As the Idaho Transportation Department updates its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan, the public is encouraged to learn more about plans to invest nearly $35 million into projects and services over the next 15 years.
ADA Transition is the process of eliminating accessibility barriers to existing pedestrian infrastructure on the state highway system. It also helps identify programs that fund improvements through a coordinated effort with local highway districts and other municipalities.
In an effort to gather feedback about the plan, ITD will host an online survey as part of a 30-day public comment period that begins Sept. 17. The survey can be accessed at itd.idaho.gov/planning by clicking on the link. The survey is available 24 hours a day.
Staff will also hold a virtual public information meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 6:00 p.m. Mountain time.
You can find the meeting link posted online at itd.idaho.gov/planning or by emailing ADA@itd.idaho.gov.
Comments and feedback shared during this public involvement phase will be incorporated into a draft ADA Transition Plan, that will become official after review and approval by the Federal Highway Administration and Idaho Transportation Board later this fall.
For questions or to learn more about ADA Transition, please email ADA@itd.idaho.gov or call (208)332-7823.
On Monday, Sept. 20, the Idaho Transportation Department will begin repairs on Idaho Highway 33 in Madison County. Work will occur through the city of Rexburg, where crews will mill and repave portions of the roadway to improve safety and the driving experience for motorists.
“We are working to fix areas of the highway that have developed potholes,” ITD Manager Bryan Young said. “This will help to both ensure that the roadway lasts as intended and prevent the development of future potholes this coming winter.”
Drivers will encounter single lane reductions while repairs are underway. Traffic patterns will shift as crews progress along the highway so drivers are advised to pay close attention to signage and watch for workers and equipment entering and exiting the work zone.
Repairs are anticipated to take place between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day. Weather permitting, crews are anticipated to complete work by the end of the week.
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) invites members of the public to attend a meeting for the US-26 & 25th East project in Idaho Falls. The meeting will be held in open house format on Thursday, Sept. 23. Individuals are welcome to stop by at any time from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Bonneville High School Commons Area – 3165 E Iona Rd. in Idaho Falls.
ITD has been analyzing needed improvements to the intersection of US-26 (Yellowstone Highway) and 25th East (Hitt Road) in Bonneville County. The goals are to enhance safety and mobility while accommodating current and projected traffic growth. In addition to this intersection, analysis included:
• 25th East (Hitt Road) and E Iona Road
• US-26 (Yellowstone Highway) and E Iona Road
• Potential impacts to traffic at other nearby intersections
The meeting will provide an opportunity for the public to view displays and give input on potential alternatives. Members of the project team will also be on hand to answer questions about the project.
The Idaho Transportation Department will continue and begin new work on multiple highway projects throughout the region from now until late fall. Six different projects will address portions of Idaho Highway 33, US-20 and US-26 to provide for a smoother and safer driving experience for motorists.
ID-33
• Roadway reconstruction from Newdale to Teton (milepost 100 – 107).
US-20
• Installation of center line rumble strips in Island Park (milepost 363.7 – 406.3).
• Roadway rehabilitation from Sheep Falls to Pinehaven in Island Park (milepost 395 – 377.5).
• Preservation work on 14 bridges in Madison and Fremont counties (milepost 331.9 – 398.76).
US-26
• Roadway rehabilitation from Swan Valley to the Wyoming State Line (milepost 376.8 – 403).
• Replacement of drain catch basins, asphalt and curb at the railroad underpass in Idaho Falls (milepost 333.5).
For construction along ID-33 and US-20, motorists will encounter lane reductions. Flaggers and pilot cars will be present to direct traffic through work zones in the Newdale and Island Park area. Night work on various bridges along US-20 will also take place between the hours of 8 p.m to 6 a.m.
Lane reductions are also in effect for the rehabilitation project on US-26, with pilot cars present to direct motorists.
While work occurs on US-26 at the railroad underpass, both northbound lanes will be closed between D Street and South Boulevard. A detour will be in place for non-commercial motorists and trucks will be advised to use an alternate route.
“These projects are an important part of preserving and extending the life of our roadways,” said ITD District Engineer Jason Minzghor. “We appreciate the patience of all motorists traveling through the area while construction is underway.”
When traveling through work zones, drivers are advised to pay attention to signage, slow down and watch for workers and heavy equipment in the area.
In 1991, the Diablos 4-H Horse Club of Hayden Lake formed an Adopt-A-Highway group and committed to a few years of keeping a two-mile section on US-95 just past the town’s city limits clean from litter. Thirty years later, their passion for beautification remains the same, and that stretch of highway is clear…as are a few other pieces of road as they have occasionally branched out beyond that original commitment.
Last year, COVID prevented the club from cleaning as they typically do. However, over time the group has assembled some impressive numbers, under the direction of Mariam Crumb. Some of the original members have moved along and traded horses for other forms of transportation, but one thing remains the same — Marian. Crumb has been part of the litter clean-up efforts since the beginning in 1991, but the efforts actually began a dozen years before the “official” formation.
When asked about her sense of devotion to community, she said it was the influence of her parents to do what she could “to make the world a better place.” Her service has meant organizing 1,340 volunteers in picking up nearly 24 tons of litter.
Marion has allowed us to share that she is 88 years old, has been with the 4-H program for 58 years, has taught horseback riding for over 70 years — 41 years of which have been with North Idaho College. She has an extensive college education in the teaching field, with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and enough college credits for a PhD.
For more information about adopting a stretch of highway in North Idaho, contact Volunteer Services Coordinator Robin Karsann at 208-772-8011. The AAH statewide coordinator is Judi Conner, who can be reached at 208 334-8094.
ITD’s statewide Adopt-A-Highway program organizes the cleaning of Idaho roadsides by volunteer groups. Those groups “adopt” a specific stretch of highway – usually two miles long – and take responsibility for keeping it clean through regular litter patrols, usually seasonal, although winter patrols are frequently postponed until the snow melts to reveal the trash lying beneath.
This is not the only time the group has been recognized by the Idaho Transportation Board. In 2008, the board and District 1 officials presented the group with a certificate of appreciation and a clock fashioned from a sample state license plate.
Mariam Crumb at left holding plaque, along with Danielle Kern.
The 100 Deadliest Days remain deadly in 2021. According to preliminary data from the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety, 92 people died in traffic crashes on Idaho roads this summer, as the 100 Deadliest Days come to a close.
The busy summer days between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends are known as the 100 Deadliest when there is typically an increase in fatal crashes. It’s a tragic trend both in Idaho and across the nation. Last year, 88 people killed in crashes in Idaho lost their lives during this time frame–more than 40% of the entire year’s fatalities. In 2019, 92 people died in the summer.
“Summer driving continues to be a dangerous concern in Idaho,” said Office of Highway Safety Manager John Tomlinson.
This summer the Office of Highway Safety (OHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funded four high visibility enforcement campaigns, providing law enforcement agencies grant funding for overtime patrols. Officers throughout the state spent time looking for aggressive and impaired drivers, and those not wearing their seat belts. OHS also ran several media campaigns in conjunction with these efforts, encouraging drivers to make smart choices behind the wheel.
“While the 100 Deadliest Days may be over, road safety is important to focus on all year,” Tomlinson said. “The work continues to make Idaho a safer place to live, and it’s up to all of us to buckle up, drive engaged and do what we can to help prevent fatal crashes.”
100 Deadliest Days Quick Facts:
• The majority of the 92 people killed in crashes were in passenger vehicles.
– 73 Automobile
– 15 Motorcycle
– 3 Other (ATV/UTV)
– 1 Pedestrian
• In the 73 passenger vehicle fatalities, 31 people were not wearing seat belts.
• Failure to maintain a lane was a contributing factor in 17 fatalities.
• 6 fatalities involved inattentive driving.
**Please note, data is preliminary and subject to change.**
The Idaho Transportation Department and East Side Highway District will host an open house on Tuesday, Sept. 21. The meeting will provide an opportunity for individuals to comment on plans for bridges on I-90 and Canyon Road near Cataldo.
ITD plans to replace the structures on I-90 over the Coeur d’Alene River near milepost 40 in 2024. The bridges were built in 1964 and have reached the end of their design life. ESHD is exploring alternatives for the future of the Canyon Road Bridge located 400 feet upstream, which was built in 1936.
“Given the proximity of the aging structures, we are combining resources so that the highway district can determine the feasibility of replacing their bridge while we replace and widen the I-90 structures,” ITD Project Manager Erica Aamodt said.
The open house will be held in Kellogg at the Shoshone County Fire District 2 located at 911 Bunker Avenue. Individuals are welcome to stop by anytime from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to view displays and speak with members of the project team who will be available to answer questions on both projects. Masks will be provided and are encouraged for attendees.
For those who would rather learn and comment about the projects online, visit itdprojects.org/i90cataldobridges after the meeting. Comments will be accepted through October 5.
On Wednesday, September 15, the Middleton City Council will consider a revision to its Comprehensive Plan regarding the future Highway 44 that will have ripple effects for transportation far beyond the city limits.
For the last two decades ITD has partnered with City of Middleton leaders to develop an alternate route for the highway that would be constructed to the south of the current roadway. The City Council will consider eliminating the alternate route from its comprehensive plan and approve new development that would build on top of the open space currently slated for the future highway.
The future alternate route was shared at two public meetings in 2019. You can see the click on the links to see the West Half and East Half of the proposed route.
What happens to the future of the highway?
The last two decades of work have laid the groundwork for a transportation network that can support the extreme growth in Middleton, Star, and Eagle.
The growth projections for the Middleton area, which are somewhat conservative, suggest 24,000 cars will drive on the highway by the year 2045. Today, the daily trip count is around 10,000. Congestion already experienced will only get worse. As highway congestion increases, typically the number of crashes also increases.
ITD’s Mission is “Your Safety. Your Mobility. Your Economic Opportunity.” These three pillars of the Department go hand-in-hand. Fewer crashes keeps people moving, energizing commerce. The alternate route for Highway 44 would achieve these goals while accommodating for the forecasted growth in the area.
Take away the option of a future alternate route, and what happens to highway traffic is uncertain. ITD has looked at a couple options at a high level. The first option is to keep the highway as-is.
The biggest “pro” of that option is the existing buildings downtown will not be impacted. The biggest con is pretty obvious – there’s no way the existing three-lane highway will effectively move 24,000 cars a day. ITD’s projected level of service for downtown intersections has nearly all of them seeing excessive delay times. In some circumstances, it could take you more than five minutes to get onto the highway from a local road.
The second option would be to add capacity to the existing highway to move more vehicles. This option is not without its downsides. We’ll share three big ones.
Impacts to existing businesses and land use
The first is the available space for the lanes. Near the fire station in particular, there is not enough room to add more lanes. In order to fit everything in, ITD will likely need to purchase existing buildings and demolish them. A preliminary scan of the total impacts of a widened highway suggests 76 different properties will be negatively impacted.
Possible property impacts to accommodate 100 feet for additional highway lanes.
Impacts to access
The second pain point comes with the existing number of roads and driveways accessing highway 44. Every access point introduces conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists using the roadway. Transportation engineering reduces these conflict by removing accesses or restricting the movements in and out of those access points.
In order to promote safety and mobility on the existing highway alignment, ITD will likely need to install median curbs, restricting left turns on and off the highway. Similar action was taken on Eagle Road. The diagram below provides a sense of what that means for local travel options.
Similar to Eagle Road, future access on ID-44 could be restricted to right-in, right-out.
Delay for improvements
A third downside is the delay this will force on any improvements to the highway in Middleton. The process to achieve environmental clearance has taken nearly two decades already. Should the alternate route be removed from Middleton’s Comprehensive Plan, the clock on those efforts will be reset.
Environmental clearance is needed to get federal funding for transportation improvements. Pushing back that clearance another decade or two means the highway in Middleton won’t qualify for those dollars, ITD’s biggest bucket of money. Meanwhile, growth and congestion will continue.
The Council Decision
ITD has partnered with the City of Middleton on the future of Highway 44 for more than two decades. We will continue to do so. The Department strongly recommends the Council continues the City’s historic support for the alternate route and preserve the corridor in the Comprehensive Plan.
Regardless of the Council’s decision, we are committed to provide the best customer service we can. Our goal in sharing this information with the public is to bring clarity to a complicated process and to understand the downstream consequences of a decision. The folks at ITD are your friends, neighbors, and relatives. We want to see the community of Middleton grow and thrive. It is our belief that open dialogue and the best information will bring about the best results for us all.
Work will start on Monday, Sept. 13 to address settling on I-90 near Kellogg. Over the next two weeks, crews will address dips that first appeared near milepost 49 in the spring of 2019.
“We expect this to be the final fix until it’s time to address the larger section of interstate,” Operations Engineer Jerry Wilson said. “Our surveys have detected no movement for the last year, even during spring runoff when there was the greatest potential.”
Repairs call for the pavement in the median to be removed, the base to be built back up and paved again. All lanes between the two settling sections will also be repaved to provide for a smooth surface.
“Unlike our previous repairs in February and April of 2019, this time we will correct the settling in the median and pave the full stretch between the two dips,” Wilson said.
Construction will last two weeks, with traffic reduced to one lane in each direction. To date repairs have cost an estimated $400,000.
The Division of Aeronautics launched SOAR (System of Aircraft Registration) in mid-July, a new system for registering aviation dealers and aircraft in Idaho. The Office of Communications spoke with Derra Kolar, Division of Aeronautics Technical Records Specialist, about the new SOAR program.
“In 2010, Aeronautics was in desperate need of a way to track aircraft and their owners, airmen and aircraft dealers. The Aircraft Dealer Airman Management (ADAM) formed a team and the system was born. The new system allows Aeronautics to quickly register aircraft and link their owners, businesses and pilots. It also created the capability to track aircraft dealers. Although ADAM provided functionality that made the job much easier, there were pitfalls that were not known prior to the system being built,” said Kolar.
The new SOAR system is much faster in processing aviation dealers and aircraft registrations. Dealers, aircrafts, and businesses are now on a single screen. This is much more efficient than ADAM where the user had to scroll through pages to find what they were looking for. Kolar said this capability has made a huge difference in the process.
With the implementation of SOAR, Aeronautics now has:
A more comprehensive and reliable approach to referring records to county assessors;
The ability to send an automated group of reminder renewal notices – which will increase revenue; and
Cleaner data organized in a more usable fashion, which allows us the ability to serve the public even better.
