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Board to begin summer district tours

The Idaho Transportation Board will begin its 2006 tour of districts next week with a two-day session in Lewiston. The board will visit two project sites near Winchester on U.S. 95: a Road Weather Information System (RWIS) site and proposed location for a new rest area.

RWIS provides real-time weather data, pavement temperature, and surface conditions. The information is helpful to maintenance personnel and also is instrumental in managing the department’s Traveler Information System.

While the board travels U.S. 95 north to Moscow, ITD staff will give an update on the major project under construction near Genesee. Plans for improving the final leg of the three-phase project from the top of the Lewiston Hill to Moscow also will be discussed. U.S. 95, a heavily used commuter, commercial and agricultural route, will become a four-lane divided highway between the two cities.

The board’s tour will conclude with lunch in Lewiston.

Each year the board alternates monthly meetings in the summer between Headquarters in Boise the state’s six district offices.

Forum on Transportation Investment
In conjunction with each tour this year, public meeting will be held to present the findings and recommendations from the Forum on Transportation Investment and to accept public input on the report.

FTI was established in 2004 to identify the surface transportation needs of the state for the next 30 years and to discuss funding options.

Following a 30-minute presentation, there will be a question and answer session and an opportunity for public comment. Written comments also will be encouraged. The six statewide meetings, coinciding with board meetings in the districts, will be a crucial step in developing funding proposals to build and maintain the state’s transportation infrastructure.

Board’s business agenda

Update on CARS 511
At the business meeting in District 2 on April 20, department staff will give an update on the traveler information system. The newly implemented 511 phone system and Web site were used extensively this winter. In December, the CARS Web site recorded 846,015 visitors seeking information about highway and weather conditions. Efforts are under way to make a transition from the winter report to information on construction projects and trucking information.

Special recognition
The mission of the Technology Transfer (T2) Center, based at the University of Idaho in Moscow, is: "To provide leadership to support and enhance the overall effectiveness of the local transportation agencies through communication, consultation, technical support and training programs."

One of its programs is the Road Scholar Program. It provides a way for local road professionals to be recognized for successfully completing a series of training courses. The program curriculum is designed to give participants the fundamentals of safety, management, and advanced technologies, as well as exposure to a variety of other topics related to the transportation.

T2 Director Doug Moore will recognize Division of Aeronautics employee Mike Pryor for completing the Road Scholar Program. Pryor is the first ITD employee to complete the series.

Flooding caused significant damage to Nez Perce County’s highway system in May 2005. Because of Presidential declaration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) helped fund repairs to the damaged infrastructure.

ITD was the lead agency in managing the repair efforts.

FEMA representatives have commented on the exceptional professionalism, leadership, and dedication of District 2 employees Bud Henson and Kevin Lilly who assisted with disaster recovery.

Henson and Lilly will receive special recognition for their efforts.