IDAHO NATIONAL TRANSPORTER Idaho
Transportation
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For the past 18 years, Idaho Transportation Board Member Jack Combo has been a strong supporter of ITD employees. He knows they are the backbone of the department. He knows they are committed to their jobs and are dedicated to serving the great state of Idaho. Part of Combo’s vocal support has been in the area of training and development. He has been a strong advocate of continuing education for ITD employees as a means of personal development, furthering their careers and improving ITD services. Because of Combo’s philosophy, and in honor of his extensive service to ITD, it is only fitting that a training room at Headquarters will be dedicated as the “John X. Combo Training Room.” Formal designation of the title will come during Thursday’s Transportation Board meeting in Boise. The dedication is expected to begin at 10:15 a.m. in the Auditorium, immediately after the morning break. Employees are encouraged to attend in honor of and support for Combo, whose term on the board expires at the end of this month. Gov. Andrus appointed Combo to the board in 1990. He was re-appointed to two additional six-year terms by governors Batt and Kempthorne, respectively. After his 18 years of service to ITD and the citizens of Idaho, the department will say good-bye and thank you to Combo upon the governor’s announcement of the replacement for District 6. An open house to thank Combo for his extensive service tentatively is being planned; look for information in a future Transporter. Other board agenda items Annual report on status of state-owned
dwellings The department can provide or rent state-owned dwellings to its employees when the best interests of the department are served. Some employees reside in a state-owned dwelling as a condition of their employment. These locations are Reeds Bar and at Powell in District 2, Riddle in District 3, and the Johnson Creek Airport. The fair market rental value was determined seven years ago with appraisals completed by district right-of-way staff. Each year the rent and reductions are compared for “reasonableness” with dwellings owned by the Department of Parks and Recreation and U.S. Forest Service. ITD also owns 10 trailer pads and three
houses at rest areas around the state. Rest area maintenance contracts
require the contractor to be available for daily conferences and on
call for emergencies 24 hours a day on a daily basis. Providing a dwelling
is part of maintenance contract consideration. This system, known as 511, was launched in November 2005 as an improvement to the recorded road report system, with the intent of helping motorists make informed travel decisions. Lantz will demonstrate and elaborate on recent changes to the system, including:
Notification of Non-Attainment
Areas for PM2.5 A value greater than 36 in a 24-hour
period is above the acceptable limit. To be in non-attainment, the average
for three years must be above that level. During testing the past three
years, the average level for Pinehurst and Franklin were 38 and 63,
respectively. DEQ is applying for Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality (CMAQ) Program funds to assist in the development of these plans. If either community has a highway expansion project, air-conformity determinations will have to be in place before the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program can be approved for that area. When ITD became aware of the new PM2.5 standards in 1997, there was concern that as many as 15 areas in the state might be designated as non-attaining. At that time, the CMAQ Program began to focus on projects that could reduce PM2.5. That strategy seems to have been successful as only two areas within the state are considered in non-attainment. Published 1-11-8 |