Public hearing for US-95 improvements held Jan. 31 in Coeur d’Alene

A public hearing will be held Wednesday (Jan. 31) to share information on proposed improvements to the section of US-95 between Interstate 90 and Idaho Highway 53 in Kootenai County. The hearing will be at the Idaho Transportation Department District 1 Office at 600 W. Prairie Avenue in Coeur d’Alene.

Proposed improvements include:

– Optimizing traffic signal spacing by removing two signals and adding two signals

– Modifying traffic signal timing

– Extending Wilbur between US-95 and Government Way

– Modifying vehicle-median crossings at non-signalized locations

– Adding new turn lanes

– Reconstructing the bike path along the highway

Proposed improvements are funded in part by a $5.1 million FASTLANE grant awarded to ITD and the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization in October 2016. FASTLANE grants recognize the nation’s top goods-movement projects.

The hearing will be in an open-house format, and those interested are invited to arrive any time between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Displays will illustrate proposed improvements, and project staff will be available to answer questions. Hearing officers will be available to record verbal testimony.

Additionally, comments may be mailed and will become part of the project record if postmarked by Feb. 15. Address them to: Carrie Ann Hewitt, 600 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815. Comments also can be emailed to: carrieann.hewitt@itd.idaho.gov.

For more information on the project or to comment online, visit https://itd.idaho.gov/d1//, choose “Projects” and then choose US-95: N Corridor Access Improvements or visit the project website. Comments will be accepted Jan. 31 – Feb. 15, 2018.

Transportation Board Approves Northgate Engineering Funding

BOISE – The Idaho Transportation Board agreed to fund the remainder of the cost to finish to design the Northgate (Siphon Road) Interchange in southeast Idaho. The board unanimously passed a resolution to fund the engineering and design costs of approximately $1.5 million for the project.

The project would connect parts of north Pocatello and Chubbuck to Interstate 15 near Siphon Road. ITD is currently working with the cities of Chubbuck and Pocatello, Bannock County, the Pocatello Development Authority and Millennial Development to fund construction of this interchange.

By authorizing the completion of the engineering and design, the project would be ready for construction when a resolution for funding the project along with the right of way acquisition are complete.

“This interchange presents a unique opportunity to work closely with the private sector and other local agencies,” said Board Chairman Jerry Whitehead in a previous news release. “We understand why local residents are excited about this project. We think it will increase mobility and bring greater economic opportunity for the community.”

Last June, the Board passed a resolution authorizing the construction of an $8.4 million interchange at the location. After an engineering study, it was determined it would cost a total of $12.5 million to build an interchange sufficient to meet existing and future needs in the area. ITD is working with local agencies to determine the best way to fund the project increase.

ITD seeks public comment Jan. 25 in CDA on ID-41 expansion

The Idaho Transportation Department invites the public to a hearing about the expansion of Idaho Highway 41 from Prairie Avenue to Boekel Road. The meeting will be held Jan. 25 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Coeur d’Alene office at 600 West Prairie Avenue.

The $25-million project from Prairie Avenue to Boekel Road is part of a larger project to safely accommodate the projected growth of the region by transforming ID-41 into a divided four-lane highway from Post Falls to Rathdrum.

“The improved highway will serve as a safer and more efficient north-south route to I-90,” project manager John Vaudreuil said. “Expanding ID-41 will enhance safety, improve mobility and promote economic development in the area.”

The public hearing will focus solely on the proposed changes, which are also featured on the project website at http://arcg.is/0P9aau. Improvements for this four-mile section of the highway will take two years to build, with construction beginning in 2020.

Besides expanding the highway to four lanes separated by a grassy median, the project will replace the signal at Hayden Avenue and add signals and turn lanes at Lancaster Road and Nagel Lane, Vaudreuil said.

Other features of the project include safety improvements near railroads and the possible addition of pedestrian facilities in the corridor.

To enhance safety at the railroad crossing between Hayden Avenue and Wyoming Avenue, ITD will construct a grade separation so that the highway will pass over, rather than intersect, the crossing to limit opportunities for collisions. ITD is also working with the Union Pacific Railroad to remove the crossing between Prairie Avenue and Hayden Avenue, Vaudreuil said.

ITD is evaluating the feasibility of installing a pedestrian underpass near Nagel Lane. The underpass would facilitate foot traffic across the highway, Vaudreuil said.

Should the county or nearby cities of Post Falls or Rathdrum agree to maintain it, ITD would construct a multi-use pathway along the east side of the highway to connect the two cities.

Those who cannot attend the public hearing may visit the project website to learn more and to comment. Comments will be collected from Jan. 25 to Feb. 8.

ITD engineers strive to incorporate feedback from meetings and from online comments into the design of the project, as they have done in the past.

Vaudreuil said previous comments from public meetings and contact with property owners adjacent to the project suggested a preference for an expanded, median-divided highway and wide signalized intersections, rather than roundabouts, to accommodate U-turns.

“Public comment is critical to the project’s design and helps us deliver the best possible project to our users,” Vaudreuil said.

Paving awards are big win for north Idaho projects and drivers

COEUR D’ALENE – Three north Idaho projects received recognition from the National Asphalt and Paving Association just before Christmas for high-quality paving, signifying a big win for the Idaho Transportation Department, the contractor (Poe Asphalt Paving Inc.), and most importantly, the region’s drivers.

Paving for the second stage of US-95 near Sheep Creek, US-95 near Cougar Creek, and (pictured above) Sherman Avenue to Blue Creek Bay Bridge on Interstate 90 earned Quality in Construction awards.

“Our project managers and materials engineers work with contractors to ensure that the public receives a high-quality product,” said Marvin Fenn, an ITD engineering manager in north Idaho.

Awards were based on asphalt samples submitted to the National Center for Asphalt Technology in Alabama and reviewed for deviations and for consistency.

“Collaborating with ITD engineers is always a positive experience,” said Brian Poe, a project manager for Poe Asphalt and Paving in Post Falls. “It is great to work with a team that wants to deliver the best projects for the traveling public.”

ITD seeking dynamic communicator for eastern Idaho

The Idaho Transportation Department is looking for a Public Information Specialist to work in eastern Idaho and join the department’s Office of Communication in telling the story of one of the best transportation departments in the country.

If you are interested in working for an award-winning, dynamic, professional state agency, with a constructive culture focused on outstanding customer service and continuous employee improvement, this may be for you!

Top job candidates will have an opportunity to help make Idaho’s roads safer, increase mobility and promote economic opportunity, using skills in media relations, writing and collaboration.

Candidates must have strong writing skills, experience interacting with news media, an understanding of how to use social media effectively and the ability to collaborate with others to develop successful outreach campaigns and facilitate public hearings, meetings and events. The preferred candidate should also have a basic knowledge of photography, publication design, marketing, government relations experience and an understanding of how to write for print and broadcast mediums.

For more information or to apply, here’s a link to the job posting. The deadline for applications is Jan. 27.

$500k available from Idaho ADA curb ramp program in $60k grants

Individual grants of up to $60,000 are available to Idaho organizations statewide through a competitive application process ending March 2 for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Curb Ramp Program. In total, the Idaho Transportation Department will allocate $500,000 of state funds for this program.

Local jurisdictions (cities, counties and highway districts) and tribal governments are eligible to apply. Applications are available on the Idaho Transportation Department website at https://itd.idaho.gov/alt-programs/, under the ADA Curb Ramp Program tab on the left-hand side of the page.

The goal of the program is to partner with local agencies to provide accessible facilities for all pedestrians, especially those with disabilities.

Those applying in 2018 should be prepared to begin construction in May 2019. Project construction must be completed within two years of the execution of the Cooperative Agreement.

The Idaho ADA Curb Ramp Program is a state-administered program providing funding for projects to build or correct curb ramps on the state highway system.

Applications are evaluated by ITD, the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council and the Idaho Division of the Federal Highway Administration.

Completed applications should be sent to ITDAltContracting@itd.idaho.gov

North Idaho officers to work across jurisdictions to combat impaired driving this holiday season

During this holiday season, Kootenai County law enforcement agencies are partnering on a new strategy to protect the traveling public and to get impaired drivers off the road.

“We’re going to take the approach this season that we haven’t taken in quite some time—or ever for that matter—to have a multiagency task force to conduct emphasis patrols focusing entirely on impaired drivers,” said Idaho State Police Captain John Kempf.

With funding from the Idaho Transportation Department to cover the costs of extra patrols, local law enforcement agencies are coordinating multijurisdictional emphasis patrols on the weekends through New Year’s Eve. Each participating agency assigns additional officers to canvas the entire county, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries.

“We’ve noticed a pattern in the last several months,” Kempf said. “We’ve seen increases in drunk or drugged driving involved in not only crashes but also fatalities, and we’re working with other agencies to put on extra patrols to focus on this problem.”

Many law enforcement agencies throughout the state plan these patrols during the holidays when there are more drivers on the roads, but in Kootenai County, the patrols will be more organized than previous efforts, and hopefully, more effective.

“We’re going to have all of the officers from the different agencies that are participating use the same radio frequency,” Kempf said. “It allows them to remain focused on DUI enforcement and allow other officers to handle non-DUI calls.”

By using one radio channel for communication, officers from multiple agencies will be able to work as one team to catch impaired drivers, Kempf said.

“With this team-focused approach, we’re not going to worry about jurisdictional boundaries,” Kempf said.

Kempf said there will be extra officers from the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and the Idaho State Police patrolling for impaired drivers every weekend until the end of the year.

“If you suspect somebody of drinking and driving, dial 9-1-1. Officers will be dispatched to locate those drivers,” Kempf said. “We want everyone on the roads to be safe this holiday season, and anyone can help with that.”

Open house in Bonners Ferry Dec. 14 will explain upcoming changes to US-95

US-95 will be improved from the Kootenai River Bridge to Alderson Lane.

COEUR d’ALENE–The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) invites the public to an open house on Thursday (Dec. 14) to learn about a project to improve safety on US-95 through Bonners Ferry.

The open house will be held at Boundary County Middle School from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The open house will begin with a brief presentation on the key aspects of the project. Following the presentation, ITD staff will be available to answer any questions, project manager Ben Ward said.

“This project will improve safety for the many users of US-95 by providing improved pedestrian facilities, reducing the number of approaches to the highway, and controlling snow and water drainage better,” Ward said.

The project will be built in two phases at an estimated construction cost of $9.4 million. ITD contractors will be required to keep one lane of US-95 open in each direction during the day with the option to reduce the highway to one lane at night. Access to businesses along the highway will remain open during construction, Ward said.

The first phase of the project includes improvements to the South Hill to be constructed in 2018, and the second phase includes improvements on US-95 from Alderson Lane to Madison Street to be constructed in 2019.

The project will reduce US-95 to two lanes on the South Hill, allowing for the designation of acceleration lanes in both directions near Ash Street to make turns onto the highway easier, especially for trucks turning left to go up the hill. These acceleration lanes can also be used to reroute traffic and avoid delays in the event of stalled rigs or crashes on the South Hill, said Dan Budd, an ITD designer for the project.

The new merging point for southbound traffic will be moved north from the Madison Street intersection to the Kootenai Street intersection. A protected crosswalk will be placed just south of the Madison Street intersection to provide safer crossing for children going to the city’s swimming pool. Getting traffic into one lane before the Madison intersection will make it safer for the many pedestrians who will cross there, Budd said.

“We want drivers approaching the Madison intersection to be looking forward at the crosswalk, not looking back over their shoulder while trying to merge into one lane,” Budd said. “Pedestrians, often children, use that intersection to cross to the local swimming pool.”

The new crosswalk will be equipped with pedestrian-activated, high-intensity lights to bring drivers’ attention to the crosswalk and allow pedestrians to cross safely, Budd said.

As part of the first phase of the project, ITD contractors also will upgrade the streetlights on the South Hill to be more efficient, and the existing sidewalk will be expanded from 5 feet to 8 feet, Budd said.

Highway improvements from Alderson Lane to Madison Street include the creation of a consistent three-lane highway with wider shoulders to accommodate bicyclists and 6-foot sidewalks separated from the highway by a grass buffer, all illuminated by new lights.

The project will also remove the signal at Alderson Lane. ITD initially considered upgrading the signal due to its age, but further analysis determined that the signal was not warranted by the volume of vehicles using it, even during peak summer traffic, Ward said.

Those unable to attend the open house may view details by visiting the project website at http://arcg.is/P584v. The website also features general responses to comments received from three meetings held by ITD during the design process. Any additional questions about the project should be addressed to Ben Ward at (208) 772-1218 or Ben.Ward@itd.idaho.gov.

DMV offices statewide open as department, vendor strive to resolve computer issues

The Idaho Transportation Department will open all Division of Motor Vehicles driver’s license offices throughout the state today (Monday, December 11).

During the weekend, ITD’s driver’s license vendor, Gemalto, added additional server capacity in an effort to resolve the computer issues.

“We hope this will allow us to find the root cause of the issues we have been experiencing for more than a week now,” said Idaho DMV Administrator Alberto Gonzalez.

Although this isn’t the permanent fix, this may provide relief while ITD and Gemalto identify the long- term solution. Gemalto’s senior technical staff are in Boise and will work with ITD technical and DMV business staff to do everything possible to find a resolution to the issues.

These computer issues do not reside at the counties, but rather with the ITD computer system.

“We understand the frustration of our county driver’s license partners and our customers. We appreciate their patience and collaboration as we work diligently to solve this problem,” said Gonzalez. “Please know this is not the level of service ITD strives to provide. We are equally as frustrated and are doing everything possible to get this issue resolved.”

ITD will issue additional news releases as information becomes available. Also, 6this blog post is also updated regularly and contains a running tally with all the updates the department is providing the public.

ITD computer system stabilizing as technicians address problems affecting driver’s license offices

UPDATE: Tuesday, December 12 at 12:45 p.m.

Idaho Division of Motor Vehicle (DMV) offices statewide running normally on Tuesday, December 12 as technicians continue to stabilize the computer system.

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and our vendor, Gemalto, continue to work together to monitor the system and develop a final solution.

“We appreciate the patience from our partner’s at the county offices and our customers,” said DMV Administrator Alberto Gonzalez. “It has made a big difference as we work diligently to fix the problem and determine to cause.”

Continue to check this blog for updates.

UPDATE: Monday, December 11 at 5:00 p.m.

Service throughout the day Monday went well, with minimum delays to processing. All driver’s licenses will be open for business tomorrow.

“We feel like we are close to finalizing a solution that will take care of the week-long interruptions we have been experiencing,” said DMV Administrator Alberto Gonzalez.

UPDATE: Monday, December 11 at 11:00 a.m.

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) opened all county driver’s license offices Monday morning as troubleshooting continues to find the root cause of computer system issues.

ITD is working closely with its card vendor, Gemalto, to monitor the system. So far, transactions have been moving well. Given that a root cause has not yet been found, it is possible as more transactions occur the system will slow down. This has been a symptom of the computer issues.

Today, the department has identified several processes to isolate and test. Customers at the county offices may experience long wait times. ITD appreciates the public’s patience during this time.

“We are exploring all options at this time in order to fix the issue,” said DMV Administrator Alberto Gonzalez. “This level of service is not up to our standards or the standards the citizens of Idaho expect. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused to the public and out partners in the county offices.”

At this time, there is no estimate when the issues will be resolved.

UPDATE: Sunday, December 10 at 2:48 p.m.

The Idaho Transportation Department will open all Division of Motor Vehicles driver’s license offices throughout the state on Monday, December 11.

During the weekend ITD’s driver’s license vendor, Gemalto, added additional server capacity in an effort to resolve the computer issues.

“We hope this will allow us to find the root cause of the issues we have been experiencing for more than a week now,” said DMV Administrator Alberto Gonzalez.

Although this isn’t the permanent fix, this may provide relief while ITD and Gemalto identify the long term solution. Gemalto’s senior technical staff are in Boise and will work with ITD technical and DMV business staff to do everything possible to find a resolution to our issues.

These computer issues do not reside at the counties. It is the ITD computer system.

Continue to check this blog for the latest updates and information.

UPDATE: Friday, December 8 at 3:32 p.m.

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is allowing county driver’s license offices the option of closing Friday afternoon, effective immediately.

Due to continued computer issues, service at county offices has slowed. This has led more populous locations to experience long wait times. ITD, working hand-in-hand with its card issuing vendor Gemalto, is continuing to troubleshoot the problem. So far, a root cause has not yet been identified.

Following concerns for the safety of county staff members, ITD is allowing offices to close their doors. The department appreciates the public’s patience during this service disruption and deeply apologizes for the inconvenience.

The below counties have notified ITD they are closed for the remainder of business Friday. You can verify by contacting your county directly. Information here.

County offices closed:

Ada
Adams
Bear Lake
Canyon
Cassia
Freemont
Gem
Lemhi
Lewis
Lincoln
Nez Perce
Oneida
Power
Twin Falls
Washington

UPDATE: Friday, December 8 at 10:15 a.m.

The Idaho Transportation Department is continuing to investigate the root cause of computer system issues to driver’s license services. All county offices will have service, though long wait times are likely for more populous areas.

ITD has tried to isolate a number of functions to determine the root cause, but this has yet produced results. The service to counties works as expected until a high volume of transactions occur. At that time service dramatically slows, creating a backlog. This causes long wait times in counties processing many transactions.

These computer issues do not reside at the counties. It is the ITD computer system. The department continues to work with its card issuing vendor, Gemalto, and has brought in additional resources to work on this problem.

ITD recognizes and apologizes for the severe inconvenience this prolonged service disruption has caused to the public and county offices. All available resources are being expended to address this situation.

UPDATE: Thursday, December 7 at 5:00 p.m.

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) continues to work around the clock to identify and correct issues facing driver’s license computer systems and is keeping county offices open with limited service.

ITD is working closely with its card issuing vendor, Gemalto, and bringing in additional resources to troubleshoot these issues. Several attempts to identify the root cause have proven unsuccessful and further efforts continue.

In order to search for the problem, transactions by the public must be processing. This requires county offices to continue operations. Service during this time may be intermittent and cause delays to customers.

UPDATE: Thursday, December 7 at 12:53 p.m.

ITD is allowing all driver’s license offices to open, including Grangeville. Service speeds have been intermittent throughout the morning. Additional resources have been brought in to troubleshoot the problem.

Technicians are implementing a fix this afternoon. This requires a suspension of service to the counties. The plan is not to close county offices while this fix is implemented.

Some counties may choose to close offices. Such a decision is not made by ITD. The public is urged to postpone visits to their county DMV to renew their license or conduct driver’s training, if possible. Those that visit should expect long wait times.

UPDATE: Wednesday, December 6 at 5:20 p.m.

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will begin Thursday, December 7 with all county driver’s license offices open*, following computer issues that began Monday.

ITD was first able to open offices Wednesday around noon. Initial reports indicate interim fixes are stabilizing the system.

The department is still looking for a root cause to these issues and is advising citizens in heavily populated counties may experience long wait times. Technicians have worked around the clock to identify and fix the computer issues, and will continue to do so until a solution is found.

*Grangeville offices will be closed for a separate, connectivity issue.

UPDATE: Wednesday, December 6 at 12:30 p.m.

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is opening all county driver’s license offices, following computer issues (except Grangeville).

ITD has determined the system is stable enough to allow all offices to operate, however investigation into the root cause of these issues continues. The public is still advised there will be delays at county DMV offices and it is encouraged to postpone a visit if possible.

The computer issues are contained to the ITD system, not county systems. While the root cause is still undetermined, technicians have discovered a high volume of transactions is causing process speeds to slow down dramatically.

ITD will limit the number of transactions each county can process to keep the system running while troubleshooting continues. This may lead to slower-than-normal transactions and delays for customers.

“We apologize to our county partners in the driver’s license offices and to the public for these computer problems,” said DMV Administrator Alberto Gonzalez. “Our team has been working around the clock and will continue to expend all available resources to fix this issue.”

At this time, there is no estimate when the system will be restored to full functionality.

Update: Tuesday, Decmber 5 at 5:42 p.m.

The Idaho Transportation Deparment (ITD) continues to troubleshoot computer problems when issuing driver’s license services.

On Wednesday, ITD will begin the day with driver’s license offices in Ada, Bannock, Canyon, Kootenai, and Twin Falls counties open to the public. All other county driver’s license service offices will remain closed until contacted by ITD.

The five county locations will open in order to identify root causes and test solutions to these problems. Services at these locations are expected to still be slow. The public is urged to plan for delays and postpone a visit if possible.

All county motor vehicle services (titles & registration) will be open to the public and are unaffected by the current computer issues.

The department is utilizing all available technical resources and working closely with its license vendor, Gemalto, to create a fix for this situation. Additional information will be posted when available.

Posted Tuesday, December 5 at 11:21 a.m.

Due to problems with the state’s Division of Motor Vehicle (DMV) computer system, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) has closed driver’s licensing offices across Idaho with the exception of Ada and Canyon counties.

There is no estimate of when the offices will be reopened. Registration and titling services are still open across Idaho.

ITD technicians have not yet determined the root cause of the system errors. When business opened Tuesday morning, all systems were functioning. As more county DMV offices came on line across the state and increased the number of transactions, the system slowed down dramatically.

“We apologize for the inconvenience and ask for the public’s patience as we work towards finding a solution,” said DMV Administrator Alberto Gonzalez. “ITD is devoting all available technology resources towards investigating the root of this problem. The department is working hand in hand with its driver’s license vendor, Gemalto, in this effort.”

The transportation department is requesting customers in Ada and Canyon counties to delay renewing their licenses today if possible. While the offices are open, there are long wait times. The two county offices are remaining open to allow the transportation department to test solutions before deploying statewide.