Idaho Transportation Department

Plan is to provide guidance on taking care of the existing system, identify ways to make the system work better, and help ITD work better. The Team is on track and anticipates meeting the January 2011 deadline to complete the statewide plan, report on all strategic performance measures, and design and implement management systems.

CE Cole said the pavement and maintenance management systems should be under contract by the end of the year. The pavement management system will provide an on-going assessment of the roadway, according to Jeff Miles, Materials Engineer. It will provide cost effective methods to take care of the system and help staff make better decisions. Steve Spoor, Maintenance Services Manager, said similarly, the maintenance management system will provide guidance on allocating resources in the maintenance arena. It also includes an asset management component for features like signs, traffic signals, culverts, and guardrail.

Administrator, Division of Administration (ADA) Dave Tolman, said the next accountability report is due to the Governor’s Office on November 1. Not all of the data from the first tracking period has been collected and analyzed. Staff will continue working on this effort.

The Board thanked staff for the informative presentations and its efforts on the numerous initiatives. It emphasized the need to communicate the Department’s various accomplishments and to keep reports short and easy to understand.

WHEREUPON the work session recessed at 4:35 PM.

October 14, 2009

The Board reconvened at 8:15 AM on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at the Idaho Transportation Department in Boise. In addition to the members present on October 13, Members Jerry Whitehead, District 3, and Gary Blick, District 4, were present.

Executive Session on Personnel Issues. Member Blick made a motion to meet in executive session at 8:15 AM to discuss personnel issues as authorized in Idaho Code Section 67-2345(a). Member Gagner seconded the motion and it passed 5-0 by individual roll call vote.

A discussion was held on personnel issues related to the filling of a public office.

The Board came out of executive session at 4:05 PM. No final actions or decisions were made.

WHEREUPON the meeting recessed at 4:05 PM.

October 15, 2009

The Board reconvened at 8:30 AM on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at the Idaho Transportation Department in Boise. All members were present.

Board Minutes. Member Blick made a motion to approve the minutes of the regular Board meeting held on September 16-18, 2009 as submitted. Member Gagner seconded the motion and it passed unopposed.

Board Meeting Dates. The following meeting dates and locations were scheduled:

November 18-19, 2009 – Boise

December 17-18, 2009 – Boise

Consent Calendar. Member Gagner made a motion, seconded by Vice Chairman Miller, and passed unanimously, to approve the following resolution:

RES. NO. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Idaho Transportation Board approves the

ITB09-47 addition of Cheney Drive, Washington Street to North College Road, College of Southern Idaho to FY12 of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program; and revisions to Board Policy, B-12-03, Traffic Minute Entries; and has received and reviewed the annual report on speed zone changes by city ordinance; the contract award information; and the professional services agreements and term agreement work task report.

1) Add Cheney Drive, Washington Street to North College Road, College of Southern Idaho (CSI) to FY12 of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. Idaho received Congressional earmarks of $750,000 in the FY06 Appropriations Act and $480,000 in the FY08 Appropriations Act for the CSI Student Safety Initiative. Safety improvements were constructed at the campus intersection with Falls Avenue in FY08, utilizing $500,000 of the earmarked funds. The College would like to develop Cheney Drive, Washington Street to North College Road, in FY10 with construction estimated at $1.8 million in FY12. Approximately $713,000 is remaining from the Congressional earmarks to fund this project. Local funds of approximately $1.7 million will be used for the remaining development and construction costs.

2) Revisions to Board Policy B-12-03, Traffic Minute Entries. This policy was revised to delete the distinction of “routine” and “non-routine” traffic minute entries and gives the authority for approval of all traffic minute entries to the Director or delegate. This will streamline and expedite the Traffic Minute Entry process.

3) Annual Report on Speed Zone Changes by City Ordinance. Throughout the state, there are 63 locations in 33 cities where cities have imposed speed limit changes that have gone against the recommendations of the Department since legislation was enacted in 1997 allowing incorporated cities to establish speed limits within their jurisdiction on sections of the State Highway System. Authority to establish speed limits within highway sections with access control Types 4 and 5 is retained by ITD. The results from studies done since implementation of city-imposed speed limits through 2009 suggest drivers are more inclined to disobey city-imposed speed reductions. No definite conclusions can be made on collisions due to limited information available; however, preliminary observations show crash rates in speed zones established by city action have not changed when comparing pre-speed zone reduction data with post-speed zone reduction data.

4) Contract Awards. Key #11955 – Teton Highway, Fremont County, District 6. Low bidder: H-K Contractors, Inc. - $209,487.

Key #9473 – US-95, McKinzie Bridge, Idaho County, District 2. Low bidder: Harcon Incorporated - $824,086.

Key #11149 – I-15 and US-20, FY09 District 6 Sign Upgrades. Low bidder: Eagle Rock Blasting, Inc. - $88,625.

Key #9799 – US-12, Clearwater River Bridge, Nezperce County, District 2. Low bidder: McAlvain Civil Constructors, Inc. - $1,213,203.

Key #9233 – US-91, Intersection Reservation Road, Bannock County, District 5. Low bidder: Gale Lim Construction LLC - $629,561.

Key #11037 – US-95 and US-12, FY09 District 2 Sign Upgrades. Low bidder: Specialty Construction Supply, LLC - $104,576.

Key #11928 – SH-51, Nevada/Idaho State Line to Sheep Creek Road, Owyhee County, District 3. Low bidder: Valley Paving & Asphalt, Inc. - $1,921,993.

Key #11546 – SH-58, Washington State Line to Junction US-95, Kootenai County, District 1. Low bidder: Hap Taylor & Sons, Inc. dba Knife River - $557,809.

Key #11606 – SH-24, Milner Gooding Canal to Shoshone High School, District 4. Low bidder: Kloepfer, Inc. - $381,174.

Keys #9219 and #8890 – I-84, Burley to Declo and Heyburn Interchange Overpass, District 4. Low bidder: Hap Taylor & Sons, Inc. dba Knife River - $12,781,463.

5) Professional Services Agreements and Term Agreement Work Task Report. From August 31 through September 28, $2,964,800 in new professional services agreements and work tasks were issued. Eight supplemental agreements to existing agreements were processed in the amount of $587,520 during this period.

Board Items. Chairman Manning summarized his recent activities, including continuing efforts to fill the Director position, participating in the second Governor’s Task Force on Modernizing Transportation Funding meeting, and meetings with the Governor’s Office to discuss the GARVEE Program.

Acting Director’s Report. ADIR Stokes elaborated on the recent Task Force meeting, which focused on the needs of the system. No expansion projects were included in the overview; however, the Task Force members requested a future discussion on the expansion needs to address growth. Some discussion followed on the definition of expansion and, particularly, on the issue of adding mileage to the state highway system.

Presentation – Technology Transfer (T2) Center. Bruce Drewes, T2 Center Manager, said the Center serves as Idaho’s Local Technical Assistance Program. It is an educational and information clearinghouse for the local highway jurisdictions. The T2 Center was established in 1986 within ITD. From 1996 to early 2009 it was housed at the University of Idaho and was then moved to the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council. The Center plays a critical role in advancing the local surface transportation system and is a partner for training and technical assistance throughout the local transportation community. Its focus areas are safety, infrastructure management, professional development, and continuous improvement.

Mr. Drewes said one of the T2 Center’s successes is the Idaho Road Scholar Program. This program is a way for local road professionals to be recognized for successfully completing a series of training courses. The curriculum is designed to provide participants with the fundamentals of safety, management, and advanced technologies, plus a wide variety of other topics relevant to the transportation industry.

Mr. Drewes was pleased to recognize ITD employee Carl Vaughn for his recent completion of the Road Scholar Program. Mr. Vaughn works in the Hammett Maintenance Shed.

Chairman Manning thanked Mr. Drewes for the informative presentation and congratulated Mr. Vaughn for completing the Road Scholar Program.

Annual Update on ITD’s Research Program. Research Program Manager (RPM) Ned Parrish said the budget for research activities in FY10 is $1.4 million. The Research Advisory Council identified seven new projects for FY10. The projects are in accordance with the Department’s strategic goals and initiatives: customer service, partnerships, accountability reporting, practical design, and safety. Some of the projects currently underway include a partnership survey, studying customer service best practices, and evaluating the feasibility of using concrete sealers to extend pavement life. Some of the projects to be completed or initiated in FY10 include reviewing chip seal practices, examining crash reduction benefits of selected safety improvements, studying winter maintenance practices, and comparing ITD pavement design with pavement design specifications in other states.

RPM Parrish also demonstrated the recently-developed website that provides information about current research projects, online access to completed research reports, and search tools. Other program activities included assisting with the transfer of the T2 Center from the University of Idaho to LHTAC, responding to information requests, and collaborating with national and regional groups.

Chairman Manning thanked RPM Parrish for the presentation.

ITD Strategic Plan Quarterly Update. Aeronautics Administrator John DeThomas, Expanding and Enhancing Partnerships Team Leader, reported on the team’s efforts. Internal and external surveys were completed. Focus groups will be established to compare the survey results.

Investing in Our People Team Leader Mary Harker, Human Resources Manager, reported that the employee performance plan has been revised. The Department’s values have been identified, communicated to employees, and incorporated into the performance system. Work is continuing on employee recognition and the new employee orientation.

MVA Frew, Team Leader for Improving Customer Service, said a Customer Service Council has been established. All Divisions are represented on the Council. He referenced the preliminary results of the customer survey, which were reported to the Board at the work session earlier this week. A survey of best practices in other states will be completed by January.

Chairman Manning thanked staff for the update and the continued efforts on this important initiative.

Division of Administration Strategic Plan Action Items. ADA Tolman said CobiT implementation is one of the Division’s activities for the Leading Through Agency Performance focus areas. CobiT provided the framework to restructure and reorganize the Enterprise Technology Services Section in order to meet its objectives, including improving accountability, customer service, quality, and project delivery. Another initiative is the data warehouse project. Reports will integrate financial data and performance measurement data from the pavement management, maintenance management, project scheduling, and Division of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) systems. It will also link input resources with output achievements when all management systems are integrated. It will facilitate improved decision-making at the Department.

ADA Tolman elaborated on some of the Expanding and Enhancing Partnerships activities. Through a joint effort with DMV and Idaho State Police, wireless networking was installed at Port of Entry sites and other designated areas across the state. Another activity was the establishment of a Department-wide continuity of operations plan. One of the Improving Customer Service actions is a recently-implemented customer service survey to identify ways the Enterprise Technology Services Section can improve communications, meet the needs of its customers, and ensure the support service staff has the resources and ability to adequately address customer issues providing adequate response time and high quality results. The survey data from the first 90 days will provide the baseline for performance measures.

Chairman Manning thanked ADA Tolman for the report.

Monthly Financial Statements and Highway Program Obligations. Dave Amick, Manager, Transportation Investments, reported that approximately $336 million had been obligated for projects in the STIP by the end of September, or approximately 99% of the project costs. At the same time last year, $340 million, or about 90%, had been obligated. He mentioned that the federal transportation bill expired on September 30. Because a new act has not been enacted, a 30-day extension was implemented. It provides ITD less than 1/12^th of Idaho’s FY09 appropriations and provides little flexibility with spending authority.

Controller Gordon Wilmoth said FHWA Indirect Cost Allocation revenue was $8,261,424 through August, which exceeded the projected amount of $5,450,000. Miscellaneous revenue to the State Highway Fund of $4,336,548 was almost $500,000 below the forecast. Highway Distribution Account revenue, excluding ethanol exemption elimination, was $28,606,479. The projected revenue was $28,875,700. Total expenditures in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Title XII Fund were $5,800,320. Expenditures in the LHTAC-administered ARRA Title XIV account were zero.

Controller Wilmoth reported that revenue to the State Aeronautics Fund from aviation fuels of $282,396 was above the projected revenue of $249,128. He noted that although the variance was positive in August, it was negative in July and September. It is not known if the negative variance is a trend or if it is a reporting issue; however, earlier in the week the Aeronautics Advisory Board approved holdbacks to prepare for a revenue deficit. Staff will continue to monitor the budget and take additional action as needed.

Over Height Detection of Trucks. Highway Operations and Safety Engineer (HOSE) Brent Jennings said over time, ITD roadway structures have experienced several collisions and resultant damages from commercial vehicles. Most of these incidents occurred on the Interstate system. Although the collisions are not officially tracked, it was determined that there have been 69 instances of vehicular bridge impacts on state highways since 1990. The hits have been random and sporadic. Staff believes tracking the information, including the cost of structure repair and economic loss resulting from road closures and detours, would be useful.

HOSE Jennings stated that the permitting system is supposed to prevent these collisions. Other measures that could be implemented include increased signage of vertical height, hanging chains, and active over-height detection systems. He elaborated on the latter approach, whereby warning devices alert derivers if their vehicles are over the height limitations for an upcoming structure. Data from other states on the effectiveness of this system is inconclusive. A pilot project for the I-90 corridor in the Coeur d’Alene area is being considered because there are four bridges within a one-mile stretch that have all been hit by over-height vehicles. Estimated costs for the detection and warning system are $300,000. If a pilot project is implemented, HOSE Jennings recommends evaluating the data after two years to determine the benefits of the detection and warning system. If the results are positive, over-height detection systems could be installed at other locations throughout the state that are susceptible to these bridge hits.

Chairman Manning thanked HOSE Jennings for the report.

GARVEE Funding Authorization. GARVEE Program Manager Jason Brinkman presented two options for the FY11 funding authorization. Both options fund construction of the I-84, Franklin to Garrity project, estimated at $48 million plus $1 million for program management, and utilize $30 million in savings. Option B also includes $11 million for SH-16 right-of-way; US-95, Chilco Mainline and Frontage Roads; and another $1 million for program management. Chairman Manning added that another option is to not request any bonding authority in FY11.

Member Coleman expressed support for Option B. Although he questioned purchasing right-of-way for the SH-16 corridor without confirmation that construction will be funded, he acknowledged the importance of acquiring right-of-way for the project. Member Blick also questioned purchasing right-of-way before construction funds are secured. ADIR Stokes stated that the GARVEE Program was initiated without guarantees that the projects would be constructed, as several projects needed environmental clearance and right-of-way acquisition. The assumption was that bonding authorization would be approved on an on-going basis until the projects were constructed.

Member Whitehead commented on the growth in the Treasure Valley. If the right-of-way for the SH-16 extension is not secured at this time, he is concerned that the cost will increase significantly in the future. He believes it is important to plan for the future and acquire the property at this time.

Although Member Gagner understands the need to plan for the future, he does not believe acquiring the right-of-way at this time is prudent. He is concerned that there would be an expectation to construct the SH-16 extension, but funding has not been secured for that. He expressed support for Option A.

Chairman Manning noted that there are several steps before construction on a project can begin. The environmental process needs to be completed, design completed, and the right-way obtained.

Member Coleman made a motion to approve the following resolution. Member Whitehead seconded the motion.

Vice Chairman Miller expressed concern with the Department’s revenue and with the poor economic situation. He requested the inclusion of language in the resolution stating that the Board is to review the GARVEE expenditures periodically. Without objection that wording was added to the resolution.

RES. NO. WHEREAS, the Idaho Transportation Board is charged with determining the timeframe and

ITB09-48 scope of improvements for the state transportation system; and

WHEREAS, Idaho Code 40-315 authorizes federal-aid debt financing through the issuance of Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle (GARVEE) bonds by the Idaho Housing and Finance Association for highway transportation projects; and

WHEREAS, legislative appropriations enacted in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 authorized the issuance of GARVEE bonds to finance a total of $681 million in projects; and

WHEREAS, the Board is granted the statutory responsibility and duty to allocate GARVEE bond proceeds among legislatively authorized projects, including the following:

- US-95, Garwood to Sagle

- US-95, Worley to Setters

- SH-16, Extension, I-84 to South Emmett

- I-84, Caldwell to Meridian

- I-84, Orchard to Isaacs Canyon

- US-30, McCammon to Soda Springs; and

WHEREAS, additional funding will be required to complete the projects listed above, except US-95, Worley to Setters; I-84, Orchard to Isaacs Canyon; and US-30, McCammon to Lava Hot Springs; and

WHEREAS, the continuation of GARVEE funding authorizations advances the progress in each of the remaining GARVEE corridors.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board approves the Draft GARVEE FY11 Working Plan, which is on file in the GARVEE Program Office, a summary of which has been provided to the Board; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board requests legislative bonding authority for FY11 in the principle amount of $45 million, which shall be submitted as a separate item in the annual budget request from the Idaho Transportation Department for consideration during the 2010 legislative session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the expenditures shall be periodically reviewed by the Board.

Member Blick suggested incorporating explicit language that the construction funds for the SH-16 extension have not been secured. Member Whitehead referenced other projects where the right-of-way was acquired years in advance of the construction. Sometimes it is imperative to obtain right-of-way in advance, before construction funds have been identified. He believes now is an opportune time to purchase the right-of-way for the SH-16 extension.

The motion passed 3-2. With Members Coleman and Whitehead voting in the affirmative, Vice Chairman Miller and Member Gagner voting nay, and Member Blick abstaining, Chairman Manning broke the tie with an affirmative vote.

Executive Session on Personnel and Legal Issues. Member Blick made a motion to meet in executive session at 11:10 AM to discuss personnel and legal issues as authorized in Idaho Code Section 67-2345(a) and (f). Member Gagner seconded the motion and it passed 5-0 by individual roll call vote.

A discussion was held on legal matters related to the US-95, Sandpoint North and South project.

A discussion was held on personnel issues related to the filling of a public office.

The Board came out of executive session at 12:15 PM. No final actions or decisions were made.

Old Business. Member Coleman referenced the July 2009 Board meeting. The City of Post Falls requested approval to proceed with the design of the I-90, Greensferry project, with the locals providing over $1 million for the design costs. The Board approved that request and approved adding the project to the STIP for design only. Member Coleman understands that ITD staff cannot work on this project due to paperwork concerns. A mechanism has not been implemented whereby the Department can be reimbursed by the City.

ADIR Stokes said he is aware of the situation and will have it resolved soon. He will provide an update on this issue at the next Board meeting.

WHEREUPON, the Idaho Transportation Board’s regular monthly meeting officially adjourned at 12:30 PM.

________________signed______________

DARRELL V MANNING, Chairman

Idaho Transportation Board

Read and Approved

November 18, 2009

Boise, Idaho