OPEN HOUSE - SH 53 Transportation Access Study 10-25-12

EXPECT DELAYS - US 95 & Chilco Rd Paving through November 1st, 2012

Giving you a heads up on construction for U.S. 95 and the Chilco Rd/Silverwood area.  If you are planning on going to Silverwood anytime soon (until November 1st), plan an alternative route to get there!

The Idaho Department of Transportation announced today that the roadway paving project on US 95, between Chilco Road and Silverwood will begin paving this week causing expected delays.  Motorists are encouraged to take other routes.

The contractor will be doing test strips of asphalt until Thursday (August 23rd), with paving on U.S. 95 following.

Delays of up to 2 hours are anticipated for those using Chilco Rd during paving operations.

Motorists can expect intermittent delays at Chilco Road through November 1st.

You can visit www.itd.idaho.gov for more information or follow their "Twitter" (@IdahoITD) for more information.

KMPO Transportation Improvement Plan 2013-2017 TIP Amendments

We have posted two TIP Amendments for 2013 - 2017, on our webpage at www.kmpo.net, please visit our webpage to view the amendments.

SpaceX Reusable Futuristic Dragon Space Vehicle

Ok, I know that this is a bit out of the ordinary norm for transportation, but space travel has always intrigued me. 

 The video below was recently posted on You Tube.  Here are experts of some of what the video documents:

On May 25, 2012, SpaceX became the first private company in history to send a spacecraft to the space station and in August of 2012, NASA chooses to prepare Dragon for a crew. It will be able to transport up to seven astronauts to the space station.

Dragon is a free-flying, reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. Initiated internally by SpaceX in 2005, the Dragon spacecraft is made up of a pressurized capsule and unpressurized trunk used for Earth to LEO transport of pressurized cargo, unpressurized cargo, and/or crew members. 

This video from You Tube is worth watching, and you never know, the ordinary American may be traveling to space one of these days!



 You can also go to SpaceX.com for more information at http://www.spacex.com/updates.php/

Optical Speed Bumps Tested In Oregon To Slow Drivers Down

Oregon engineers are testing optical speed bars to slow traffic down.  It's basically an optical illusion used to get speeders to step on their brakes and slow down.  The speed bars are being tested at the intersection of Oregon 211 and Dubarko Rd.  Studies have shown to decrease the average speed at problem intersections by up to 5 mph depending on the location. It's a low cost alternative to getting drivers to slow down.  The speed bars make a driver think they are going faster than they actually are.  Each bar is a foot wide and 18 inches long, they are spaced at gradually decreasing intervals to create the illusion.
Here is a link to the Oregon Live.com website, just click on the video in the middle of the page and watch it and see what you think....
 http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2012/08/oregon_traffic_optical_illusio.html

USDOT Announces Hundreds of Millions $$$ Allocated to Highway Improvements

AASHTO Journal, August 3, 2012
FHWA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (announced last Thursday) that more than 363 million was allocated to 12 grant programs set to fund highway improvements, from interstate rehabilitation and reconstruction to technology aimed at improving safety and reducing congestion.  The funding was made possible through the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, Part II.

FHWA is encouraging states, cities, tribal governments and local planning organizations to apply for the funding from the 12 programs. 

The grant programs that will be doling out the funding are:  Public Lands Highway; Interstate Maintenance; Transportation, Community and System Preservation; Ferry Boat; National Scenic Byways; Value Pricing Pilot; Highways for LIFE; National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation; Railway-Highway Crossing Hazard Elimination in High Speed Rail Corridor; Delta Region Transportation Development; Innovative Bridge Research and Deployment; and Truck Parking.

For more information on the programs and grant awards is available at bit.ly/fhwagrants.  Additional information on MAP-21's effect on highway provisions is available at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/summaryinfo.cfm .

To see the full article from AASHTO, please go to: http://www.aashtojournal.org/Pages/080312hwyimprove.aspx.

KMPO 2013-2017 "Draft" Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) - Public Comments Welcome

KMPO 2013-2017 "Draft" Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
Available for Public Comment - August 1, 2012 to September 1, 2012.

KMPO's 2013-2017 "Draft" TIP is now available. The draft TIP includes a short range, six-year program of fiscally constrained projects for highways, transit and non-motorized projects within the Kootenai Metropolitan Area. 

Public comments can be emailed to: gmiles@kmpo.net or mailed to KMPO, Attn: Glenn F. Miles, 250 Northwest Blvd, Suite 209, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814. You can also reach us by phone at: (208) 930-4164.

You are Invited to Comment on the Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP)

You are invited to comment on the Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP), formerly STIP.  The ITIP list includes proposed projects for the next five years (2013 - 2017), and includes programmed improvements to highways, bicycle routes, pedestrian projects and public transportation.  The draft ITIP can be viewed at:
www.itd.idaho.gov

The public comment period is July 30, 2012 to August 30th, 2012.  You can email your comments to comments@itd.idaho.gov or send them via mail to: ITD - ITIP Comment, Attn: Adam Rush, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707-1129.

For CD's or paper copies, please contact Adam Rush at (208) 334-8119 or the general email at comments@itd.idaho.gov.

Greensferry Overpass Nearing Reality in Post Falls, Idaho

Greensferry Rd & I-90

It looks like Greensferry overpass in the city of Post Falls, Idaho could become a reality in the next two years.  Greensferry Road  is between the Seltice Way overpass and Highway 41.  The overpass location would be on Greensferry Rd intersecting I-90.

"Greensferry looks really promising now, sooner rather than later" Post Falls Mayor Clay Larkin in a statement to the Coeur d'Alene Press. "I can see if we get all the wrinkles ironed out starting construction in a year or so."  

The overpass would improve traffic and pedestrian circulation and emergency response and provide another much-needed connection between the north side of Post Falls and the south side.

Funding issues still have to be worked out, but it looks as though the Greensferry overpass could come to fruition sooner than expected.

To see the full story reported by ITD in "today's News" please visit the link below:
http://apps.itd.idaho.gov/Apps/MediaManagerMVC/NewsClipping.aspx/Preview/65067

River Avenue Just Completed in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

River Avenue just completed

River Avenue & Northwest Blvd.

River Avenue was just completed in the City of Coeur d'Alene. River Avenue ties the college district routes together along with a new signal that was installed at the intersection of Northwest Boulevard and River Avenue.  This is the second of the recent improvements along Northwest Boulevard, in the City of Coeur d'Alene.  Hubbard Avenue was completed just prior to the River Avenue intersection.  Great job city of Coeur d'Alene!!!!!

MPO - Metropolitan Planning Organization ???

I have so many people ask me what an MPO is and comment that they never knew it existed, so I thought it might be a good idea to do a post on it....

Metropolitan planning organization

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A metropolitan planning organization (MPO) is a federally mandated and federally funded transportation policy-making organization in the United States that is made up of representatives from local government and governmental transportation authorities. The United States Congress passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962, which required the formation of an MPO for any urbanized area (UZA) with a population greater than 50,000. Federal funding for transportation projects and programs are channeled through this planning process. Congress created MPOs in order to ensure that existing and future expenditures of governmental funds for transportation projects and programs are based on a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive (“3-C”) planning process. Statewide and metropolitan transportation planning processes are governed by federal law (23 U.S.C. §§ 134–135). Transparency through public access to participation in the planning process and electronic publication of plans now is required by federal law. As of 2005, there are 385 MPOs in the U.S.

Core functionsThere are five core functions of an MPO:

1. establish a setting: establish and manage a fair and impartial setting for effective regional decision-making in the metropolitan area (UZA)
2. evaluate alternatives: evaluate transportation alternatives, scaled to the size and complexity of the region, to the nature of its transportation issues, and to the realistically available options
3. maintain a long-range transportation plan (LRTP): develop and update a fiscally constrained long-range transportation plan for the UZA covering a planning horizon of at least twenty years that fosters
   • mobility and access for people and goods,
   • efficient system performance and preservation, and
   • quality of life
4. develop a transportation improvement program (TIP): develop a fiscally constrained program based on the long-range transportation plan and designed to serve the UZA’s goals while using spending, regulating, operating, management, and financial tools
5. involve the public: involve the general public and all the significantly affected sub-groups in the four essential functions listed above.

If the metropolitan area is designated as an air quality non-attainment or maintenance area, then

6. protect air quality: transportation plans, programs, and projects must conform with the air quality plan, known as the “state implementation plan” (SIP), for the state within which the UZA lies.

Presently, most MPOs have no authority to raise revenues such as to levy taxes on their own, rather, they are designed to allow local officials to decide collaboratively how to spend available federal and other governmental transportation funds in their urbanized areas. The funding for the operations of an MPO comes from a combination of federal transportation funds and required matching funds from state and local governments.

If you would like to know more, visit the link to Wikipedia's site.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_planning_organization

Commissioner Rodney A.Twete Appointed to KMPO Board

At the regular scheduled Board Meeting of the Lakes Highway District (LHD) held on July 2, 2012, the Board of Commissioners unanimously appointed Commissioner Rodney A. Twete as the new LHD representative to the KMPO board with commissioner Weston E. "Monty" Montgomery appointed as the alternate.


 

Rodney A. Twete

"Monty" Montgomery

Looking for a Job? Want to be a Bike Boss in Salt Lake, UT?

This story came across in Today's News and the title caught my attention.  Hiring a "BIKE BOSS" in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Your job would be to make bicycling conditions safer.  The position pays $38,000 a year and the official job title is a Public Works Bicycle Coordinator. In the article, Councilman Arlyn Bradshaw commented on the Council's decision to fund and allocate the position saying "Its a public safety issue" and noted that 66 auto-bicycle accidents occurred in 2011 in the area served by the Unified Police District. With so many people still out of work and the story being transportation related, I thought it worthwhile to post. 

 If you would like to read more or find out more about the position, here is the original story:
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54430359-78/bicycle-bike-bradshaw-council.html.csp

Transitplus Transportation Plan Draft Final

TransitPlus Transportation Plan Update Draft FinalKMPO's Transportation Plan Update consultant, Suzanne O'Neill of TransitPlus, Inc., released the Transportation Plan Update Draft Final dated July 3, 2012. If you have any comments or questions regarding the updated Transportation Plan, please email us at kmpo@kmpo.net.

You can visit http://www.kmpo.net/
to view the Transportation Plan Update Draft Final, under News and Notices dated July 3, 2012.

Congress Passes Surface Transportation Bill

Congress has passed a 26 month surface transportation bill last Friday that runs through September 30, 2014.

The transportation bill is 599 pages long and contains a 91 page summary.  More detailed analysis will be coming out over the coming weeks.
The bill will make some stakeholders happy and others not so much, but the bill does have a number of provisions that modernize federal transportation policy and set the stage for more visionary advancements in the next bill.

This Week in Federal Transportation News Congress is conducting an in-state work period this week and is in legislative recess.  The House also passed a fiscal year 2013 transportation spending bill.

If you would like to read the surface transportation bill, I have included the links for your viewing pleasure :) Here is a link to the new surface transportation bill: http://www.rules.house.gov/Media/file/PDF_112_2/LegislativeText/CRPT-112hrpt-HR4348.pdf And the link to the Summary: http://www.rules.house.gov/Media/file/PDF_112_2/PDF/HR4348crJES.pdf

Update to Earlier Post - A True Original Leata Cabalero 1975 with Fiberglass Panels

A little bit more of Post Falls, Idaho's history in car manufacturing.  I posted a story earlier about the Stinebaugh Leata Cabalero.  Since the original post, I found out there was an earlier version of the Leata Cabalero manufactured by Sonny Stinebaugh in Post Falls, Idaho.  

Below, is a picture of the original car manufactured at Stinebaugh Manufacturing along with a link to the http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1975-leata.htm website that posted the story. Thank goodness for the internet and all of the stories published.  They manufactured a few different models over the years.



Stinebaugh's brochure stated "The Cabalero owner knows he is one of a few people fortunate to experience the pleasure of a truly exceptional automobile meant to be a landmark in automotive history." It's interesting that some of these cars are still around and sought after and at a fair price years later.

Here is a later model, posted by "just a car geek" that kind of reminds me of an older Subaru Brat:

 http://www.justacargeek.com/2011/10/1977-leata-cabalero.html

I thought it might be worthwhile.  I know it's expanded my car knowledge.

Beck Road Interchange - Post Falls, Idaho - Construction In Progress

While waiting in stopped traffic on I-90 last Thursday (due to someone's boat coming off a trailer), I was able to snap a couple of pictures of the Beck Road Interchange construction that is in progress.

Although it is only the rough grading so far, you can see where the interchange is going to be.

 

The design build project is still scheduled to be completed by Thanksgiving of this year.  I'll keep you updated on the project's progress. The new access to I-90 will connect to Pointe Parkway and Beck Road, as well as providing easier access to:  Cabela's, Walmart, Greyhound Event Center and other businesses in the area.

  

You can visit Idaho Transportation Departments link below for more information on the project:

http://itd.idaho.gov/projects/d1/BeckRoadInterchange/default.asp

You can also visit the City of Post Falls website at:  http://www.postfallsidaho.org/

Bamboo Bicycles - You Can Make One!

"I noticed the story in the Spokesman Review below, so I GOOGLED" bamboo bicycle projects.  It's quite interesting...You can actually make your own bamboo bicycle!  I found an older video on YouTube of a bamboo bicycle project from start to finish (below):

Here is the story of in the Spokesman Review that was recently published...

Spokesman Review-
Spokane business owner Paul Fish (founder of Mountain Gear) wanted to see if he could build a bike out of bamboo.  After 50 hours and trial and error, he did it.  He is hoping to get the time down to 25 hours per bike, especially since six family members have requested he build one for them.  The bamboo bike weighs about 18 pounds and rides like a bike.  He got his inspiration and design assistance on the Bikecad website, www.bikecad.ca  Total cost of the bike was around $200.00.  To see the full story by the Spokesman Review visit the following link:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jun/10/bamboo-bike/

So there you have it, another project for all the bicyclist/inventors out there :)

East Hayden Lake Road, Lakes Highway District - Roadway Failure - Driver's Use Caution

Due to heavy rain, a 40 foot section of roadway, along the "East Hayden Lake Road" failed.  A portion of the roadway slid away from the rest of the road, as reported by Eric Shanley, road supervisor, of Lakes Highway District.  If you are traveling that direction, drivers should expect delays and exercise caution.

Transportation by Lawn Chair & Helium Filled Balloons.. HUH???

                               

I noticed this on the transportation news and had to share it.  It brought a "comical smile" to my face.  It's definitely a different way to travel, although I am not sure how the Department of Aviation would appreciate it, if we followed suit, ballooning up, up, and away, and in our lawn chairs no less.

I followed this story about a man named "Kent Couch".  He has a website devoted to his past, present and future flights, plus information about exactly how he does it.  He carries his Red Ryder BB rifle to shoot the helium filled balloons in order to safely land the lawn chair.  The website says he is planning another flight sometime this year to Iraq, in a fundraiser for Iraqi orphans.

On a previous flight, in October of 2009, he took his buddy John Freis with him to compete in the first ever two man lawn chair cluster balloon race.  You can go to the website below, if you would like to see the balloon race. http://www.couchballoons.com/2009-Flight

Do not try this at home, and in no way am I encouraging you to take up lawn chair ballooning! Have a wonderful day!

Disclaimer: Cluster Ballooning (or any type of  ballooning to remove yourself from the ground to fly in the air) is inherently dangerous. KMPO assumes No Responsibility for the use or mis-use of information provided on this story or blog.