Highways
ITD
employees escape crash that claims truck driver
Two
District 3 employees escaped serious injury Monday
(Sept. 17) when a semi-truck struck the back of a
directional sign truck and then the back of a broom
truck that was engaged in maintenance activities on
Interstate 84. Shortly after impact, however, the
eastbound truck jackknifed and burst into flames,
claiming the life of its driver – Valeriy Morar,
40, of Pasco, Wash.
Continue
Corps
issues conditional green light for Sand Creek
After
an extensive application review, the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers (Corps) Walla Walla District issued a
draft permit, (Friday, Sept. 21), to the Idaho Transportation
Department for the Sand Creek Byway. The Department
of the Army draft permit was issued with conditions
to minimize impacts to Sand Creek and to mitigate
wetlands proposed to be filled for construction of
the project.
Continue
Lance
Holmstrom chosen to lead LHTAC
Former
ITD employee Lance Holmstrom, who has more than 17
years of experience in transportation planning, was
named the new administrator of the Local Highway Technical
Assistance Council (LHTAC). He replaces Joe Haynes
who retired earlier this month after 13 years with
the organization.
Continue
District
4 opens new portable POE
ITD’s
District 4 recently opened a new Port of Entry portable
weigh station site on Idaho 46 between Wendell and
Gooding. The new site, located at milepost 3 and is
just north of Wendell, was constructed because the
section was seen as a gap in the primary goal to monitor
commercial vehicles for compliance with size and weight
laws.
Continue
Beta
Sigma Phi-Grace honored for lD-5 cleanups
When
members of Beta Sigma Phi-Grace assembled for the
first time to clean the two miles of adopted highway,
they thought they would never reach the end. It took
three days to remove trash and litter between mileposts
409 and 411 on U.S. 30 in southeast Idaho’s
District 5.
Continue
Information
Technology
Computer users asked to guard against security breaches
ITD,
like many public agencies today, relies heavily on the
exchange of information through technology – from
access to the Internet to e-mail, computer networks
and computers. It is especially relevant, approaching
Cyber Awareness month in October, to guard against threats
to computer and network security. The department has
measures in place that help prevent unauthorized use
and access, explains Forrest L. Anderson, cyber security
officer.
Continue
Threats
to cyber security run deep
How
pervasive is the national security threat resulting
from illegal or in appropriate access to computers?
Consider the following from Ron O’Brien, senior
security analyst with security software vendor Sophos...
Continue
Facilities
Inspections
ensure safe working conditions
What’s
the point of having a rolling television cart if the
wheels should be taken off? That’s the question
District 4 EST Randy Norris asked the Idaho Division
of Building Safety inspector Mike Poulin on Aug. 21.
The simple answer was it was a safety hazard. Little
things like rust on pipes, checking emergency lights
and tripping hazards are only a few things Poulin looks
for in each of the state-owned buildings in District
4 and around the state.
Continue
Headquarters
plans all-building evacuation drill Tuesday
The
emergency response team at Headquarters recently completed
training for evacuation monitors and updated evacuation
plans for the complex in Boise. It is appropriate
during September – National Disaster Preparedness
Month – that the team has planned the major
evacuation exercise as part of the revised plan.
Continue
Aeronautics
Mark
Young receives national aviation service award
ITD
State Airport Manager Mark Young received the 2007 Distinguished
Service Award from the National Association of State
Aviation Officials (NASAO) during the organization’s
annual banquet Tuesday in Portland. Young has managed
the development, safety and maintenance of Idaho's 30
backcountry airfields the past 13 years.
Continue
Administration
Tolman begins new challenges as division administrator
When
Dave Tolman accepted the call to become ITD’s new
administrator of the Division of Administration Aug. 23,
it was the beginning of a smooth transition. All he had
to do was move his desk, since he had been performing
the duties on an interim basis the previous two months.He
brought valuable experience, in both finance and budgeting,
when he came to the transportation department in October
2001.
Continue
Highways
Historic
Rainbow Bridge renovation completed
A
project that spanned two construction seasons to restore
historic Rainbow Bridge to its more celebrated appearance
was completed this week, removing traffic restrictions
in one of Idaho 55's most scenic areas.Work began in 2006
on the arch piers, floor beams, deck joints and columns.
Construction crews replaced the bridge rails this spring
and summer.
Continue
Fran Hood named state construction engineer
Most
of the professional milestones in Fran Hood's 10-year
ITD career coincidentally have come in April. But April
2007 came and went without another major professional
step. That followed early this month when Greg Laragan,
Assistant Chief Engineer-Operations, introduced Hood
as the new state construction engineer.
Continue
Administrative
assistants
Administrative
workshop set Sept. 27; donations still needed
Administrative
support staff from throughout Idaho will assemble Sept.
27 for the 20th annual professional development workshop
at the Nazareth Center in Boise. This year’s theme,
Spread Your Wings, appropriately focuses on career advancement
and networking, according to members of the organizing
committee. The day-long event includes team-building activities,
formal presentations, door prizes and a luncheon.
Continue
