Sand Creek Byway
Flying dirt, historical lessons launch mammoth project
Forget the name Sand Creek Byway. The real name of the highway project should be "Perseverance," Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter told a crowd of more than 500 people gathered Thursday for the groundbreaking ceremony of the long-awaited project. The project spans more than 50 years, six decades and two centuries, but the community's perseverance has paid off with a project that will be an asset to the entire state, Otter said.
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Construction
Deck for Robinson Road overpass collapses
Injured workers released from hospital, investigation continues
The deck slab that employees of Graham Construction & Management Inc. were working on of just east of Nampa gave way at around 2:15 p.m. on Monday (Oct. 27), dropping approximately 30 feet to the ground. The incident damaged girders and sent 13 people to area hospitals with assorted non-life threatening injuries – primarily broken bones and lacerations.
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Environment
Former engineer's dream nearing fruition
When Orion Grunerud retired from ITD as state construction engineer about three decades ago, he didn’t exactly leave the beaten path. He started designing it. Following his retirement Grunerud and his wife Frances spent about a dozen years volunteering as camp hosts for the U.S. Forest Service’s Glacier View campground at Red fish Lake. He also spent a lot of time envisioning a handicap accessible trail that could encircle the lake, opening new vistas to people who would otherwise be unable to experience them.
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Public involvement
Corridor plans generate wealth of input
About 165 residents of Payette and Canyon counties have taken part in workshops in recent weeks to help identify needed improvements to U.S. 95 and Idaho 55. Several more workshops are planned in coming months for residents of the eight counties that rely on the vital north/south corridors. The studies will result in a corridor plan that identifies policies and projects important to the development of the major arterials over the next 20 years.
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Employees
Expert says cell phone use is safe -- with limitations
Hands-free devices that are becoming more prevalent as states restrict the use of cell phones while driving may prevent more than automobile accidents. They also could reduce the impact radio waves have on brain tissue. Recent studies and improvements in the cell phone industry have lessened the health risks, hands-free devices or the use of a speaker phone option are among the best precautions, according to Kai Elgethun, a state public health toxicologist with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
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District 5
Employees honored for help with Meals on Wheels
ITD’s District 5 has proven it cares about more than keeping the wheels of commerce and private vehicles turning. Employees also ensure those same wheels maintain the flow of life-sustaining meals to those who cannot easily access transportation. The Southeastern Idaho Community Action Agency (SEICAA) presented its annual service award to district representatives this week, acknowledging ongoing support for the organization’s Meals on Wheels program.
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Strategic plan
Individual, section input vital to plan
How do you fit into the transportation department’s mission, vision and strategic plan? An extensive strategic planning process that began a year ago will incorporate action items at the working level – from employees and the sections in which they work.  Leadership teams have been coordinating input that relates to the department’s four focus areas.
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Efficiency report
Additional items still encouraged for annual summary
A comprehensive report that reviews ITD’s efficiency efforts the past year and projects the impacts of those efficiencies into the future will be released this fall by the Communications Office. It succeeds a 72-page report prepared last year that addressed Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter’s request to demonstrate ITD’s effective use of resources.
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Transportation board
Board receives revenue comparisons, research report
Doug Benzon, ITD’s Economics Research manager, compared Idaho’s highway revenue sources with those of neighboring states for members of the Idaho Transportation Board when they met at the District 3 office in Boise last week. More than half of Idaho’s transportation revenue (58.7 percent) comes from the federal government. Montana receives 59.4 percent of its funding from the federal government, while federal funds account for only 11.3 percent of Washington’s revenue.
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Employees

Cindy Smith's talent makes way to art instruction book

Cindy Smith has been drawing for as long as she can remember. As a child, she studied the art instruction books of Walter Foster Publishing. Today, Smith is professional artist whose realistic drawings are often mistaken for photographs.

“I’ve taken it a little further than a hobby,” Smith said.

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PERSI calls for patience during economic storm
Just about everyone has the jitters these days because of the economy — a volatile stock market, a drop in the housing market and a rise in foreclosures, a jump in unemployment, and increased prices at the grocery store and at the pump. As bad as this sounds, many experts say we are not in a financial Armageddon.  Most are advising people to sit tight, and ride out the storm.
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Engineering & education
ITD returns to Nampa school with engineering lessons
TRAC is back in the Nampa School District. Six new ITD engineers joined last year’s veteran group of volunteer engineers for training sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The Transportation and Civil Engineering program (TRAC) is an AASHTO program designed to help engineers and teachers motivate and encourage young people to pursue careers in engineering fields.
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HRD training schedule
	Nov. 18-20	Intermediate Communication
	Dec. 9-11	Introduction to Supervision
This schedule represents training classes available at Headquarters. For schedules at specific districts, please contact your EST or refer to the training calendar.