Idaho Transportation Department

{{short description|State transportation department in Idaho, United States}}

{{Infobox government agency

| agency_name = Idaho Transportation Department (ITD)

| logo = Seal of the Idao Department of Transportation.svg

| logo_width = 150px

| logo_caption =

| seal =

| seal_width =

| seal_caption =

| formed = {{start date and age|1974}}

| preceding1 = Idaho Highway Commission

| preceding2 = Idaho Department of Highways

| jurisdiction = Idaho

| headquarters = 3311 W. State Street
Boise, Idaho{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rDRWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2OcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5876%2C5734211 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=(drawing) |title=New Idaho state building planned |date=March 19, 1959 |page=6}}

| employees =

| budget =

| chief1_name = Scott Stokes

| chief1_position =
Director

| chief2_name = Dan McElhinney

| chief2_position =
Chief Deputy Director / Chief Operations Officer

| chief3_name = Mollie McCarty

| chief3_position =
Chief External Affairs Officer

| chief4_name = Brenda Williams

| chief4_position =
Chief Human Resources Officer

| chief5_name = Dave Tolman

| chief5_position =
Chief Administrative Officer

| parent_agency = State of Idaho

| website = {{URL|https://itd.idaho.gov/}}

| footnotes =

}}

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is the state of Idaho governmental organization responsible for state transportation infrastructure. This includes ongoing operations and maintenance as well as planning for future needs of the state and its citizens. The agency is responsible for overseeing the disbursement of federal, state, and grant funding for transportation programs in the state.{{Citation | title = FAQ | publisher = ITD | year = 2007 | url = http://itd.idaho.gov/NewsAndInfo/faqs.htm | access-date = 2007-04-22 | quote = The transportation department also oversees federal grants to 15 rural and urban public transportation systems, provides state rail planning and rail-project development and supports bicycle and pedestrian projects. | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070426120934/http://itd.idaho.gov/NewsAndInfo/faqs.htm | archive-date = 2007-04-26 | url-status = dead }}

Overview

Idaho's state transportation system consists of more than {{convert|12200|mi|km}} (lane miles) of roads, more than 1,800 bridges, approximately {{convert|1,630|mi|km}} of rail lines, 126 public-use airports, and the Port of Lewiston.

The agency is also responsible for 29 rest areas and 12 ports of entry.

History

The Idaho Legislature created the State Highway Commission {{Years or months ago|1913}} in 1913. The group consisted of the Secretary of State, the State Engineer and three other members to be appointed by the governor. The Commission was empowered to:

plan, build and maintain new state highways
alter, improve or discontinue any state highway
purchase, condemn, or otherwise obtain necessary easements
have general supervision of all highways within the state
expend the fund created for the construction, maintenance and improvement of state highways
maintain and improve state highways
make and enforce rules
employ a Chief Engineer and assistants
supervise registration of vehicles
keep a complete record of all activities and expenses{{Citation

| title = Idaho's highway history, 1863-1975

| publisher = Idaho Transportation Department

| year = 1985

| location = Boise, ID

| pages = 36, 62

| oclc = 11855599}}

In 1919, the Commission was abolished and its functions were transferred to a Bureau of Highways in the Department of Public Works. A property tax was enacted by the Legislature to fund roads for the state and bonds were issued to build a highway system.

In 1950, the Idaho Department of Highways was reorganized and placed under the direction of a governing Board. In 1974, the Idaho Department of Highways became the Idaho Transportation Department. The Department of Motor Vehicles originally reported to the Idaho Department of Law Enforcement, but was transferred to ITD in 1982.

Organization

File:IDT Incident Response.jpg

Image:U.S. Highway 93 bridge from within Snake River Canyon.jpeg on Hwy 93
over the Snake River]]

ITD is organized into five divisions and six district offices. The agency serves under an appointed seven member Idaho Transportation Board. The board establishes state transportation policy and guides the planning, development and management of the Idaho transportation network. The board is appointed by the governor. One board member represents each of the six regional districts. A seventh member is appointed as chairman of the board.

The department has the following six divisions: