Statewide Aggressive Driving Emphasis Patrol Starts Friday

If you have a tendency to drive agressively, speed or not wear your seatbelt, knock that off! Not only are you risking your, and other people's lives, but law enforcement is also looking for you.

A statewide aggressive driving emphasis patrol starts tomorrow (Friday) and goes through Nov. 14. Officers are looking for speeders, tailgaters, those not buckled in, and red light runners, among other traffic law violations.

Goggles Give Drivers Sensation They're Driving Drunk

I don't know if they still do this, but when I took drivers education back in high school, they had these things called 'simulators' you would sit in that were like a driving video game. It was extremely low tech. But my how the times have changed. Technology is now allowing kids to experience the sensation of driving drunk, while they're actually sober, in an effort to reduce drug and alcohol use. Here's the story from the Coeur d'Alene Press.

5th & Sherman Light Flashes Now

The City of Coeur d'Alene wants you to know that the signal at 5th Street and Sherman Avenue in Coeur d'Alene has been intentionally put on flash to help make the intersection more efficient. The signal is over 20 years old and is not traffic-actuated, therefore must run on a predetermined time which does not respond to actual traffic volumes or movement.

Because of this, vehicles moving east and west tend to sit at a red light when there is no cross traffic, which is both frustrating and inefficient. Using a flashing yellow signal where 5th intersects Sherman Avenue, and a flashing red on 5th Street where it intersects Sherman, will allow cross traffic to proceed when there is a sufficient gap and not have to wait for a “green light.”

New Sky Couch Will Let You Get More Comfy In The Air

I'm not sure if this is cool or creepy. Air New Zealand recently unveiled a design for coach seating that turns three seats into a “sky couch,’’ letting 'couples snuggle, kids jump around or single travelers spread out.' The part about single travelers spreading out is good with me, but couples snuggling and kids jumping around on a flight? That's what I go on vacation to get away from.

The seats have large flip-up cushions that fill the space between the end of the seat and the next row of seats. Arm rests retract for a flat surface. The new design will go into service in December. Travelers will have to buy the three “Sky couch” seats together, even if only two are traveling. Here's a video of what it will look like. Let me know what you think.

Citylink Recognized As Outstanding Rural Transit System

For the past 15 years, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has recognized transit providers that have overcome significant challenges to deliver reliable service to the public in rural areas.

This year, Kootenai County's Citylink was one of six transit systems recognized nationwide with an Outstanding Rural Transit System award. Here's more on this honor from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's blog.

Congratulations Citylink! It's good to see your hard work is being recognized.

Parking Ordinance Could Cost Businesses More

The Hayden City Council is considering revising its parking ordinance, which could increase startup costs for businesses. The proposed revision would affect landscaping in parking areas near businesses by requiring certain landscaping in order to make parking lots more aesthetically appealing.

Here's the story from the Coeur d'Alene Press. What's your thought on this; should businesses be required to make their lots look 'prettier' or is it a waste of time and money as it's just a place you park your car?

Fernan Lake Road Construction Finished

After what seemed like a long stretch, construction on Fernan Lake Road is complete and the road is open. Ahead of schedule even. WWWAAAYYY ahead of schedule.

The road isn't just a lot smoother and less curvy, but has had a lot of safety measures implemented as well. Here are the details from the Coeur d'Alene Press.

ITD Launches New Low-Bandwidth Version of 511 Website

The Idaho Transportation Department has unveiled a new low-bandwidth version of the popular 511 traveler information website. That's because, in the past, new road information took as long as 15 minutes to be displayed. On the new website, updated information will appear to users almost instantly.

The new version of the website also provides easier web navigation, while offering the same information, but in an easier-to-use format. The information on the site includes winter driving conditions, accident information, construction information, highway web cameras, commercial vehicle restrictions and mountain pass information.

Here's what's new on the site:

- Easier-to-understand location descriptions, providing distance and direction to the nearest town.
- Users will now be able to access maps of individual highways - even close-ups of sections of highways - to get a better picture of current conditions
- The website now offers weather information from 83 Road Weather Information Stations across the state.
- For those who find the print size on the web page difficult to read, users now can modify the size of the displayed print at any time.

Here's the link if you want to try the new site out.

Transit System Proposed For Sandpoint Area

Sandpoint isn't within KMPO's jurisdiction, but the following article is interesting to me because the proposed transit system for Sandpoint it talks about could benefit all the people from Kootenai and Spokane counties who visit there.

The service would be free and go between the cities of Ponderay, Kootenai, Sandpoint and Dover. Here's more information on this proposed transit system from the Spokesman-Review.

CDA Leaf Pick-Up Starts Nov. 8

The City of Coeur d'Alene starts their annual leaf pick-up program on Monday, November 8. Because leaves can plug catch basins and storm drains, please be sure to keep leaves on your property until Monday, November 1st. At that time, you can rake your leaves and pine needles about one foot away from the gutter line to allow for water drainage.

Leaves will be picked up only once. Please do not put leaves in the street after city crews have completed your area, and do not include bagged leaves, branches, rubble, or refuse.

City crews are unable provide a precise schedule of where leaf pick-up will take place. Pick-up will start south of Sherman Avenue and move north. Completion is expected by Wednesday, November 24th.

Inland Pacific Hub Call For Proposals

Phase 2 of the Inland Pacific Hub (IPH) process will start soon. The IPH is a project aimed at transforming the Inland Northwest into a hub for commerce, vital to the global economy.

KMPO's sister agency, SRTC, will manage that project and is seeking proposals from qualified firms to identify potential transportation and economic investments that will enhance the development of the Inland Pacific Hub.

The overall objective is to identify and recommend actions, strategies and programs that can be implemented to strengthen the competitive position of the IPH region (both domestically and globally).

RFP details can be found on the IPH website or you can click here to request a RFP packet. Please provide a contact name, company name, address, telephone, and email. The packet will be emailed back to you.

Signs Changing To Accomodate Older Drivers

I've been hearing a lot of concern lately about the large number of baby boomers on our roadways, and how there are going to have to be some changes to the national transportation system to accomodate them. Well apparently someone is listening.

In a nod to the fading eyesight of the senior set, the federal government is requiring communities to change street name signs from all capital letters to a combination of capital and lowercase letters. The government says that makes them easier to read.

Not everyone is happy about though, particularly the jurisdictions paying for these changes. Here's the story from USA Today.

KMPO October Newsletter Now Available

Want the synopsis of what KMPO has been working on for the past few months?
Well here's our quarterly newsletter. Take a look and let me know if you have any questions.

Census Participation Rate Numbers Available

Good job America! The U.S. Census Bureau announced this week that 74% of households in the US filled out and mailed back their 2010 Census questionnaire, matching the final mail participation rate achieved in the 2000 Census.

Spokane County had 78% participation rate and Kootenai County 77%, although I can't find on the Census site how that compares to 2000's participation rate. For those of you really interested in the numbers, you can narrow it down even further to cities and towns by clicking here.

Still Taking TIP Comments

Ryan and I staffed the public meeting for the 2011-2015 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) last night. Attendance was modest but we got some good feedback. A lot of people had questions about Greensferry, Beck Road and Pleasant View. And one woman had safety concerns about some areas where there is a concentration of children, such as Mullan Avenue in the west 200 block and 20th and 21st from Spokane to Chase Park, where a lot of young people live.

It's not too late to get your comments in if you couldn't attend the meeting last night. Here's a link to the TIP online. Look it over, then send any questions or comments to us here and we'll get back to you. All your comments need to be in by 4 p.m. on November 1.

PETA & ITD?

PETA and the Idaho Transportation Department may not seem like logical partners but they're teaming up to get the word out about leaving pets in hot cars.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has been lobbying ITD regularly regarding the issue, and earlier this month ITD's driver services manager informed the activist group that a warning will be added to the Idaho driver's manual about the danger of leaving cats and dogs in parked cars.

KCATT Meeting Next Tuesday

The monthly Kootenai County Area Transportation Team (KCATT) meeting is next Tuesday, October 26 at 8 a.m. Here's the agenda.

If you see anything that jumps out at you, feel free to attend. KCATT meetings are held at the Idaho Transportation Department District One Headquarters, 600 W. Prairie Ave. in Coeur d'Alene.

TIGER II Grant Recipients Announced

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood yesterday announced that 42 capital construction projects and 33 planning projects in 40 states will share nearly $600 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGER II program for major infrastructure projects ranging.

No local projects received funding however. The City of Spokane had submitted an application for funds for a study of the regional trail system. The closest project to receive funding through TIGER II is an Intermodal Transit Center in Moscow that received $1.5 million.

A complete list of capital grant recipients can be seen here.

The list of planning grant recipients is here.

Idaho Scenic Motorcycle Rides

I post a lot of bicyclist information on this blog, so how about a little something for you other bikers. Yeah, the ones that ride motorcyles.

Here's some suggested motorcyle road trip routes through Idaho from MotorcycleRoads.com. It just sounded nice today. Why am I sitting in this office when the sun is shining outside and I could be doing a nice trip around Lake Coeur d'Alene?

3rd Street Closed Tomorrow

On Wednesday, October 20th, from 5 a.m. until approximately 1 p.m., 3rd Street in Coeur d'Alene will be closed from Sherman Avenue to Lakeside Avenue so that Street Maintenance Department crews may locate a stormwater line.

Sagle Man Says He Can Solve Transportation and Engergy Issues

A Sagle, Idaho man says he has the technology to eliminate the entire nation's reliance on fossil fuels, while also eliminating the need to plow roads, spelling out warning signs in the actual roadway and capturing rainwater to purify it.

Sound crazy? Kind of but it also sounds like it might not be so far-fetched, especially because the man behind the idea is winning awards and drawing the attention of Japanese investors. This could shift the entire makeup of our transportation AND power systems, and it's all happening here in our corner of the country.

Here's the Spokesman-Review story on how Scott Brusaw and his wife want to replace the nation's roadways with solar panels.

Are there any problems you foresee if we were to cover our roadways with solar panels? Of course it would be a slow process and expensive but do you think it would work in the end?

Reminder: TIP Meeting Tomorrow Night

Here's your reminder that KMPO is hosting an open house tomorrow evening for to provide members of the public a chance to review and comment on our recently completed draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for 2011 - 2015.

The TIP is a funding program document that lists funded transportation improvements proposed by various jurisdictions in Kootenai County to be constructed within the next four years.

The open house is from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 20 at Post Falls City Hall, 408 N. Spokane Street, Post Falls. There will not be a formal presentation at the meeting so you can come anytime between 4-6 p.m. and leave at your convenience.

SIA Has Body Scanners

I hadn't flown in a while, so when I showed up at Spokane International Airport last week and was asked to step into the body scanner I was pretty surprised. I asked the TSA agent how long they've had the scanners and was told only about a month. For those who haven't done it, they ask you to stand with your feet apart and your thumbs up to your temples with your fingers splayed out. So somewhere there is a picture of me looking like Bullwinkle the moose. I asked to see the image but they wouldn't let me.

Super Drunk; Does Not Include Super Powers

When I hear 'super drunk,' I think of a super hero who's imbibed too much, much like Spidey here. In Michigan though, 'super drunk' is an official term for a kind of drunk driver.

Starting on Oct. 31, there will be two kinds of drunken drivers in the state: standard and “super.”

Standard are those with blood alcohol content of 0.08 to 0.16 percent. The super drunk, a new category under state law, are first-time offenders who test at 0.17 or above. Along with the new designation comes super-high penalties and fines.

Here's the 'super' story, from Mlive.com.

Do you think fining and penalizing super drunk drivers more than a regular drunk driver will cut down on drunk driving incidents or is this just a way to bring in more money?

Studs Now Legal In Idaho

I can't believe it's that time of year again, but the Idaho Transportation Department sent out a news release reminding drivers that it's now okay to put studded tires on your vehicle.

The use of studded tires is legal from Oct. 1 through April 30.

While it is legal to use the tires, the transportation department advises against it unless extreme conditions warrant. Driving on studded tires may cause undue wear on bare roadways.

If you do use studs though, and travel to neighboring states, here are some dates to keep in mind:

* Montana: Oct. 1 - May 31
* Nevada: Oct. 1 - April 30
* Utah: Oct. 15 - March 31
* Oregon: Nov. 1 - March 31
* Washington: Nov. 1 - March 31
* Wyoming: Legal all year

Grandma Can't Drive 55- Or 110

From the AP wires- Oregon State Police gave an 82-year-old woman a ticket for driving 28 miles per hour over her age. A trooper allegedly spotted the woman's car going 110 mph yesterday on Highway 26 west of Gresham. The posted limit is 55 mph.

She said she was on her way to an appointment and wasn’t aware she was going that fast. She was given a ticket for $1,103. Holy cow grandma, how do you not know you're going that fast??

World's Longest Tunnel Nearing Completion

I was joking with a gentleman at a public meeting the other night about drilling a tunnel under Lake Coeur d'Alene. Well it's not such a joke in Switzerland where they're about to chew through the last few inches of rock standing in the way of the creation of the world’s longest tunnel.

The tunnel is part of a larger project to shift the hauling of goods from roads to rails, spurred by concerns that heavy trucks are destroying Switzerland’s Alpine landscape. This sounds familiar, where have I heard this before?

Anyway, it's quite a project and the Swiss people have agreed to some pretty steep taxes to get it. Here's the story from the Spokesman-Review.

TIP Open House Meeting Next Week

KMPO has recently completed a draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for 2011 - 2015 and is hosting an open house meeting to provide members of the public a chance to review it and ask questions or make comments.

The TIP is a four-year funding program document that lists federally and non-federally funded transportation improvements proposed by various jurisdictions in Kootenai County. It identifies regionally significant transportation programs or projects that transportation jurisdictions and other agencies propose to undertake during the upcoming four years.

The open house is from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 20 at Post Falls City Hall, 408 N. Spokane Street, Post Falls. There will not be a formal presentation at the meeting so you can come anytime between 4-6 p.m. and leave at your convenience. So please come.

Social Media- Are We Doing This Right?

It's been an extremely busy two days, so sorry for the lack of blog posts. I just finished up sitting on a panel for the American Planning Association conference in Boise. The panel was on using social media to get your message out and the challenges faced by government agencies doing so. It was pretty interesting. Most of the other agency representatives on the panel are doing strictly Facebook and/or Twitter. Our challenge at SRTC though is that we're a planning agency, so don't always have something of interest to the general public to put out every day, or even every week. Without fresh content, people tend to quit following you.

That's part of the reason we chose to blog initially. It provides a more varied platform, which means we can post our own news when it's happening, or we can help spread the news of other agencies, such as when the City of Post Falls has a public meeting, or the Idaho Transportation Department is doing construction work on the freeway or Citylink is making route changes.

Some insights I learned from the other panelists:

- People born between 1981 and 2000 are known as the 'Millenial Generation' and are generally getting the bulk of their current events information from their phones.

- Many agencies have actually hired positions just to do social media or have contracted with public relations firms to manage their social media accounts.

- Some items that we put out to the mainstream media doesn't get publicized, so using Twitter or Facebook or blogs lets you get the message directly to the public.

- Because we do behind-the-scenes planning and don't build roads or plow snow, The 'face' of an agency like KMPO is often our website or blog so we need to put some effort into it.

Okay, I'm getting kicked out of my hotel room now so have to wrap this up. Any comments in regards to social media in relation to transportation or public agencies?

Cat Utilizes Freeway Median

I was on I90 near Pleasant View yesterday afternoon when I noticed movement in the tall grass in the median. I slowed down so I could see what it was and saw a cat very obviously stalking something. On the one hand, the cat has an untapped hunting ground, because I've never seen any other cats in the middle of the freeway (at least not live ones) before. But on the other hand, I was worried about how it was going to get back across the road once it got it's meal.

Citylink Service Changes

In an effort to cut administrative costs, Citylink has made some changes to all of its' routes, effective yesterday, Oct. 11.

For the most part, the changes will add only a few minutes to a passenger's wait time to catch a bus, and most of the changes are at night to keep the impacts to a minimum.

Here's a link to Citylink's site so you can check those changes out.

Obama Calls For Republican Support For $50B Transportation Plan

President Obama yesterday lobbied for Republican support for spending on transportation projects, calling his proposal an overdue investment in the country's foundation.

Obama is proposing a $50 billion plan as a step toward a six-year program of transportation programs. Here's what Obama had to say, from the Seattle Times.

Very Important MTP Meeting Tomorrow Night

How do you envision Kootenai County's transportation infrastructure developing over the next twenty years? Do you want to see wider roadways, more bike lanes, improved transit service, more north-south travel options, or just better roadway maintenance over the long term?

KMPO has been working on the Kootenai County Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) for several months now and has a draft available for review and comment that includes many of the components above.

This is a big document, and an important one, because it lays out how transportation improvements will be funded over the next 20 years. It includes a list of over $1 billion of projects proposed to be constructed in that time.

We're asking all of you to look the document over and give us your input; do you have priority projects that you think are more important than others included in the project? Are there projects that aren't included in the MTP that should be?

Here's a link to look over the MTP. After you look it over, we're asking you to attend a public meeting tomorrow night to ask questions, submit comments and voice any concerns you may have. The meeting is from 5-7 p.m., Oct. 12 at the Idaho Transportation Department office, 600 W. Prairie Ave. in Coeur d'Alene. The meeting is 'open house' format so you can come anytime between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and stay as long or as short a time as you'd like.

American Planning Association Conference This Week

It may be Monday, but at least I have something fun to look forward to this week. I'm not even a Transportation Planner, but have been invited to participate in the American Planning Association- Idaho Chapter Conference in Boise this week. I'll be sitting on a panel called 'Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, OH MY!' about using social media in the public sector and how succesful it's been. Should be interesting and I'm looking forward to getting ideas from the other panelists as well.

Here's more information on the Conference. If you're going to be there, be sure to stop by and say hi.

Transportation Roundup For Week Of Oct. 14

Bridge girders were installed last week for the future Wandermere Interchange on the North Spokane Corridor, Idaho State Police are offering a free winter driving and safety class, and the Kootenai County Metropolitan Transportation Plan is now available for review and comment. Here's what's happening in transportation this week from the Spokesman-Review's 'Getting There' column.

Two Area Trails Honored

We knew the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes and the Route of the Hiawatha were cool, but apparently a lot of other people do too now.

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy just named both trails to their 'Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.' Didn't know there was such a thing? I didn't either. Apparently that's because it's brand new and our trails were two of the first 25 nationwide to be honored.

Here's the story from the Coeur d'Alene Press.

Free Clinic For Pilots

Are you a pilot? Then I'd like a free ride somewhere. Oops, that's not where I was supposed to be going with this.

The Idaho Transportation Department's Division of Aeronautics is offering a Flight Instructor Refresher Clinic/Pilot Safety Clinic next weekend in Pocatello, and it's approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA.

All pilots, regardless of certificate or rating, are welcome to attend. Only flight instructors with an unexpired certificate may renew their certificate through this clinic. They must also attend all 16 hours and complete both written tests. All attendees will receive 3 knowledge credits through the FAA's Wings safety program when completing the clinic.

If you're interested, click here, then click on "Aeronautics," then "Safety and Education" and then select the "FIRCs" link. Got that? Good cause I'm not gonna say it again. Now go get your certificate renewed so you can take me up to take some aerial photos in the name of transportation.

Citylink- A Force To Be Reckoned With When It Comes To Public Transportation

Citylink, we salute you. Not only do you continue to provide free transit service to thousands of people, but you continue to increase the amount of people that you serve every month.

The stats are in, and the number of rides Citylink provided last month is up again. Here are those numbers. Show your appreciation by boarding a Citylink bus and telling the driver thank you for serving our community.

Voice Your Opinion On How Transportation Will Develop Locally In The Next 20 Years

As of yesterday, the draft 2010-2035 Kootenai Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) is available for public comment and review. And that's a big deal because the MTP is a long-range plan for how transportation will develop in the region over the next twenty years. We're talking big money here folks.

The Plan includes the current condition of our local roadway system, projected future conditions, lists of over $1 billion in projects local jurisdictions hope to construct over the next two decades, and a financial plan of how to pay for those projects and general maintenance.

There will be an open house style meeting from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 12 at the Idaho Transportation Department office in Coeur d'Alene (600 W. Prairie Ave.)to provide the public a chance to review and comment on the MTP. Open house means you can come and go anytime between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. This is an important meeting as this document proposes how transportation will grow in the next two decades.

You can view the draft MTP here.

Bike/Ped Committee Looking For Agenda Items

The Pedestrian/Bicycle Advisory Committee to the Coeur d'Alene City Council has designated the October meeting as a workshop for setting priorities for the up and coming year.

The Ped/Bike Committee is soliciting input from the community for agenda items. If you have any ideas that you feel would impact and improve the Pedestrian / Bicycle community in Coeur d'Alene, please feel free to come to the workshop on October 13th at 5:30 pm in the old City Council Chambers at Coeur d'Alene City Hall (710 E. Mullan Ave.) Or you can email your ideas in advance by clicking here.

Public Transportation Roundtable Meeting Oct. 12

The quarterly Public Transportation Roundtable meeting is October 12th at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library (702 E. Front Ave.) from 10:30 a.m. to Noon. You can view the agenda here.

The purpose of the Roundtable is to promote continued coordinated planning and development of integrated public transportation services within and through Kootenai County.

Roundtable meetings are open to everyone so feel free to attend.

New Fuel Efficiency Goals Announced

Last Friday, the Obama administration presented options for increasing fuel efficiency for cars and light trucks by 2025. The EPA and DOT came up with a plan that includes increasing fuel efficiency requirements by 3% to 6% annually from 2017 to 2025.

Here's how the move is expected to affect oil consumption and pollution numbers. What do you think; is this a feasible plan? What about those of us that can't afford a new more fuel efficient plan?

Write Proposes Giving Taxpayers 'Receipt'

How much do you pay in taxes each year? And what does that money go to pay for? Most people don't know. For instance, how much of your money do you think goes toward Federal Highways each year? A couple thousand? A couple hundred? Well, if you make right around $34,000 per year, $68 of what you pay in taxes goes to federal highways.

But how would you know that since you never receive a breakdown of where your money is going? Ezra Klein of the Washington Post says why not give us a 'receipt' for our taxes. Read the article and let me know if you would appreciate getting a receipt or if it's all the same to you?

Commissioners Consider LID Projects - Again

Apparently, the debate over the East Side Highway District paying for overlays wthrough local improvement districts is still open. The only thing that's known now is that the projects in Coeur d'Alene and Harrison will definitely happen, whether they're paid for through LIDs or not. The concern is, if the almost $4 million in projects isn't funded through LIDs, where will it come from? According to Highway District commissioners, through layoffs and maintenance cutbacks.

Here's the whole story from the Coeur d'Alene Press.

AAA of Idaho Says Texting & Driving Report Is Invalid

I posted a thread recently about a new study that says collissions actually increased in three states where texting while driving laws were passed.

Well AAA of Idaho sin't happy about that report. They say the study is invalid and premature since texting and driving bans have been in place for only a few years.

Here's more on this story from Fox12Idaho.com.

TIP Available For Review & Comment

The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) 2011-2015 for all of Kootenai County is now available for public review and comment. The TIP is a funding program document that lists federally and non-federally funded transportation improvements proposed by jurisdictions to be undertaken in Kootenai County in the next five years.

There will be a public meeting for an opportunity to view and submit comments on the TIP on Wednesday, Oct. 20 at Post Falls City Hall from 4-6 p.m. Click here to view the TIP and find out how to submit comments on it. All comments must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on November 1, 2010.

Task Force Seeking Public Comment

With strained budgets the norm these days, Idaho's Governor’s Transportation Task Force is recommending several options to Governor Otter for ways to increase the transportation budget, including a local option sales tax.

The Task Force meets on October 8, and are looking for your input. Please take 30 seconds to let the Task Force know what you think of both a local option sales tax or any other comments you may have.

Here's a link to the comment page.

STA Route Popular With North Idahoans Proposed To Be Eliminated

I know a lot of people from Kootenai County travel to Liberty Lake to catch the #72 Spokane Transit route to their jobs downtown. Well bad news folks. In STA's latest round of proposed cuts for 2011, the 72 is slated for elimination. Don't get too excited though, because there's still the 74 route that goes to the same place, it just takes a little longer. It looks like the frequency of how often the 74 runs would be increased under the proposal.

What do you think? Is this a bad move or will the more frequent run times make up for the little bit of inconvenience? Here's an article from the Spokesman-Review on the proposed changes, and how you can submit your comments.