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COMPASS announces legislative positions

The board of directors of the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) identified its legislative priorities at its monthly board meeting on Monday, December 20.

The priorities, identified in five legislative position statements, highlight issues of importance to COMPASS members, who represent Treasure Valley cities, counties, highway districts, and other government organizations.

As in past years, additional funding for transportation infrastructure is the top priority, with three of the five position statements highlighting this issue.

The remaining two position statements focus on how roadways function. The first of these supports legislation to provide infrastructure safety enhancements for bicyclists on Idaho’s local roads and highways. The second supports a mechanism for the Idaho Transportation Department to define access control standards for state highways. These types of standards are used to manage where and how intersections and driveways are built to improve safety and help traffic move more efficiently.

The five legislative positions are listed below. For the full text of each statement, visit the COMPASS website.

2011 COMPASS State Legislative positions

1. Transportation Revenue
The COMPASS Board of Directors strongly supports increasing and diversifying dedicated revenue for state and local transportation systems, including transit and alternative transportation modes.

2. Local Option Tax Authority Legislation
The COMPASS Board of Directors strongly supports general local option sales tax authority legislation.

3. Final Year Funding Approval of GARVEE Bonding Program
The COMPASS Board of Directors strongly supports continuation of the Idaho Transportation Board’s proposed GARVEE-related project and funding package.

4. Bicycle Safety Legislation
The COMPASS Board of Directors supports legislation which provides greater infrastructure safety enhancements for bicyclists on Idaho’s local roads and highways.

5. Transportation Access Plan Legislation
The COMPASS Board of Directors strongly supports legislation providing a mechanism for the Idaho Transportation Department Board, in cooperation with local planning entities, to define the access control standards for a given highway corridor.