IDAHO NATIONAL
Idaho
Transportation |
Ada County Highway District (ACHD) has managed the state highway signal system within Ada County for ITD for many years under a service agreement. The partnership has been expanded to include roadside Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) equipment. As the population grows and traffic volumes increase, it has become necessary for ITD and ACHD to examine methods and options for improving the effectiveness of highway operations. An earlier plan recommended development of a multi-agency Traffic Management Center, which generated strong support. As a result, the transportation board approved the addition of an Interagency Regional Operations Center (IROC) project, Phase 2, to the FY05 Highway Development Program. The project consultant told the board during its Aug. 17 meeting at the District 3 office in Boise that a co-located operations center would provide:
Key tasks critical for proceeding with an IROC are to develop a concept of operations, determine facility and space requirements, study location options and recommend a site location, and establish a funding, timeline, and implementation plan. The board authorized ITD staff members to continue efforts to build a multi-agency partnership and to further define the proposed interagency regional operations center. ITD staff members will report back to the board as significant milestones are achieved and it becomes appropriate for the board to consider further action. Other board discussions District 4 Administration Building District 4 Engineer Devin Rigby summarized the efforts taken to determine the best location for a new District 4 administration building. Of the three possible sites – the existing Shoshone location, the I-84 and U.S. 93 interchange, and the U.S. 93 and Idaho 25 intersection – the recommendation was to build at the current location in Shoshone. The recommendation was based on an evaluation of the alternative sites the potential impact on employee commute time, district operations, and facility cost. The social/economic impact on the City of Shoshone, employees, and the district itself were also evaluated. An analysis then followed on the proximity of ITD customers, partners, and suppliers to the District headquarters complex. Staff evaluated employee residencies, the population of the district, local agency partners, five-year STIP projects, and District 4 vendors. Although some board members believe the new facility should be constructed closer to Twin Falls because of proximity of the College of Southern Idaho and better access to a pool of employee recruits, and housing opportunities in the larger city, the final decision was to keep the District 4 headquarters in Shoshone. Utilization of an Owner’s Representative
for District 4 Building Proper management is critical to success. ITD does not possess the expertise to manage the project, and the Division of Public Works staff is unavailable to assist because of other major projects under way. Board tour Some of the comments included support for local option taxes, impact fees, public transportation, and partnerships. Published 8-25-06 |