ITD’s Freight Program seeks representatives to help shape freight’s future

Help shape Idaho’s freight future! The Idaho Transportation Department is seeking representatives to serve on the Freight Advisory Committee. The group is made of six members, one representing each of ITD’s administrative districts.

The individual selected for District 1 will represent Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai, and Shoshone counties
The individual selected for District 2 will represent Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis, and Nez Perce counties
The individual selected for District 3 will represent Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Washington, and Valley counties
The individual selected for District 4 will Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls counties
The individual selected for District 5 will represent Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida, and Power counties
The individual selected for District 6 will represent Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Teton, and Madison counties

The Freight Advisory Committee (FAC) was created to advise ITD on issues related to freight transportation in Idaho. FAC members gather and speak on behalf of the following industries:

Rail, Highway/Trucking
Aeronautics
Port/Barge
Agriculture
Natural Resource
Manufacturing/Retail
Carrier/Shipping
Freight Logistics/Warehousing

Applications for FAC representatives in each of the six districts will be accepted June 21 – July 21, 2021. A 15-day public comment period on the candidates will then follow. Find the application form and instructions at itd.idaho.gov/freight under the Freight Program and Get Involved tabs, or also linked here.

For more information about FAC or the application, contact ITD Freight Program Manager Scott Luekenga at (208) 334-8057 or by email at scott.luekenga@itd.idaho.gov

Travel advisory issued on Idaho Highway 55 for anticipated high traffic volumes

Intersection of ID-55 and Banks-Lowman Road

The Idaho Transportation Department’s Southwest Idaho Office is issuing a travel advisory for motorists planning to use Idaho Highway 55 from Horseshoe Bend to McCall this weekend as it predicts heavy traffic volumes on the two-lane highway.

Several summer events are scheduled Thursday through Sunday in Valley and Boise Counties. Combined with the newly-announced Juneteenth National Independence Day holiday, Father’s Day recreation activities and good weather, the department anticipates a high number of vehicles using ID-55. The Department has coordinated with local event organizers and law enforcement to promote safety and mobility during the weekend.

ITD will station flaggers at the intersection of ID-55 and the Banks-Lowman Road Sunday to help manage traffic.

“We have worked with our partners in law enforcement and the business community to do the best we can to manage what we expect will be a lot of vehicles on the highway this weekend,” said Caleb Lakey, District Administrator for ITD’s Southwest Idaho Office. “There’s a good chance we will have some times where the highway is at capacity and motorists will experience delay.”

ITD advises motorists to anticipate delays during the historical peak travel times at ID-55 and the Banks-Lowman Road, which is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Suggested alternate routes include U.S. 95 and Idaho Highway 21. Be prepared and make sure your vehicle is well-maintained. Fill your tank with plenty of gas, pack extra water and snacks, and consider a restroom stop before entering the Payette River Canyon.

Several construction projects will be active on U.S. 95 and ID-55 this summer. Work will be suspended Friday through Sunday on all ID-55 projects. For more information, visit ITD’s news blog.

Work on US-93 from the Nevada State Line to Hollister to begin next week

Image of Welcome to Idaho sign on US-93 at Nevada/Idaho border

On Monday, (June 21) a sealcoat project is expected to begin on US-93 in Twin Falls County. Over the coming weeks, approximately 27 miles from the Nevada State Line to Hollister will be addressed.

“This project will cover a substantial amount of highway but operations are expected to move fairly quickly,” Project Manager Kenny Lively stated. “We will begin work at the Nevada State Line and then proceed north on US-93 through Hollister.”

Sealcoating is a surface treatment to preserve and extend the lifetime of roadways. It also provides a skid-resistant surface for better traction. The process requires hot temperatures and dry weather for chips to properly adhere to oil that is deposited on the highway.

Work will require US-93 to be reduced to one lane while work is underway – Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Motorists should anticipate delays and watch for the presence of flaggers or pilot cars.

Chips placed during the sealcoating process have potential to cause windshield damage so drivers are cautioned to slow down and pay attention to reduced speeds and no passing zones throughout the work area.

Geneva Rock Products is the primary contractor on this $1.6 million project that is expected to be complete in July.

Passing lane added to US-95 south of Potlatch this summer

Cars drive by each other on US-95 with no passing lanes

Construction on a new northbound passing lane begins Tuesday, June 22 on US-95 near Potlatch. The existing passing lane for southbound drivers at Cove Road will also be extended to provide safer opportunities to pass.

Motorists will have one lane of travel in each direction for most of construction. During initial operations, however, the highway will be reduced to one lane as crews place barrier around their work zone for safety.

Extension of the existing passing lane won’t begin until August.

Work on this mile-long project will be completed this September. The Idaho Transportation Department also plans to add northbound and southbound passing lanes north of Potlatch near Freeze Road and Beplate Lane in 2026.

Idaho teens honored as Battle of the Belts winners

In 2019, more than one out of every five crashes in Idaho involved a teen driver. We all know seat belts save lives, and who better for teens to hear that message from than their peers? The Idaho Office of Highway Safety’s annual Battle of the Belts competition just wrapped up with three deserving students honored. It’s a creative contest encouraging high school students to create their own seat belt safety campaigns to share with classmates. See some of this year’s entries in the gallery below.

Mattie Drobish, Orofino Junior-Senior High School

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Thanks to a partnership with State Farm Insurance, winners receive scholarship money to help fund their future education plans. Over the last month OHS Grants Officer Tabitha Smith had the pleasure of touring the state to surprise this year’s top three winners with their giant checks. The students’ reactions of shock and happiness were all caught on camera as their proud parents, school counselors, and OHS helped celebrate.

First place $2,500 winner Paige Tolman just finished her junior year at Vallivue’s Ridgevue High School. She used posters on campus, safety demonstrations at football and basketball games, and other activities asking students to buckle up.

“I worked pretty hard on this so I’m glad I was able to make a difference,” Tolman said. “I was able to learn the importance of seat belts as well as distracted driving, just how important it is and to help others be safe in that way.”

Amelia Jobe from Boise High School was the second place winner. She will use her $2,000 scholarship next year at Boise State studying computer science. Amelia’s Bernie Sanders meme was an instant hit among her classmates.

“I made a social media post about wearing your seatbelt. It was basically that Bernie Sanders meme and said ‘If Bernie can buckle up, so can you.’ It was a post that was really current at the time to encourage teen drivers to wear seat belts. I think it’s a really small ask that can make a difference in people’s lives especially if you have a car accident. It can be the difference between life and death,” Jobe said.

Third place $1,500 winner Mattie Drobish is graduating from Orofino Junior-Senior High School and heads to Lewis-Clark State College next year to study nursing. She created a billboard design with seat belt statistics.

“I know friends and family who have lost their lives by driving without a seatbelt, accidents happen you never know, so it’s crazy important to me and my family. I think it’s a great message to share and it’s great to be a part of this scholarship and actually be able to push that and say ‘Hey wear your seatbelt it’s so important,’” Drobish said.

The Battle of the Belts scholarship contest continues to grow with more participation each year. This year more than 20 high school students entered their work. Congratulations!

Two-week online discussion opens today for Idaho 75 project in Ketchum

Image of ID-75 in relation to the Elkhorn Road to River Street project

The Idaho Transportation Department invites community members to give input on concept design options to improve Idaho 75 from Elkhorn Road to River Street via an online discussion at itdprojects.org/idaho-75-elkhorn-road. The online discussion will be open from June 10 to June 24.

The online discussion includes short video presentations that will guide participants through each design option being considered through the project limits. Participants will have the opportunity to provide input and see comments from other community members.

The Idaho Transportation Department will also be hosting an in-person meeting at the Limelight Hotel in Ketchum on June 17 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The meeting will be in open house format. Individuals are invited to stop by at any time during the meeting and visit with project team members who will be on hand to discuss design options and answer questions.

Growth and development in recent years have resulted in increased congestion on Idaho 75. This project aims to address those issues, and will result in design plans for widening the highway between Elkhorn Road and River Street, rebuilding the Trail Creek Bridge and improving drainage and other infrastructure. This is the second outreach opportunity for community members to discuss this project.

“This portion of Idaho 75 is a vital link to the overall corridor and to the Wood River community,” ITD Project Manager Nathan Jerke stated. “We are following up on the comments received last year about the proposed improvements in an effort to meet community expectations and needs of the Idaho highway system.”

The in-person meeting will have two identical rooms set up to maximize participation. A limited number of people will be allowed in a room at once. Information covered at the in-person meeting will be identical to information presented in the online meeting.

Comments may be submitted via the website or by calling (208) 886-7809, emailing nathan.jerke@itd.idaho.gov or sending mail to the Idaho Transportation Department (216 S Date St., Shoshone, ID 83352) at the attention of Nathan Jerke.

Idaho Highway 19 pavement rehabilitation in Homedale begins next week

Reconstruction of Idaho Highway 19 (Idaho Avenue) through downtown Homedale will begin the week of June 14.

The pavement rehabilitation includes milling the old road surface, replacing it with new pavement, and upgrading ADA (Americans with Disabilities) facilities, including crosswalks and pedestrian crossings.

Construction will occur on ID-19 between approximately N. 4^th Street East and Railroad Ave. It is scheduled to be complete in late summer.

During construction, expect the following:

Work will occur between the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. five days a week.
Business access will be maintained.
Drivers should anticipate a temporary gravel road surface during construction activities.
Two lanes of traffic will be open during construction, though some detours or flagging are possible.
Sidewalk access and pedestrian detours will be signed.
Some work will be noisy.

Drivers are encouraged to slow down and pay attention to crews working in the area.

For questions or to sign up for construction updates, please call 208.387.7072, or visit the project website at ITDprojects.org/ID19HomedaleRebuild

Public invited to attend an open house next week for Idaho Highway 75 construction in Hailey

On Wednesday, June 16, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will host a public meeting for the Idaho Highway 75 Hailey Main Street Rehabilitation project. This is part of a larger project that began in May with updates to pedestrian ramps along Main Street (ID-75).

The open house will provide an opportunity for individuals to learn more about the second phase of the project, which begins in mid-July, and will involve work on the roadway.

The meeting will be held in open house format and members of the project team will be available to answer questions about upcoming construction and impacts. Individuals are invited to stop by anytime during the open house to view display boards and talk with the project team.

Date: June 16, 2021
Time: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Location: Hailey City Hall, 115 Main St. South, Hailey, ID

An online version of the meeting will be available for those unable to attend in-person. It will be accessible on June 17 via the project website: itdprojects.org/projects/id-75-hailey-main-street

For questions or comments before or after the public meeting, please call 208.608.6635 to speak with a member of the project team.

Hearing begins today on 129,000-pound truck route application for Custer and Butte counties

Graphic of truck on highway with text reading Comment on proposed 129k route

The Idaho Transportation Department is hosting a virtual public hearing to collect comments on a proposal to reclassify a portion of US-93 in Custer and Butte counties as legal for commercial loads weighing up to 129,000 pounds.

In the application submitted to ITD, Amalgamated Sugar Company requested reclassification of the following route in order to transport lime rock from the US Calcium mine near Darlington to their plants in Twin Falls and Paul:

– US-93 from the Idaho Highway 75 junction near Challis to the US-20 junction in Arco (MP 160.38 to 82.60)

The public hearing begins today and continues until June 23.

The hearing provides an opportunity for citizens to learn about 129,000 pound loads. Individuals are also able to review the evaluation and comment on the current route application.

To access the hearing, visit itd.idaho.gov/freight

Comments will be accepted through Wednesday, June 23 and may be submitted in the following ways:

– recorded by calling (855) 790-4988
– via the online hearing: itd.idaho.gov/freight
– emailed to: officeofthechiefengineer@itd.idaho.gov
– mailed to: Idaho Transportation Department
ATTN: Scott Luekenga
PO Box 7129
Boise, ID 83707

Individuals may also contact Scott Luekenga directly with questions or comments regarding this application, 129k routes, or the approval process by calling 208-334-8057.

The Department is required to conduct an analysis and public hearing on all requests to operate 129,000 lbs. on the state highway system before the Idaho Transportation Board makes a final decision.

Public Transportation Advisory Council to meet June 15

The Idaho Transportation Department’s Public Transportation Advisory Council (PTAC) will have its second meeting of 2021 on Tuesday, June 15. The meeting will be held online via Webex from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is open to the public.

PTAC was created in Idaho code 40-514 to advise ITD on issues and policies regarding public transportation in Idaho. The council is made up of six members representing each of the ITD districts, and participates in planning activities, identifying transportation needs, and promoting coordinated transportation systems.

Meeting topics encompass ITD’s mission of Your Safety, Your Mobility, Your Economic Opportunity, as it relates to public transportation and the funding programs available to transit providers and stakeholders across Idaho.

A copy of PTAC meeting agendas, minutes, and scheduled dates are located on the ITD Public Transportation website, itd.idaho.gov/pt, under the “Advisory” tab.

Those interested in attending the June meeting may call in using the information listed below.

For more information, contact the ITD Public Transportation Office at (208) 334-8533.

Join from the meeting link
https://itdgov.webex.com/itdgov/j.php?MTID=m245a95b8fd998445321b8b4f64864b97

Join by meeting number
Meeting number (access code): 133 895 2273
Meeting password: sKrcP3WgK62

Join by phone
+1-415-655-0003 US Toll
1-844-740-1264 USA Toll Free