KMPO Transportation Blog

Transportation Secretary LaHood On The Daily Show

2009-12-16T10:16:00.001-08:00

Here's a little mid-week treat for you; Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on the Daily Show with John Stewart. It's interesting stuff; they talk about taking Amtrak to beat the fog, Obama's Stimulus package, and the next big thing in transportation, which LaHood says will be high speed rail and which the audience seemed to like. The pneumatic tube item isn't a bad idea either, I'm going to start working on that in my garage.

In the meantime, I'm hearing that LaHood wants to take a tour of 'rural America.' I'm starting my own campaign to get him here. We're not necessarily rural, but we are surrounded by rural lands when you consider the palouse, the west plains area, much of Idaho and on east to Montana. And we have a unique Metropolitan Planning Organization setup here where we provide transportation planning for two counties, using one staff.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Ray LaHood

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

Chrysler Sets Company Policy Against Texting

2009-12-16T09:44:00.000-08:00

Chrysler has jumped into the texting-while-driving fray. They'r the first automaker to set a corporate policy that specifically prohibits anyone driving company-owned vehicles or texting with company-provided cell devices while driving personal vehicles. Here's the story, direct from the Chrysler blog.

Four Car Accident Kills Two

2009-12-16T09:16:00.000-08:00

A four-vehicle accident on I90 in Post Falls last night took the life of two teenagers and injured four other people. Here's the story from the Coeur d'Alene Press.

Mr. Heat Meiser Coming To Visit

2009-12-15T11:06:00.000-08:00

It looks like the Heat Meiser will be joining us this week, melting all that snow. If you think driving was a pain today, just wait until tomorrow. We're expected to get more snow tonight, then it will turn to rain and turn this 3-5 inches of snow into piles of slush. Someone in the office said it would be like 'driving through mashed potatoes tomorrow.' And while it seems merely inconvenient to drive in slushy conditions, slow down a little as the slush can throw you all over the place.

Cheap Gas At Stateline On Monday Nights

2009-12-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

Normally I'd never drive out of my way to buy cheap gas because you pretty much burn what you save just to get there. It's only about 5 minutes out of my way to go to the gas station at Stateline though, where they were selling gas for $2.29 a gallon. That's right folks! It's a Monday Night Football promotion so don't think you can go there and get that price today. But you could try next Monday.

Lowe Case Moved To Federal Court

2009-12-15T10:28:00.001-08:00

ITD Director Pam Lowe’s wrongful-termination lawsuit against the state is being moved up to federal court. The state had the option of either defending the case in 4th District Court or removing it to federal court.

Here's more on this story from the Spokesman's 'Eye On Boise' blog.

Fewer Expected To Travel By Air This Holiday Season

2009-12-15T10:12:00.000-08:00

The Air Transport Association of America is predicting fewer travelers will board planes to get to where they're going this Christmas. The decline in air travel is being blamed on the economy. Here's the story from the Seattle Times..

FTA Money To Fund CDA Tribe Transit Center

2009-12-14T11:45:00.000-08:00

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on Friday announced that $32 million will be spent on 100 transit projects on tribal lands. $15 million of the money will come from 'Public Transportation on Indian Reservations' funding from the USDOT and the other $17 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

FTA staff reviewed 152 proposals for projects and selected 100 to fund- including one Coeur d'Alene Tribe project- a transit center. Right now, we're working with the Tribe to determine if that money has to be used on Tribal Lands, or if it could be used to construct a transit center in the Riverstone area in Coeur d'Alene. I'll keep you updated.

In the meantime, here's the news release and the entire list of projects to be funded.

A Cautionary Tale About Buses

2009-12-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

Watch for bus riders
Letter to the Coeur d'Alene Press Editor

One evening as the snow started my teenage sons and quite a few of their friends rode the Citilink bus to a birthday party. They ride the bus system all the time, it is a great benefit for our community. Not long after I told all the boys to behave but have fun, I get a phone call from my oldest son. He was frantically crying, something he rarely does. I knew something was wrong. He says, "Mom, Jamie got hit by a car, I think he's dying." I hang up with him and head towards Super 1 in Post Falls.

I didn't know what to expect when I got there. The boys were all upset, scared and angry. Jamie, was laying on the concrete, being helped by the paramedics and a wonderful Good Samaritan, all I got was her first name, Brandy. Jamie was taken to KMC.

The police officer told me that there will be a crash report, but no charges. At this point I was just wanting to take care of my son. Who, thanks to God, has no major injuries. His shoulder and knee will probably never be the same, but he is alive and did not have a brain injury.

But, now that I know my son is okay I'm a bit concerned for the safety of others getting off and on the buses. No, they are not school buses with the stop sign, but drivers, people are getting off the bus. The woman who hit my son, drove around the stopped bus. Then to top it off tried to leave the scene before the police arrived. My older son stopped her from leaving!

The next time you are driving past the Citilink bus that is at a stop, remember that there are going to be pedestrians getting on and off the bus and you should watch for them. And riders, remember that not all drivers are paying enough attention to realize that a stopped bus means people walking.

BRINDA SCHENDEL
Post Falls

Some Items Regarding Snow

2009-12-14T09:44:00.000-08:00

- Not only did it snow last night in some areas, but it's expected to do so again tomorrow. If you commute to Spokane for work, be sure to check the Spokane Regional Transportation Management Center website for road conditions for heading out on them. You can watch live traffic cameras on the site, and check a map of your commute route for anything that might slow you down such as traffic accidents or slick roads.

- I got about 1 1/2 inches of snow at home last night, but the roads were pretty much clear by the time I got to Trent. And the freeway was just wet so the going was pretty easy. By the time I got downtown, there wasn't snow, wet roads, or anything. Just goes to show the little 'micro-climates' our area has.

- Blogger Holly from Olympia says it snowed there last night, about an inch, and there is a little ice on the roads, but nothing too scary. The funny part- the schools there delayed the start of the school day for two hours as a result.

Bids Coming In Consistently Under Estimate

2009-12-10T09:01:00.000-08:00

The winning bid on the project to widen US 95 north of Hayden came in way under estimate. $6 million under engineer's estimates in fact. And that's happening a lot lately with many area projects. Apparently the bad economy is forcing contractors to work for less and keep the price of materials stable. Here's the story from the Coeur d'Alene Press.

ITD Makes Bold Move- Appoints Woman To Board

2009-12-10T08:44:00.000-08:00

Idaho Governor Butch Otter did something yesterday that's never been done- he appointed a woman to the Idaho Transportation Board! Here's the article from the Spokesman-Review.

Does anyone else have a hard time believing that we're in the 21st century and there's never been a woman on that board?

30 Year Mayor's Only Regret- Transportation

2009-12-09T11:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Gail for sending me this video about one remarkable Mayor of a Canadian city who has been in office for 30 years! Mississauga is the ONLY city in existence that is debt free. And Mayor Hazel has a lot of other accomplishments under her belt as well. Her only regret? That they didn't build their development around transportation and are now struggling to develop a public transit system. The video is a little long and the reporter kind of cheesy but it's interesting to see what a city can do with some planning.

KCATT Agenda Available

2009-12-09T10:43:00.000-08:00

The agenda for next week's Kootenai County Area Transportation Team (KCATT) is now available. Here's the link. Feel free to attend if you see anything on the agenda that interests you. The meeting is next Tuesday, Dec. 15, at 8 a.m. in the meeting room at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library at 702 E. Front Ave.

Please note this is the last KCATT meeting that is scheduled to meet at the Coeur d’Alene library. Beginning next month (January 2010) and for the remaining 2010 year, KCATT will meet at the ITD District 1 Headquarters located at 600 West Prairie Avenue in Coeur d’Alene.

IPH Meeting Materials Available

2009-12-08T15:54:00.001-08:00

If you weren't able to attend the Inland Pacific Hub (IPH) meetings last week in Pullman, Sandpoint, or Spokane Valley, but are curious as to what happened at them, all the meeting materials are now posted to the IPH website.

The IPH Transportation Study is a project to establish the Inland Pacific Region as a multi-modal global gateway to increase international commerce. It is a partnership comprised of public and private sector representatives from Idaho and Washington.

While you're checking out the meeting materials, I recommend you browse the rest of the site to find out more about the project.

KMPO & KCATT Dates Set For 2010

2009-12-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

It's official; dates have been set for KMPO Board and Kootenai County Area Transportation Team (KCATT) meetings in 2010. They are as follows (so mark your calendar):

KMPO BOARD:
January 7
February 4
March 4
April 1
May 6
June 3
July 1
August 5
September 2
October 7
November 4
December 2

KCATT
January 26
February 23
March 23
April 27
May 25
June 22
July 27
August 24
September 28
October 26
November 23
December 21

Idaho Drunk Driving Deaths Up From 2007

2009-12-08T10:32:00.000-08:00

New federal data suggests that all but 10 states have seen a decline in drunken driving deaths- and Idaho is one of the ten states that hasn't. In fact, the rate of drunk driving deaths in Idaho has increased from 2007 to 2008.

Here's the story from Seattle's KIRO TV.

So Idahoans- what do you feel contributed to this increase in drunk driving fatalities?

Legos Teach Kids About Transportation

2009-12-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

This is pretty cool. Area students are learning about math, science, engineering- and transportation- through playing with legos! It's not just playing though, they're competing to be the champion when it comes to robotics. And one group of kids are even putting what they learned to use on the Centennial Trail. Here's the article.

KCATT Meeting Moved This Month

2009-12-07T09:56:00.001-08:00

This is early notice that the meeting date of the Kootenai County Area Transportation Team has been moved this month. Normally, the meeting is held the fourth Tuesday of each month. Because the fourth Tuesday of December fell on the week of Christmas this year though, it was agreed to hold it a week early, on Dec. 15. It will still be held at the regular time; 8 a.m. An agenda isn't available yet but I'll let you know when it is.

Students Looking For Bike Rack Designs

2009-12-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

The Inlander reports that a group of students in the Resort and Recreation Management Program at North Idaho College has launched an initiative called WeCycle, to promote bicycling and raise the profile of the bicycle in the city.

As part of the initiative, they’re asking artists to submit designs for between 15 and 20 bike racks, which would be installed along the Centennial Trail in May. The racks would be provided free of charge to the city.

The only requirements are apaprently that the designs be all-metal, safe and that they use a 36-inch square base as their foundation. If you're an artist interested in this, call (208) 290-5318.

Letter Writer Wants Longer Yellow Lights

2009-12-04T11:50:00.000-08:00

Coeur d'Alene Press Letter To The Editor:

I write this letter to the editor hoping that it will reach the eyes of whichever authority has jurisdiction over the traffic signals at the 95-Prairie intersection. Surely I am not the only one who thinks this issue needs addressing. It has to do with the length of time the signals show yellow before they change to red.

Traveling south on US 95 at the Prairie Ave. intersection: The yellow signal lasts approximately four seconds. I timed it for five cycles. The times ranged between 3.46and 3.88 seconds.

In four seconds a car moving at the posted speed limit (45 MPH) travels 264 feet, 66 feet per second.

According to the Idaho Driver's Handbook: At 45 MPH it takes 101.5 feet to react to the light changing.

It takes an additional 114 feet to bring the car to a stop. A quote from the handbook: "Total minimum stopping distances with perfect 4-wheel brakes on the best type of road surface under favorable conditions."

I wish to point out that for all intents and purposes, the 215.5 feet allotted amounts to a panic stop, and not the type of stopping drivers should be faced with in normally reacting to traffic signals.

The 101.5 reaction distance does not factor in the judgment time necessary to calculate your distance from the limit line, weather factoring, whether the stop can be made safely or any other of the multitude of calculations necessary to safely stop the vehicle. The allotted 101.5 feet only provides for the reaction time for a panic stop. The 114 feet stopping distance applies only to a panic stop.

The foregoing indicates that four seconds is an insufficient amount of time to bring a car to a safe stop if the car is 264 feet or nearer to the intersection when the car is traveling at the posted speed limit of 45 MPH. Even one additional second or five seconds total would be a vast improvement.

JAY BARBIERI
Dalton Gardens

Um... I'm not really sure where to go with this. Do you agree/disagree? Are you surprised that Mr. Barbieri did this much research to write a letter to the editor?

You Can Still Get A Rebate On A New Car

2009-12-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

You can still get a deal on a car, even if you don't have a clunker to trade in. But you've only got until the end of the year to use the New Car Tax Rebate, so if you were thinking about buying, now may be the time. And buyers are needed because, unlike the Cash For Clunkers Program, not many appear to be taking advantage of this program.

Here's more information on this little-known program from the Coeur d'Alene Press.

Avista To Remove Trees On Hazel Avenue

2009-12-04T09:06:00.000-08:00

According to the 'City of Coeur d'Alene Today' blog, Avista will be removing some trees along Hazel Avenue at Cherry Hill. Like many street trees, the trees that will be removed are growing into the overhead power lines.

Not only is Avista removing the trees, but they are donating $1,000 to Urban Forestry for replacement trees.

Task Force Won't Propose Road Fixes

2009-12-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

Governor Otter's transportation funding task force met this week, but it won’t be proposing any road fixes in the upcoming Idaho legislative session as the group is apparently bogged down with defining the need for road funding. Here are the details from the 'Eye On Boise' Blog.

SRTMC Website Outage Planned For Sunday, Monday

2009-12-04T08:53:00.001-08:00

This is your notice that, if you commute from Idaho to Spokane for work, you're going to have to rely on your own wits and street smarts to get to work on Monday morning, as the Spokane Regional Transportation Management Center (SRTMC) cameras will be down that morning for some upgrades.

The live traffic feeds will be taken down Sunday morning (Dec. 6) and are expected to be back online by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, in time for the evening commute.

The SRTMC site, at www.srtmc.org, is a high-tech website with real-time, customizable information for the Spokane area. 24-hours a day you can watch over 40 live traffic cameras, read about incidents and events that are automatically updated as they happen, and check construction updates in order to plan your commute around upcoming construction projects.

The SRTMC is expecting to bring almost 30 new camera feeds online by early 2010. That includes three on Appleway in Spokane Valley, four along the North Spokane Corridor, and over 20 on the Maple/Ash Corridor. In order to support these additional camera feeds, a new video switch must be installed, which accounts for the outage.