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Project Development Conference
showcases latest design, construction strategies

ITD and the transportation community gathered to celebrate exemplary design and construction projects Tuesday night at the mid-point of the bi-annual Project Development Conference in Boise.

The two-day conference included five formal “plenary” presentations Tuesday and more than 30 breakout sessions Wednesday, organized into four concurrent tracks: planning/traffic, design/traffic, environmental and materials. Topics were intended primarily for people responsible for planning, designing, building and maintaining highway systems.

Speakers on Tuesday’s agenda included:

Kathy Harvey, State Design Engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation since 2005

Lane Beattie (above left), director of Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce the past six years and a real estate broker/developer for more than 25 years

Anne Canby, president of the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership (STPP), a national advocacy coalition for transportation reform, and a progressive transportation leader who helped transform the Delaware Department of Transportation

Lynn Iaquinta (above right), a nationally recognized bridge engineer with more than 23 years of experience in the development and execution of transportation projects, and a leader in management of the Oregon Transportation Investment Act III Statewide Bridge Delivery Program for the Oregon Department of Transportation

The conference was a resounding success, said chairman Monica Crider. Approximately 250 people registered for the comprehensive symposium that also featured 25 sponsors and 26 exhibitors.

Offered every two years, the symposium provides an opportunity to explore “practical solutions for transportation systems,” including transportation visions, mobility, safety, innovation, economics and the environment.

The Excellence in Transportation Awards program Tuesday night honored the partners and professionals behind five major projects related to:

Recipients were selected in a statewide competition based on outstanding accomplishments.

Three professionals also were honored for their contributions to transportation in Idaho. The awards, introduced to the conference this year, were for Engineer of the Year, Professional of the Year and ITD Career Achievement.

Erika Stoddard provided the banquet welcome and introduced featured speaker Michael S. Sweeney of Utah State University who talked about the influence early automobiles had on the nation in his presentation “America Hits the Road.” He has written eight National Geographic books.