Public comment sought on Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP)

The department is seeking public comment from July 1-30 on the draft of the Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP), and all transportation stakeholders are encouraged to participate. The draft ITIP can be viewed online.

The ITIP is a “roadmap” for planning and developing transportation projects from FY2018 to 2024, including:

– Highways and bridges
– Bicycle and pedestrian facilities
– Highway safety
– Railroad crossing safety
– Airports
– Public transportation
– Transportation planning
– Freight

The Idaho Transportation Project Map is an online, interactive map that allows users to choose specific categories of draft ITIP projects, and learn about work that is planned for any area of Idaho. The draft ITIP document lists projects by highway route and location, identifies projected years for right-of-way acquisition, preliminary engineering, construction and estimated project costs. It also lists local construction projects that are federally funded.

Public comments will help the department determine if proposed projects meet the department’s main objectives of improving safety, mobility and economic opportunity.

The ITIP relies on input from elected officials, citizens, tribal governments, other state and federal agencies, Idaho’s metropolitan planning organizations, the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council, and other interested organizations.

Comments can be e-mailed to adam.rush@itd.idaho.gov or mailed to ITIP – Comments, Attn: Adam Rush, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707-1129. Paper or CD copies of the ITIP will be provided upon request by contacting Rush at (208) 334-8119 or by e-mail at adam.rush@itd.idaho.gov.

Public comment sought on I-15/Siphon Road Interchange project

POCATELLO – The public is invited to submit input via an online comment portal on the proposed Interstate 15/Siphon Road Interchange project. The project is currently being developed, with construction starting as early as 2018.

The interchange will be built approximately three-quarters of a mile north of the Chubbuck Road overpass (milepost 73.5) in Bannock County.

The public comment portal can be found at: http://arcg.is/1quH81.

The portal includes a comment form and map featuring the preliminary design of the proposed interchange and its local connector roads. Additionally, it allows users to view a listing of all submitted comments.

The I-15/Siphon Road Interchange project includes the construction of a bridge over I-15 with interstate highway entrance/exit ramps. Any new local roads connecting the existing local-road network to the new interchange will be built by local entities prior to the completion of the new interchange.

The need for the interchange arises from the following issues:

– Limited existing access to I-15 north of the I-15/I-86 junction causes out-of-direction travel that contributes to congestion on U.S. 91 (Yellowstone Avenue)

– Limited existing access to I-15 north of the I-15/I-86 junction is not expected to accommodate the area’s projected future growth northeast of Pocatello and Chubbuck in Bannock County

– Crash rates on U.S. 91 and I-15 in the Pocatello/Chubbuck area exceed statewide averages

Since the previous public outreach for the I-15/Siphon Road Interchange project was concluded more than five years ago, the transportation department will provide an update on the project and invite the public to submit comments on the proposed interchange layout.

Comments are being accepted through July 31. They can be e-mailed to adam.rush@itd.idaho.gov, or to greydon.wright@itd.idaho.gov. Comments also can be mailed to: Idaho Transportation Department, Attn: Adam Rush, 3311 W. State Street, Boise, ID 83703.

Those with questions about the project can contact Adam Rush at (208) 334-8119, or Greydon Wright at (208) 239-3317.

For questions or comments regarding the construction of the new local connector roads outside interstate right-of-way, please contact the city of Chubbuck, city of Pocatello, or Bannock County.

Transportation department to host public meeting June 21 on U.S. 95 improvements

COEUR D’ALENE – A public meeting will be held Wednesday (June 21) to share information on planned improvements to a section of U.S. 95.

The meeting is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Idaho Transportation Department’s district office at 600 W. Prairie Avenue, Coeur d’Alene. Project staff will be available to answer questions, and displays will illustrate information. Those interested in attending can stop by any time within those three hours.

The transportation department, Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization, city of Coeur d’Alene and city of Hayden received a FASTLANE grant to make improvements along 8.9 miles of U.S. 95. The improvements will be from Interstate 90 to the U.S. 95 intersection with Idaho 53. FASTLANE grants are given to regionally and nationally significant highway projects that improve safety, reduce congestion and contribute to economic opportunity, among other improvements.

Improvements include correcting traffic signal spacing to remove two traffic signals and add two traffic signals, adding adaptive signal timing, modifying vehicle-median crossings at non-signalized locations to reduce the number of crossing conflict points and adding left turn lanes and right turn lanes at certain locations to improve mobility on side streets.

Comments are being accepted on the improvements, and can be e-mailed to CarrieAnn Hewitt at carrieann.hewitt@itd.idaho.gov, or mailed to Hewitt at Idaho Transportation Department, 600 W. Prairie Avenue, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.

For additional information, please visit: https://itd.idaho.gov/d1/?target=planning, and click on “US-95 N Corridor Access Improvement.”

Those with questions about the public meeting or U.S. 95 improvements can call CarrieAnn at (208) 772-1230.