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Idaho Transportation
Department

Public Affairs Office
P.O. Box 7129
Boise, ID 83707
208.334.8005
Fax: 208.334.8563
Email


Board to hear report on Environmental Stewardship Policy, Context Sensitive Design

ITD staff will introduce a draft Environmental Stewardship Policy to the transportation board when it meets at Headquarters Wednesday and Thursday (Oct. 12, 13) in Boise. Staff members have been developing the draft policy and preparing a Context Sensitive Solutions guide to aid the department in institutionalizing the policy.

The presentation – for background and informational purposes – is scheduled for Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the Auditorium. Formal action on the draft policy will be requested at the November board meeting.

Context Sensitive Solutions is a relatively new approach to transportation planning that recognizes the wide-ranging societal impacts of transportation. The emerging national consensus definition of Context Sensitive Solutions is:

“…a collaborative interdisciplinary approach that involves all stakeholders to develop a transportation facility that fits its physical setting, and preserves scenic, aesthetic, historic, and environmental resources, while maintaining safety and mobility.”

Also on the board agenda

Red-Light Running
Lance Johnson, Office of Traffic and Highway Safety Engineer, will lead a discussion on the red-light running problem in Idaho.

Last year, there were 696 reported crashes in which one or more of the drivers ran a red light. Those crashes resulted in four fatalities and 488 injuries.

The city of Boise reported the most crashes related to running red lights, 251. The state’s capital also includes 360 of the state’s signalized intersections. Three of the top five intersections where red-light running is reported are in Boise; the other two in the top five are in Pocatello and Coeur d’Alene:

1. Boise: Capitol Boulevard and Myrtle Street (8 crashes)
2. Pocatello: 5th Avenue and Center Street (7 crashes)
3. Boise: 15th Street and Main Street (6 crashes)
4. Boise: 27th Street and Fairview Avenue (6 crashes)
5. Coeur d’Alene: 3rd Street and Harrison Avenue (6 crashes)

Johnson will elaborate on measures being taken to address the complex problem. He also will provide comments from agencies and organizations on Idaho’s red-light running situation.

Annual report on speed zone changes by municipalities
Legislation was passed in 1997 that allowed municipalities to establish speed limits on state highways within their boundaries, except on highways with access control designations of IV and V.

Statewide, 29 cities have imposed speed limit changes at 51 locations that have gone against ITD recommendations. Overall, motorists tend to disobey city-imposed speed reductions. Data indicates better conformance to speed limits that are established by standard engineering practices.

Appointment of District 3 Public Transportation Advisory Council member
The Public Transportation Advisory Council (PTAC) was established through Idaho Code to advise the transportation department on issues and policies regarding public transportation. The council is composed of six members – one from each of the state’s administrative districts. Appointees serve three-year terms.

ITD staff solicited applications for the District 3 position after Gen. James Brooks decided against seeking another appointment. The council will recommend appointment of Kathleen Simko to succeed Brooks on the PTAC.

Simko is president of Ida-Ore Planning and Development Association, Inc., operating as Sage Community Resources.

Sage is a non-profit council of government providing regional strategic planning assistance as well as grant-writing and grant administration functions for its members. The organization represents the same 10 southwestern counties as ITD’s District 3.