Untitled Document

Board to review safety grants, tour U.S. 95 project

The Idaho Transportation Board will travel U.S. 95 from Coeur d’Alene to the Canadian border as part of its August 19 tour of District 1. The day will include a tour of the Sandpoint Municipal Airport and a stop at Eastport, where members will learn about security measures at the U.S.-Canadian border. The group also will tour the U.S. 95/Copeland Northeast construction site. The project stretches 17 miles and is designed to improve the highway, increase motorist safety and replace two aging bridges.

Also on the board agenda for the Aug. 19-20 meeting in Coeur d’Alene:

Approval of Highway Safety Plan
Staff will request Board approval of the FY05 Highway Safety Plan at the Aug. 20 meeting in the District 1 office. The goal of the federal Highway Safety Grant Program is to reduce deaths and serious injuries resulting from motor-vehicle collisions by implementing programs to address driver behaviors. The program provides grant funding at the state and community level for highway safety programs that address Idaho’s unique circumstances and particular highway safety needs.

The FY05 National Traffic Safety Administration 402 grants total nearly $1.5 million and will be used in the following focus areas:
- impaired driving
- youthful drivers
- aggressive drivers
- emergency medical services
- traffic records and roadway safety
- paid advertising and media development
- adult safety restraints
- child passenger safety restraints
- bicycle and pedestrian safety
- planning and administration

Additional grants will be received for efforts with:
- alcohol-impaired driving
- traffic records data systems
- seat belts
- child safety seats
- blood-alcohol-concentration

Annual Report of the Motor Carrier Services Audit Unit
During the 2004 legislative session, four ITD auditor positions were transferred to the State Tax Commission; however, auditors from the two agencies had been working closely since June 2003 under a memorandum of understanding. This efficiency effort resulted in allowing carriers to be audited for several programs involving interstate and intrastate travel at the same time. During the past state fiscal year, the auditors completed 85 International Registration Plan audits for additional fees of $13,914, with a corresponding number of International Fuel Tax Agreement audits. Additionally, the unit audited 48 full-fee carriers for an assessment of $16,304.

The transition to merge the two audit groups went smoothly and has been beneficial. Although the auditors are located in the Tax Commission, ITD will continue to support the audit programs by providing registration and payment information.

Cascade Reservoir Airstrip
In 1954, the Idaho Department of Aeronautics built an airstrip on land owned by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) along the Cascade Reservoir. A legal dispute regarding an overlying agricultural easement held by a private landowner closed the airstrip to public use in 1970. The land is now under new ownership. The Division of Aeronautics has been working with the BOR to re-open the airstrip for recreational purposes. The Board will be asked to approve proceeding with this recommendation. That involves resolving the payment issue for the needed National Environmental Policy Act and Environmental Assessment requirements, and then applying to the BOR for a long-term permit to open and manage the Cascade Reservoir airstrip. The airstrip would be operated under ITD’s management and would be included in ITD’s recreational airstrip system.