Amy Schroeder selected to head up next GARVEE program

Amy Schroeder, manager of the recent award-winning, $857 million Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle (GARVEE) Program, will return to lead the next round of GARVEE bonding approved by the Idaho Legislature during their recent 2017 session.

The legislature approved up to $300 million in bonding this time around. The first piece is the I-84 expansion between the Franklin Blvd. and Karcher Interchange in Nampa.

The original GARVEE program wrapped up in 2015, after a decade of investment in the state’s roads and bridges unprecedented in scope since the interstate system was built through Idaho in the 1960s. GARVEE allowed Idaho to invest in highway improvement projects in six corridors throughout the state, starting in 2006.

The 59 GARVEE projects were delivered without any delay to the regular construction program.

GARVEE projects also were delivered at an accelerated pace and at lower costs than anticipated. Funding the necessary improvements would have taken 30 years under the existing pay-as-you-go method. This enabled motorists to use the roads and bridges earlier and enhanced the state’s commerce and commercial transportation.

Schroeder has been with ITD’s District 3 office serving the 10 southwest Idaho counties as the Engineering Manager since 2011. She will be leaving D3 and returning to ITD Headquarters to manage the program. The transition period has yet to be decided. Schroeder will continue to work closely with D3 on Interstate 84 work, and possibly other district priorities, depending upon what the Idaho Transportation Board decides to do with the remaining bonding authority.

“I’m honored to be selected and get to work addressing needs in critical corridors,” Schroeder said.

“The initial GARVEE Program showed the traveling public that the department can and will deliver on its commitments. The success of GARVEE also translated into a level of trust within the legislature, and that was the catalyst for the additional bonding authority,” she added.

“Amy is very experienced in complex projects and with the demands of the GARVEE program,” said ITD Chief Deputy Scott Stokes. “Her experience fits perfectly with what the state of Idaho needs to deliver projects quickly on this high-profile program.”

“Amy is also very experienced in finding innovations and solutions that are unique that help ITD, not only in the GARVEE program, but also statewide in other projects and districts,” he added.

“Like most ITD projects, success will involve a team effort with unified vision. Amy can find and unify the resources needed for this challenging program to be successful.“

Memorial Day Weekend Marks Beginning of 100 Deadliest Days

BOISE – The Memorial Day weekend is almost here marking the unofficial start of summer. The holiday weekend brings along with it backyard cookouts and camping trips – it also marks the beginning of the deadliest time on Idaho’s roads.

The time between the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends are often referred to as the “100 Deadliest Days.” It is a time of year when deadly crashes tend to spike.

“The weather is nicer and the days are longer and more people are out on the roads,” said Josephine Middleton from the Idaho Transportation Department Office of Highway Safety.

In 2016 there were 252 people killed on Idaho’s roads – 85 of those crashes happened between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend.

“It seems that sometimes people let their guard down because of the nicer driving conditions and they aren’t as cautious as they could be,” Middleton added. “We receive reports of impaired, aggressive and distracted driving crashes every summer – these crashes can don’t have to happen.”

ITD and its highway safety partners have several mobilizations planned for the summer months. These efforts are designed to enforce traffic safety laws and educate the public. During the summer these mobilizations will focus on seatbelt usage and impaired driving.

“Our partnerships with law enforcement are so important to us,” Middleton said, “but so is our partnership with each and every Idahoan who gets inside a car. We can all do little things to make our roads safer – be patient, get a designated driver, put away the distractions and buckle up and we can all get to our destinations safely this summer.”

In addition to an increase in cars on the roads, motorists also need to keep their eye out for other road users as motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians take advantage of the summer weather to get out of their cars.

“Look Twice for Motorcycles” during May’s Motorcycle Awareness Month

BOISE – Warming temperatures have people across the state looking for ways to get out and enjoy the spring weather. For many Idahoans, that enjoyment comes by riding a motorcycle on one of our many scenic highways.

“Idaho is a great place for motorcycle riding,” said Lane Triplett from the Idaho Coalition for Motorcycle Safety. “Our roads have beautiful scenic views that require varying degrees of technical riding ability, which is why riders from around the globe come to our state.”

Idaho’s beautiful highways have been a dangerous place for some motorcyclists — 140 people were killed in motorcycle crashes between 2011 and 2016, with 42 percent of those crashes involving other vehicles.

“Drivers and riders alike need to share the responsibility of keeping our roads safe,” said Triplett. “We realize it’s our job to ride safely and sanely but we want you to take that extra second and think about motorcyclists while we’re out on the highway.”

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and its partners in motorcycle safety remind drivers to “Look Twice for Motorcycles” to help prevent motorcycle rider deaths and injuries during May’s Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.

“As drivers, we need to do our part and look out for motorcyclists because they are smaller and hard to see,” said Josephine Middleton, of ITD’s Office of Highway Safety.

“As motorcyclists, we need to wear protective gear and always be prepared for the worst, because in most crashes between motorcycles and other vehicles, the drivers of the other vehicle did not see the motorcycle until it was too late,” Middleton explained.

She offered tips to drivers on how to prevent a fatal crash with a motorcycle:

• Though a motorcycle is a small vehicle, its operator still has the same rights as any other motorist. Allow the motorcycle the full width of a lane at all times.
• Always signal when changing lanes or merging with traffic.
• If you see a motorcycle with a signal on, be careful: motorcycle signals are often non-canceling and could have been forgotten. Always ensure that the motorcycle is turning before proceeding.
• Check mirrors and blind spots for motorcycles before changing lanes or merging with traffic, especially at intersections.
• Always allow more following distance – three to four seconds – when behind a motorcycle. This gives them more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.
• Never drive or ride distracted or impaired.

Completion of the Idaho STAR Motorcycle Rider Training Program may mean up to an 89-percent reduction in the risk of a fatal crash, according to analysis of crash data.

“Can you reduce your chance of crashing on a motorcycle? Yes, you can, by taking motorcycle-rider training,” said Sunshine Beer, director of the Idaho STAR Program.

Motorcyclists can increase their safety by following these steps:

• Wear a DOT-compliant helmet and other protective gear.
• Obey all traffic laws and be properly licensed.
• Use hand and turn signals at every lane change or turn.
• Wear brightly colored clothes and reflective tape to increase visibility.
• Ride in the part of the lane where you will be the most visible to drivers.
• Never ride distracted or impaired.

To learn more about the Idaho STAR motorcycle-rider training program, go to http://idahostar.org/

Looking back on a historic, record-setting winter

The 2016/2017 winter and spring across Idaho will likely be remembered for its intensity on all fronts-from snow to floods to the damage left in its wake. In this edition of ITD in Motion, Jennifer Gonzalez talked to our crews on the front line about their experiences battling every challenge Mother Nature has thrown our way.

Drive smart: slow down in work zones

Construction season is once more gearing up across Idaho which means plenty of orange on the roads – on both people and cones.

Of course the orange isn’t there to make you think of hunting season or add some color to your drive. It’s to make you aware of the dangers present in work zones. When ITD employees wear orange they want you to see them and to slow down!

This year, more than 100 members of ITD’s staff who aren’t typically out on the roads came together and wore orange to share this message of safety, and to show support for those who take risks repairing and maintaining our roads and bridges. You can see a video of the event below.

Don’t forget, fines for traffic violations increase in work zones. More importantly, you can help be an agent for change by slowing down and driving cautiously when you come to a construction project.

Help our people make it home safe this year!

ITD warns against impaired driving

St. Patrick’s Day has become one of the nation’s most popular times to celebrate and party. But unfortunately, too many people are taking to the roads after drinking alcohol, making the holiday one of our most dangerous. In fact, 30 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes across the nation during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period in 2015.

The Idaho Transportation Department is teaming with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and law enforcement groups statewide March 10-17 on extra patrols to curb these needless tragedies. These groups also want to share the message that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

According to NHTSA, 252 people lost their lives in drunk-driving-related crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period from 2011-2015. More than a fourth of them were killed in drunk-driving crashes that occurred in the early morning, post-party hours after midnight.

If you plan to celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day, please follow these tips to stay safe:

– Before celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, decide whether you’ll drink or you’ll drive. You can’t do both.

– If you’re planning on driving, commit to staying sober. If you’ve been out drinking and then get behind the wheel, you run the risk of causing a crash or getting arrested for a DUI.

– If you have been drinking, call a taxi or sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.

– Also, try NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, which helps users call a taxi or a friend for a ride home and identify their location so they can be picked up.

– Walking while intoxicated can also be deadly, as lack of attention could put you at risk of getting hit by a vehicle.

– Help those around you be responsible, too. If someone you know is drinking, do not let them get behind the wheel and help them find a sober ride home.

– If you see someone who appears to be driving drunk, call the police. Your actions could help save a life.

Impaired driving causes tragedies all year round. According to NHTSA, 35,092 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2015, and 10,265 (29 percent) of those fatalities occurred in drunk-driving-related crashes. Remember this St. Patrick’s Day: Plan Before You Party! Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. For more information, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov.

Traffic safety grants available to gov’t, nonprofit

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is providing federal grants to promote behaviors that lead to better traffic safety. The grants are available through Feb. 17 via the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety. State or local governments and nonprofit groups are eligible to apply.