How Decisions Are Made

Highways, aviation, rail and public transportation needs are all taken into consideration when planning Idaho's transportation future. Traffic patterns and congestion, land-use issues, safety and preservation of freight rail lines are all important. The transportation department's planning specialists work closely with local governments, regional planning organizations, the state's leadership and the public to respond to these needs.

Vital role of public comment
Public comment is an especially critical step in reaching decisions. The transportation department actively seeks the public's advice throughout the planning, designing, construction and operation of a project.

Not content with just having people come to public hearings, the transportation department goes where the people are. Some of the methods used to obtain public involvement include:

• Reaching rural and metropolitan communities through numerous corridor studies, which include: Interstate 84 Corridor Study; Interstate 84 – Orchard to Gowen Planning Improvements Study (completed); U.S. 20 Corridor Study (completed); U.S. 26; U.S. 91; U.S. 30; U.S. 75; Snake River Crossing Study (completed) and U.S. 95.

• Distributing information about the WYE Interchange Reconstruction Project at local malls and other areas with heavy traffic, such as Edward's Cinemas.

• Weekly public meetings for major construction projects such as the WYE and Franklin Interchange projects.

• Setting up informational booths at public events, such as the Eastern Idaho Fair in Blackfoot, the Twin Falls County Fair in Filer and a transportation fair in Pocatello.

• Providing an easy-to-use Statewide Transportation Improvement Program booklet for review and public comment.

• Meeting with Native American tribal governments, civic groups and clubs.

• Attending annual meetings for the associations of cities, counties and highway districts.

• Participating with local planning agencies in their public involvement efforts.

• Include public comment from mail, e-mail, and internet interaction for people who can't attend Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) public meetings.

• Bringing public information and comment opportunities to the Internet. These sites provide 24-hour access to project information for citizens who can't make it to public meetings, as well as allowing them a forum for questions and comments.

Implementing policy
The Transportation Board appoints the transportation department's director and delegates certain powers. The director in turn delegates authority and responsibility for performing work to transportation department managers.

Policies are recommended to the Idaho Transportation Board by transportation department staff and nine advisory boards and committees.