Officials Say Highway Program Not Affecting Other Road Projects
Posted on: Wednesday, 4 January 2006, 12:00 CST
By Shawna Gamache, The Idaho Statesman, Boise, The Idaho Statesman, Boise
Jan. 4--The Department of Transportation is working on a written response to legislative concerns that the Connecting Idaho bond program has diverted money from local projects.
A working draft entitled "Factors Affecting the Five-Year STIP" was obtained by The Idaho Statesman Dec. 28. The department will present a finished copy during the legislative session to address fears that the Connecting Idaho program is moving forward at the cost of other projects on the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.
"The people that are having projects drop off our STIP are not understanding why," said Transportation Board member Neil Miller of Blackfoot on the need for the written response at the board's December meeting.
These STIP projects are being delayed as a result of a gap in federal funding and rising costs for building materials and fuel, according to the working draft, which goes into detail on federal highways legislation that accounted for an $84 million gap in federal income.
"The big picture is that income scale was on a certain pitch," Miller said of the budgeting for STIP projects before the change in federal funding was known. "People at home don't understand that, and they don't want to listen to it."
Legislators expressed concerns at a meeting last month that the costs and effort required to manage the Connecting Idaho program have detracted from planned STIP projects that are now on hold or "contingency."
Rep. Maxine Bell of Jerome, co-chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, the committee tasked with approving state matching funds for the Connecting Idaho program, said in order for the response from the Transportation Department to be effective, it will have to justify why specific projects have been delayed, not just speak about STIP in general terms.
The working draft does not address specific STIP projects, but department representative Jeff Stratten said the draft could still be updated before the session starts.
-----
Copyright (c) 2006, The Idaho Statesman, Boise
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.
Source: The Idaho Statesman, Boise
Related Articles
- Project Lifesaver International Receives Federal Assistance for the Missing Alzheimer's Patient Assistance Program
- USRA Honored by NASA for Design, Implementation of Critical Program/Project Management Development Program
- BASF Professional Vegetation Management Kicks Off 2008 QVM Project Habitat Awards Program
- PG&E Elects William Arndt Vice President, Project Management and Program Office
- American Water Offers Service Line Protection Program to Trenton Water Works Customers
- Primary Health Selects DrFirst to Introduce Electronic Prescribing to Physicians in Idaho; Pilot Program Initiated With Idaho Physicians Network (IPN)
- Allentown Parkway Project Stalled Till 2010: Funding Delay Means Work Begins Two Years Later Than City Hoped.
- Meridian Schools Try Refusing D and F Work: Pilot Programs Make Kids Repeat Work Until They Get at Least a C
- Mercury Study Bill Dies in Committee: Idaho's Position on Federal Program Likely Falls to Risch
- UNM Project to Help Scientists Tell If Vaccine Works
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds