IDAHO NATIONAL
Idaho
Transportation |
The Idaho Transportation Board will review results of the 2004 collision report for Idaho and the FY 2006 Office of Traffic and Highway Safety’s (OTHS) proposed safety performance plan when it meets in Pocatello Wednesday and Thursday (Aug. 17-18). As noted in the Aug. 5 Transporter article, Improved fatality rate among nation’s seven best, Idaho’s highway fatalities dropped from 293 in 2003 to 260 last year. OTHS research analyst Steve Rich will elaborate on the 2004 Idaho Traffic Collision Report in a presentation to the board. Among the report’s findings are:
FY06 Highway Safety Performance Plan The Idaho Traffic Safety Commission is charged with reviewing traffic safety problems, developing effective plans for additional local-state cooperative activities, recommending programs that use federal aid for highway safety and recommending future traffic accident-prevention activities. The commission identified the following areas to address in the coming fiscal year: safety restraint use, impaired drivers, aggressive driving, youthful drivers, roadway safety/traffic records, bicycle and pedestrian safety and emergency medical services. The annual project selection process starts by notifying state and local public agencies involved in traffic-related activities of the availability of grant funds. RFPs (requests for proposals) are solicited that relate to the focus areas. ITD staff review applications based on criteria it established. The Traffic Safety Commission then reviews staff’s recommendations before developing the plan and presenting it to the board for approval. The FY06 plan, which is approximately $2 million, will fund a variety of projects, such as salary and training expenses for law enforcement officials for DUI enforcement, educational efforts on the dangers of aggressive driving, and extrication equipment to aid rescue personnel in the removal of crash victims. Projects also are recommended that enable OTHS to implement educational and informational campaigns to address the focus areas and to conduct seat belt surveys. FY05 Financial statement summary The State Aeronautics Fund also noted a revenue increase of approximately 3% in FY05. District 5 board tour Workshop on SAFETEA-LU Idaho’s federal funding will increase approximately 30 percent from the previous bill, known as the Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century. (See Transporter article of Aug. 5.) A reauthorization implementation team is being established to review the bill and its impact on transportation in Idaho. The team will provide recommendations for action and implementation to the board in the future. |