March 26, 2010
Transportation board
Board appoints UI official to PTAC
Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter’s appointment of Jan Vassar to the transportation board created a vacancy on the Public Transportation Advisory Committee. The process of replacing Vassar on that advisory group, which included releasing a notice of the PTAC opening in District 2 and sending application packets to 145 individuals, resulted in the recommendation to appoint Carl Root.
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Highway safety
Lewiston DECA members tackle TWD (texting while driving)
Sometimes it takes one to know one. Young people from Lewiston High School are stepping up to help local teenagers recognize the danger of texting while driving as part of a project the group hopes ITD may consider adopting statewide.
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Aeronautics
Grant to help improve two backcountry airstrips
Two of Idaho’s popular wilderness airstrips will receive much-needed renovations this summer as a result of a federal grant from the Southwest Idaho Resource Advisory Committee (RAC). The RAC approved a $50,000 grant proposal submitted by the Idaho Aviation Network (IAN) and Payette National Forest. The IAN, U.S. Forest Service and Idaho Transportation Department’s Division of Aeronautics announced the grant award this week.
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Highways
Protecting the rights-of-way
Utilities buried in the correct place and depth, turn lanes with proper slope, access points at least 500 feet apart – little things to the general public but vitally important when dealing with state right of way. But those responsibilities were only a part time job until a year ago when Dave Jensen was handed the job of permit coordinator to help developers and contractors. It was as if there was a new sheriff in town.
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Winter skipped over D-4 snowplows
Some years you get it, other years not so much. The snowfall this winter was more of the latter. Despite the amazing lack of snow that fell across District Four during the winter of 2009-2010, maintenance crews still managed to keep busy chasing a handful of small storms. “Snow year?” asked Ron Robinson, D4 maintenance coordinator. “What snow year?
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Security
Don't sweat it. Shred it.
Springtime is just around the corner. Now is a good time to rid your home of the clutter and paperwork you have accumulated over the past year. When it comes to reviewing your financial records, how do you know what to discard and what to keep? Credit card and bank statements, canceled checks and past tax records are all important documents. But when is it safe to throw away certain financial records?
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Employees
Ideas for making you a success at work
How well you work is always key to your success. But you can hurt yourself with an offhand comment to a colleague in a break room, a tendency to criticize new policies or relying too much on e-mail to communicate with co-workers and clients. Look at some of the biggest mistakes you can make on the job, and tips about how to avoid them...
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Life-saving effort
ISP officer honored for helping to rescue crash victims
Idaho State Police Sgt. Ed Westbrook was honored Thursday (March 25) and received the ISP "Life Saving Award" for his efforts during a Sept.19, 2009, incident. While off duty preparing to hunt in the China Creek and Wapshilla Ridge area of Craig Mountain south of Lewiston, Westbrook came across vehicle tracks that led him to believe a vehicle had possibly gone off the road.
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Submit your News/Views to Share
News to Share
Columbia High student wins pageant crown
 Valencia Maclin, daughter of Derra Kolar at Division of Aeronautics, won Royal Queen in the Miss American Starlet pageant at the Nampa Civic Center March 20. She will go to the Grand Nationals in Palm Springs this summer to compete for the National title. Valencia is a junior at Columbia High School in Nampa. She graduated from Barbizon Modeling school in February and is pursuing a modeling career. Her goal is to get scholarships to go to college and become a personal fitness trainer. Valencia loves fitness, eating healthy, horses, drawing, reading and photography.
Please share information about your accomplishments or those of your colleagues with the ITD community. Send contributions to the e-mail link above.
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Views to Share
Do you have a question related to ITD processes, policies or projects? Has something been puzzling you about why we do what we do? Share your questions using the e-mail link above and let us find the answers.
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March 19, 2010
Direct from the Director
— ITD vision —
 ITD employees,
Last month, I explained my leadership style and expectations of the department. My leadership style and expectations are guided by a vision for the department and employees. Sharing a common vision allows us to be consistent in our operations and decision-making. I believe you will find yourself and your job duties in each element of the vision.
The overriding vision for the department is this: be the best transportation department in the country. We can tell our customers the good things we do, and say we are the best, but if we have to tell someone how good we are, then we may not be as good as we think. Our customers have to see and believe we are the best.
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See Director Ness's video message |
Support for vision
Legislative leaders embrace director's vision for ITD
The chairs of the Idaho Senate and House transportation committees praised the vision to improve the Idaho Transportation Department outlined today (Wednesday) by Director Brian W. Ness. “Under the new leadership I’ve seen dramatic improvement already at ITD. I applaud the director’s vision and look forward to working with him to successfully implement it,” said Senator John McGee, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. Representative JoAn Wood, who chairs the House Transportation and Defense Committee, said she also has been impressed by Ness’ leadership and vision.
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GARVEE
JFAC recommends new bonding authority
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) recently recommended authorizing the department to sell $12 million in new GARVEE bonds in Fiscal Year 2011. That recommendation goes to the House and Senate for final approval. Legislative approval of continued bonding authority for the GARVEE (Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle) Program will allow ITD to move forward with right of way purchase for the Idaho 16 corridor.
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Employees
Pavement monitoring experts move to Division of Highways
ITD Deputy Director Scott Stokes this week announced a realignment of several Division of Transportation Planning staff members to support the department’s efforts to improve pavement management decisions. Stokes said five individuals who have a wealth of expertise and knowledge in pavement inventory will be assigned to the Division of Highways
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59 HQ, Aeronautics employees honored for years of service
Three employees who have reached 40 years of service to Idaho citizens were among those honored Wednesday by the transportation board during its monthly business meeting in Boise. Becky Davis, Jesse Smith and Dave Turner all reached the four-decade plateau of service in the last half of 2009. They joined 56 other employees who were honored for achieving career milestones.
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Highways
Crews stretch to reach pier caps for cleaning
It takes more than a scrub brush and household cleaner to wash a bridge. ITD utility craftsmen Curt Stoker and Matt Evans used a high-pressure washer and the department’s Reach-All bridge truck early this month to clean pier caps on two bridges in District 2.
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Public Transportation
Transit option available on 511 system
Idaho’s bus riders have a new online source for real-time transit information with the launch of 511 Transit – a new enhancement to the state’s 511 Traveler’s Services System, the Idaho Transportation Department announced. The new 511 Transit system, found at 511.idaho.gov, will debut with online schedule and route information for Citylink (Kootenai and Benewah counties), START Bus (Teton County), Pocatello Regional Transit and Northwestern Trailways.
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