Untitled Document

ITD opens one-month public comment period
for 2010-13 STIP document

ITD will open a month-long public comment period Sunday (Sept. 20) to collect input on its FY2010-2013 draft of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

The comment period will extend through Oct. 21.

The document can be accessed online at http://itd.idaho.gov/planning/stip/index.htm, explains Intermodal Planning Manager Sonna Lynn Fernandez. Copies also are available on a CD by contacting Mark McNeese, senior transportation planner at P.O. Box 7129, Boise, 83707-1129, or request a copy by e-mail at TPSTIP@itd.idaho.gov. Citizens also can review a printed copy at any of ITD’s district offices in Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston, Boise, Shoshone, Pocatello and Rigby.

All comments on the STIP draft will be reviewed in late October. The Idaho Transportation Board is expected to vote on the planning document in November.

The STIP is a four-year roadmap for planning transportation projects, including:

Highways and bridges
Bicycle and pedestrian facilities
Highway safety
Congestion mitigation air quality
Railroad crossing safety
Airports
Public transportation andTransportation planning

The draft describes more than $1 billion in Idaho projects planned for construction through the year 2013 and the GARVEE Transportation Program, a construction program that relies on bonds to expedite projects in six key Idaho corridors.

The STIP lists projects by highway route and location that are planned for each of the departments six administrative districts. It identifies projected years for right-of-way acquisition, preliminary engineering and construction, as well as estimated project costs. The document lists construction projects on the state highway system and local projects funded with federal aid.

The STIP is not just a document, but a fully integrated transportation planning process for transportation planning and transportation project selection, according to ITD. The STIP is updated annually and follows a yearlong planning cycle to ensure that projects are identified, selected and prioritized.

Production of the STIP is a year-round process that relies on extensive public involvement and input from transportation stakeholders, including citizens, elected officials, Tribal governments, other state and federal agencies, each of Idaho’s six metropolitan planning organizations (MPO), the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council (LHTAC) and other interested organizations.

Input helps the Idaho Transportation Board prioritize projects and identify new improvements to meet the needs of Idaho travelers.

Once approved by the transportation board, the STIP is submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The multi-year and multi-modal program identifies the transportation projects that have been selected through an inclusive and ongoing public involvement process.