Untitled Document

ITD presents four Excellence in Transportation awards

• Stanley Consultants • 511 Traveler Information System
• ITD and The Langdon Group • Kathleen Slinger

Four projects that represent outstanding achievement in transportation were honored this week with annual Excellence in Transportation Awards. Director Brian Ness presented the awards Wednesday during a ceremony at Headquarters.

Categories included construction, public participation, environmental stewardship/maintenance and operations, and career achievement.

Construction
Construction of Idaho’s first single point urban interchange (SPUI) to replace the Interstate 84/Vista interchange in the heart of Boise was selected as the outstanding construction project of 2009.

The award was presented to Stanley Consultants, an engineering, environmental and construction company that provides services worldwide.

The Visa Avenue Interchange on I-84 is a major point of access between the Boise Airport, the city of Boise and the Treasure Valley region. The existing interchange, built in 1969, was unable to efficiently handle the steadily increasing volume of traffic. Its design also prevented widening of I-84 and impeded interstate traffic.

Reconstruction of the interchange is a major component of expansion funded through the federal stimulus program. The single-point interchange, which is anticipated to open this fall, will facilitate the traffic flow on Vista Avenue using a single traffic light located at the center of the overpass to control all turns.

Construction of the interchange required coordination with about 15 businesses and organizations. Central Paving Co. Inc. is the primary contractor on the $17.8 million project.

Robert Bruce, project principal of Stanley Consultants submitted the nomination for Connecting Idaho Partners (Jay Gould) and ITD’s GARVEE Program (Jason Brinkman). Contributing personnel include Bob Jacobs, Stanley; Rex Hansen, American Geotechnics; David Aizpitarte, Bionomics Environmental; Phil Hartsfield, Corven Engineering; Karen Doherty, HDR, Inc.; and Terry McEntee, Central Paving.

Environmental Stewardship
Maintenance and Operations
ITD made a major commitment to improve public reports of highway travel conditions, including winter reports and summer construction activity, by introducing a new 511 Traveler Information System in 2005.

It uses a comprehensive Web-based program and interactive telephone system to provide the most accurate and timely condition reports available. ITD maintenance personnel can update the reports as conditions change on the highways.

The condition reporting system has steadily evolved since its inception and today has become one of the most comprehensive, robust systems in the country. In addition to reports on driving and construction conditions, the system provides weather information, road weather data, camera images, notices of closures, detours and blocked lanes, information for commercial truck drivers, mountain pass information, AMBER alerts and links to similar systems in neighboring states.

The 511 system has coordinated with the Division of Public Transportation, Ada and Canyon counties, and oher public transportation providers for reports on public transit.

Recipients of the award include: Alison Lantz (ITD, retired),Bryan Smith and Tony Ernest of ITD; Kathy Bessey of the State Communications Center; and Kristin Virshbo and Peter Davies of Castle Rock Consultants. Bob Koeberlein, ITD mobility services engineer, submitted the application.

Public Participation
Almost immediately upon arriving in the Treasure Valley, visitors are confronted with major construction on Interstate 84. To help them understand the scope of the projects and help them navigate the changing construction zones, ITD partnered with The Langdon Group to create an extensive public involvement process.

Langdon took the public involvement lead for five GARVEE transportation projects in the nine-mile corridor, including new interchanges at Orchard Street and Vista Avenue, interstate widening between Cole Road and Broadway Avenue and construction of sound walls between Cole and Broadway.

Installation of an electronic kiosk at the Boise Airport was a centerpiece of Langdon’s information campaign. In collaboration with ITD’s Office of Communications, Langdon installed a video kiosk that includes visual displays, renderings of the completed interchanges, animations and photographs.

The kiosk includes a 50-inch plasma television monitor that plays continuous videos and public service announcements. Two videos use a high-tech simulation of the interchange design and another shows motorists what to expect upon completion. ITD videographers Dave Tuttle and Mark Hall produced the videos.

The Langdon Group and ITD’s Communications staff introduced the new kiosk, with cooperation from the city of Boise, during a media event on June 4, 2009.

Public involvement for the interstate construction projects included a public hearing, two public meetings, three neighborhood meetings in 2007 and 2008, door-to-door visits, and meetings with property owners and Emergency Medical Service providers.

James D. Porter, corporate transportation manager for The Langdon Group, submitted the award nomination. Contributing personnel include: Bryant Kuechle and Stephanie Bennett of The Langdon Group; Lance Giles of Connecting Idaho Partners; June Sparks and Dave Tuttle of ITD’s Communications office; and Jason Pfaff of Power Engineers.

Career Achievement Award
A 27-year ITD veteran, Kathleen Slinger was chosen for the 2009 Career Achievement Award. She has led the department’s bridge inspection office the past 19 years, bringing a commitment to visionary leadership and mentoring for employees. She has guided upper management decision-making by serving as an advocate for the bridge inspection program.

Slinger earned national respect for her involvement on committees of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, working to advance bridge inspection programs and initiatives.

She served through “several tumultuous” bridge inspection periods, including the nationwide emphasis following the 2007 collapse of an interstate bridge over the Mississippi River in Minnesota. “Her perseverance through periods of increased scrutiny has strengthened the public’s trust in ITD as a dependable state agency and economic partner,” according to the award nomination.

“Kathleen’s management style has been an exemplary model for younger employees to emulate. She successfully balances competing priorities, analyzes complex problems and not only embraces change and innovation, but fosters it by empowering her staff.”

She remains a strong advocate of professional development for her staff and has facilitated a number of training sessions to provide them with opportunities for personal and professional growth.

“Kathleen brings endless drive and determination to the job every day,” the nomination states. “She is a valued colleague of the Federal Highway Administration Idaho Division Office. We sincerely appreciate all of her efforts as a leader, colleague and steward of the bridge inspection community.”

Ed Miltner of the FHWA’s Idaho Division nominated Slinger for the award.