Registration Fee Ballot Proposal Submitted to County Clerk

Kootenai County cities and highway districts yesterday submitted a ballot proposal to the county clerk to give voters the chance to weigh in on a Proposed Vehicle Registration Fee at the polls this November.

If passed, the fee would add $24 to the price of registering your vehicle each year for the next 20 years, to help fund road maintenance and improvements in Kootenai County.

Here's a look at some frequently asked questions about the proposal and how it would affect you and me.

How Accurate Is That Gas Pump?

Do you really get what you pay for when you gas up? Well, State officials say gas pumps around Idaho are much more accurate than they were three years ago.

Here's how accurate those pumps are.

I've heard stories of malfunctioning gas pumps before. Have you ever been ripped off, that you know of, by a gas pump?

Ferries Still Up For Bid; Grab Your Checkbook

Too bad they're too big for Lake Coeur d'Alene, maybe we could have gotten a screaming deal :) Four 80-year-old ferries pulled from service on Washington's Puget Sound didn't receive a single bid when listed on EBay last week.

The minimum bid was $350,000 each. Still, a spokeswoman for the ferry system says there are some people interested in purchasing the boats.

She says potential buyers have expressed an interest in buying all four at a lower, nondisclosed price.

KXLY Piece On Cross-State Transit

Spokane Transit Authority has recently started crunching the numbers with agencies in North Idaho (including Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization) to determine the feasibility of implementing public transit between Post Falls and Spokane. At a recent 'Public Transportation Roundtable,' a new committee formed by KMPO, the discussion was what kind of route to provide; a through route with a variety of stops or a direct commuter route from Post Falls straight to downtown Spokane with limited stops. The consensus was to provide a little of both. The talks are in the early stages so it will still be a while before you can use public transportation to travel between Spokane and North Idaho.

In the meantime, here's a piece KXLY did on the situation yesterday.

Possible Cross-State Bus Link?

A possible cross-state bus link and full van pools: Here's what's happening in our area this week courtesy of the Spokesman-Review's 'Getting There' column.

Idaho Centennial Trail launches new blog

This blog is a pretty good resource for adventurers who want to tour the whole Centennial Trail in Idaho. I hope they can get people to comment on the blog and keep it fresh and lively. One post I found interesting was the link to the ICT website where you can get the ICT big picture and maps and stuff. Did you know that the Centennial Trail is 900 miles long? Anyway, this blog will be worth checking in on from time to time.

Hat Tip: Huckleberries Online

This could be a fun ride, and the money goes to a good cause...

The Panhandle Public Health Foundation (PPHF) believes quality of life starts with a physically, mentally and emotionally healthy population. That's why the foundation raises money to promote public health programs such as low-cost clinics, senior companionship and child abuse prevention in the five northern counties.

Saturday, Aug. 16, is PPHF's second annual Pedalin' for Public Health bike ride on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes. The family event stretches from Plummer to Enaville and ranges from 15 to 43 scenic miles. Most importantly, it raises money for public health projects that improve life for everyone in the Panhandle.

The ride starts anytime from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Registration costs $25 for adults and $5 for children. Adult registrations by Aug. 8 include a T-shirt. To register, visit www.pphf.net.

PPHF was able to award $3,000 in public health grants this year thanks in part to enthusiastic participation last year in Pedalin' for Public Health. Don't miss out on a perfect family outing that has the potential to benefit thousands.

JEANNE BOCK, PHD Director

KAY KINDIG, PPHF Chairman

Would You Support A 'Bike There' Function On Google?

Google recently partnered on an initiative that measured how walkable neighborhoods are. Since then, a lot of people have been saying how cool it would be if they did the same with bike routes and facilities.

And some people aren't waiting for Google to think it up themselves, they've started a petition to ask Google to add a 'Bike There' function to their mapping capabilities.

The Metro Spokane blog has more information and a link to the petition.

Construction on Kathleen Avenue Begins Monday

I won't be here tomorrow so here's your construction warning for Monday morning:

Construction begins Monday to straighten the curves on Kathleen Avenue from Player Drive to St. Michelle. Safety concerns prompted the straightening of the roadway, as more and more bicyclists and outdoor enthusiasts began using Prairie Trail. A pedestrian-activated crossing light will be installed where Prairie Trail crosses Kathleen Avenue.

Traffic will be congested in this area with slowdowns and traffic pattern shifts. The work will take from six to eight weeks, finishing near the start of the new school season.

Is this a good problem to have?

It seems that all of the bicycle traffic, and disregard for the rules of the road, in Portland has drawn the attention of law enforcement. They have had emphasis patrols out for the past couple of days to "re-educate" all modes of commuters -- but primarily bicyclists on the traffic rules.

Most violators are receiving warnings, but a couple of citations have been issued. One has to believe that this emphasis was sparked in part by recent road rage incidents between motorists and bicyclists in Portland. You can read the full story here.

Okay, I admit it. When I ride my bike, I rarely follow the same rules I would ordinarily follow in my car. I can see where that could become problematic, so I will vow to change my ways.

How about you...do you always follow the proper rules while bicycling?

UPDATE: Huckleberries Online linked our post here to a discussion over there. Also, a southern Idaho poster who calls himself Sisyphus provided this link to Idaho's bicycling laws. It's pretty interesting stuff.

Do We Need To Give Thieves Ideas On How To Steal More Efficiently?

The bad economy is now affecting how companies advertise their products. I was surprised when I stumbled on this item for sale, with one of its' selling point being that it 'makes stealing gas easy.'

I don't know what to say folks...

Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes: It's Perfect For Summertime Riding

Last week I posted a link to a map of the Centennial Trail through the Coeur d'Alene area, so it's only fair this week that Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes gets a little love.

So here's a link to the Trail's website.

Click 'Our Map' to see the map of the trail, or there's a really cool feature you can check out if you have Google Earth called 'Fly It Before You Ride It.' Have fun!

Transportation Improvement Program Needs Your Comments

KMPO has just completed a draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for 2009 - 2013 and it's now ready for you to review and comment on it.

The TIP is a funding program document that lists federally and non-federally funded transportation improvements proposed by various jurisdictions. It identifies regionally significant transportation projects that jurisdictions and agencies plan to undertake during the upcoming five years.

You can review the TIP on the KMPO website by clicking here. There are also instructions there on how to submit comments. Go crazy, we want to hear what you have to say.

Aggressive Driving Emphasis Patrol

Idaho law enforcement officers are on the lookout this week for aggressive drivers as part of an operation funded by the state Transportation Department. The Spokesman-Review reports that officers will be ticketing drivers for speeding, tailgating, running stop signs and illegal passing.

More Bikes Mean More Accidents

Since the average price of gasoline hit about $3.25 a gallon early this year, bike sales have skyrocketed. But more bikes mean more accidents.

This MSNBC article tells how authorities across the country say they are seeing a sharp rise in the number of accidents involving bicyclists.

Updated US95 Alternatives Posted On KMPO Site

If you haven't checked the KMPO site lately, the updated 'alternatives' for improvements to US95 have recently been posted.

KMPO is teaming up with David Evans and Associates to conduct a 'US95 Access Management Study' to improve the flow of traffic on US95 and address growing safety concerns at unsignalized intersections, while still providing access to the highway and businesses along the highway.

The primary goal of the study is to evaluate low-cost strategies to manage and balance access to US95 from adjacent streets. The intent is to identify measures which can be implemented within the next 5 years.

For more information on the study and to view the alternatives under consideration, or to express your opinion on which alternative should be utilized, go to the project web page.

Are there more bikes on the road, or does it just seem that way?

The Spokesman Review had an interesting editorial today -- even if it is Spokanecentric. (check it out here). They are calling on agencies that have jurisdiction over roads to take increased bicycling into account in their planning efforts. We at KMPO would agree with the SR's editorial, but it's worth pointing out that many jurisdictions are, in fact, already doing this.

Just look at all the development activity around Riverstone and west along the river toward Post Falls. All of that development includes a vast array of trails for bikes and pedestrians. Not to mention the brand new and beautiful Prairie Trail extension of the Centennial Trail stretches just over 5 miles from Riverstone northwest across the prairie to Huetter Road.

Likewise, in Spokane County many of the larger jurisdictions have actively supported the "SmartRoutes" project, and they have also started developing and updating their bicycle master plans. The City of Spokane is also trying to figure out how to incorporate a bicycle coordinator position into its planning and engineering departments.

The STA bicycle rack problem that is mentioned in the editorial is a tough one, but I wonder if the problem could be solved by having the buses pull trailers for the bikes. (Just a thought). I also heard at one time City Link was looking at new buses that could handle more bicycles by allowing the riders to carry them on board. I don't know if they are actually pursuing that, but I'll check into it and let you know.

In the meantime: How would you purpose to fix the shortage of bike rack space on the City Link buses?

Governor Otter Asks For Funding Increase For Roads

Gov. Butch Otter brought his 'road show' to Coeur d'Alene yesterday, asking for input from area leaders and citizens on how to pay for Idaho's road 'crisis.'

The Idaho Transportation Department says an additional $240 million is needed each year to combat rising construction prices, deteriorating roads and highways and an expected drop in federal funding.

But some citizens who attended the meeting aren't happy about a proposed funding increase.

Here's the story from the CDA Press.

KMPO 'Special Correspondent' Jeff Selle spent the day at the meeting yesterday and will (hopefully) post his take on it later today.

Fewer Flights In Airport Future

Bad news for those of us who fly in and out of Spokane International Airport, it's going to offer fewer flights in the near future.

Express Jet is discontinuing service at the begining of September and Horizon plans to reduce service over the next year. The problem isn't that people can't afford to fly anymore because of the economy. Even the full planes are losing money because the cost of fuel isn't being covered by airfare costs.

Oil Prices Drop For Second Day In A Row

Don't get your hopes up, but oil prices settled sharply lower for the second day in a row today, leaving crude more than $10 cheaper in two days of frenzied trading.

The two-day slide of $10.58 a barrel marks a dramatic turnaround in crude prices but
analysts are unsure whether the drop represents a long-term shift in sentiment or simply a brief correction to crude’s monthslong bull run.

Here's the details.