

Staff will summarize the new program and present the list of priorities the district engineers developed for the construction of new rest areas.

Eight new rest areas were prioritized for construction. The top four are: the U.S. 20/Idaho 75 junction (south of Bellevue) in District 4; in the Hollister area on U.S. 93 in District 4; on Idaho 78 between Marsing and Bruneau in District 3; and near the junction of U.S. 95 and Idaho 55 (close to Marsing) in District 3.

Two others already are programmed for construction. Although the location of the District 2 rest area on the Camas Prairie along U.S. 95 (between Lewiston and Grangeville) has not been determined, sites near Winchester and Cottonwood are being explored. The other facility will be constructed in the Round Valley area on Idaho 55, between Boise and Cascade, in District 3.

FY04/State FY05 Public Transportation Grant Funding
The Division of Public Transportation completed the public meeting and application review process for two Federal Transit Administration Programs for the FY04 and FY05 State Vehicle Investment Program.

The Public Transportation Advisory Council reviewed and concurred with ITD staff recommendations for funding projects.

The board will be asked to approve the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities Program in the amount of $408,462, the Rural and Intercity Program for $1.6 million and the Vehicle Investment Program totaling $312,000.

The state program is contingent on legislative approval of the department’s FY05 budget.