Boundary County’s proposed
project to improve the safety of children around
the area of Naples Elementary School fell just
short in a statewide competition for funding.
The statewide results were announced
March 9 by the Idaho Transportation Department.
First,
we need these three paragraphs of background
information:
On the final day of its
session last year, the Idaho Legislature made
changes to what is called the Strategic
Initiatives Program.
This program allows that some of Idaho’s
end-of-year surplus funds can be provided to pay
for transportation projects that meet certain
criteria.
The new legislation
arranged things so that 40% of this funding
would be made available to local government
units (the remaining 60% going to state
projects).
Local government entities could now
submit proposals for projects in their local
areas that “shall compete for strategic
initiative program selection and funding on a
statewide basis,” according to the language of
the bill.
Previously the Strategic
Initiatives Program specified that local
government project proposals must fall into the
categories of traffic safety, improvements in
traffic flow, projects that would improve
economic opportunity, the repair and maintenance
of bridges, and the purchase of public-rights-of
way.
The new law kept those same categories,
but added a new category for which projects
could be submitted for state funding.
That new category:
Pedestrian safety for children.
Boundary
County decides to submit a project proposal for
child pedestrian safety
In an effort to secure some
of these newly-authorized state funds for a
local child pedestrian safety project, Boundary
County Road and Bridge Department Superintendent
Clint Kimball put together plans for a project
conceived to improve safety around Naples
Elementary School.
His plan included crosswalks, flashers,
lighted signs, a bus loading zone, and
illumination between the school and the South
Boundary fire station.
All the required forms and packets were
filled out.
Boundary
County’s proposal, “Naples Elementary School
Pedestrian Safety Improvements,” was requesting
$250,000.
In December, Mr. Kimball
presented the project and the applications to
the County Commissioners, who authorized
Chairman Dan Dinning to sign the application and
submit it in hopes of winning state funding.
Seventy other Idaho cities,
counties, and local government entities also
submitted proposals for children pedestrian
safety projects.
A total of over $12 million in funding
was requested by these 71 proposals.
All 71 submitted projects
were then evaluated for state funding.
The submitted projects were to be scored
based on six criteria:
○ the degree of impact on child pedestrian
safety
○ the type and quality of data submitted to
substantiate the project’s claims to improve
child pedestrian safety
○ how effective the project is at connecting
pedestrian systems, destinations, or otherwise
enhancing ○ ○ pedestrian mobility
○ availability of right-of-ways or easements
○ amount of community support in the form of
letters or statements
○ commitments of partners involved in the
project
And the
winners are . . .
On March 9, the Idaho
Department of Transportation announced that of
the 71 proposals submitted from around the
state, 12 projects benefiting child pedestrian
safety had been selected.
Boundary County’s proposed
Naples Elementary School safety improvements
project was not selected.
The twelve selected projects that will be
receiving state funding are:
Location
Amount
Ashton
$250,000
Title: Main Street sidewalk
improvements
Description: This project
will provide new sidewalk and lighting
improvements along Main St. (ID-47) to connect
with the existing pedestrian system at the high
school.
Blackfoot
$171,000
Title: Ridge Crest
Elementary Safety Improvements Project
Description: This project
will provide a 575-foot section of sidewalk
along Airport Road to extend the sidewalk from
Ridgecrest Elementary to the park. Additional
safety improvements include a pedestrian
crossing at East Airport Road.
Burley
$191,000
Title: Highland Avenue and
East 19th Street Sidewalk Connection
Description: This project
will provide nearly a half-mile of new sidewalk
and Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA)-compliant ramps that connect two schools
along Highland Avenue. The schools are White
Pine Intermediate and Dworshack Elementary.
Caldwell
$109,446
Title: Sacajawea Elementary
School Project
Description: This project
will provide new sidewalk, updated ADA curb
ramps, bike lanes, and streetlights, and a
Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon along Illinois Avenue
to provide a safe route to school for children
travelling to Sacajawea Elementary.
Carey
$154,640
Title: Crosswalk Signage
and Pedestrian Improvement Project
Description: This project
will provide new curb, gutter, and sidewalk
along ID-26 and a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon to
provide a safe crossing for pedestrians walking
across the state highway.
Driggs
$125,000
Title: South 5th Street
Pathway
Description: This project
will provide approximately 1,600 feet of
10-foot-wide multiuse path and ADA ramps along
South 5th Street, connecting four schools to
residential areas. This project extends an
existing safe route to school.
Firth
$250,000
Title: Children Pedestrian
Improvements
Description: This project
will provide new curb, gutter, and sidewalk
along Center Street from Main St. (ID-91) to the
elementary school. Additional safety
improvements include a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon
signal on Main St.
Idaho Falls
$240,000
Title: Iona Street,
Riverside Drive and Bush Elementary Connections
Description: This project
will provide new sidewalk along Iona Street and
a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon for safe crossings at
Riverside Drive (a busy street near an
interchange). A second location includes
sidewalk connections to Bush Elementary.
Marsing
$35,326
Title: ID-55 Sidewalk
Project
Description: This project
will provide new sidewalk along ID-55,
connecting the public library and downtown with
the elementary, middle, and high schools.
Moscow
$250,000
Title: Third Street
Corridor Improvements
Description: This project
will provide about 970 feet of new sidewalk
along 3rd Street, connecting two elementary
schools and the high school along a safe route
to school. Additional safety improvements
include adding center medians, curb extensions,
vertical tube delineator (high-visibility
markings), and school-zone lighting.
Shelley
$135,000
Title: Locust and US-91
Improvements
Description: This project
will install a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon at the
intersection of ID-91 and Locust Street to
provide a safe pedestrian crossing for students
going to the school or library.
Teton
$28,000
Title: Child Pedestrian
Safety Project
Description: This project
will install Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons at two
intersections along ID-33 south of Teton
Elementary to provide safe crossing for students
going to and from school.
When questioned about Boundary
County’s submitted proposal, Idaho
Transportation Department representative Reed
Hollinshead said “They [Boundary County] scored
just below the twelve projects that were
selected. It was a very competitive process. We
could only fund a dozen of the 71 applications.”
Along with Boundary County, other local
government entities in our area saw their
proposed projects fall short in the competitive
process for funding.
St. Maries submitted a proposal to
improve sidewalks.
Priest River proposed improving safety on
routes children take to school.
Sandpoint’s proposal was designed to
improve child pedestrian safety, and Bonner
County submitted a proposal regarding bike paths
in the Sagle area.
Local government entities can again submit
proposals by the end of this year under the same
program, to compete for state funding to be
awarded early next year.
Should Boundary County, or some other
local government entity decide to put together a
proposal to compete for state funding under this
program, our wish for them is—good luck.
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