I talked with Senator Evan Frasure (Chairman of the Senate Transportation
Committee-Idaho) Friday at an IAIC meeting in Coeur d' Alene. Sen. Frasure
is best known for blocking the legislation that would have been placed on
the ballot to improve Highway 95.
Sen. Frasure is now a strong supporter to improve 95. He drove the entire
length of the highway in June and says he now realizes the importance of
upgrading it. Here are some points I picked up from Sen. Frasure.
--From 75-97--$265,000,000 has been spent on Highway 95
--The State Highway Board has committed $136,000,000 to upgrade 95
--An additional #74.2 million in additional ICTEA funds thorough federal
authorization will probably be available for 95 this coming January. Sen.
Frasure is Chair of the National State Legislators Transportation Committee
and just returned from 10 of meetings in D.C.
--Priority Corridor designation for 95--Sen. Kempthorne and our D.C. delegation
are working on this front. If we can get this designation then there is
extra federal funds that are available
--Senator Frasure indicated that additional funding through fuel tax will
probably increase the money available for 95
The initial priority on 95 improvement will be from the Canadian border to
Sandpoint and include the Sandpoint bypass.
The potential Moscow bypass apparently has received increased attention by
Sen. Frasure's committee and the State Transportation Department. Sen.Frasure
wants to hold a hearing in Moscow in September to get public input. Sen.
Schroeder who is on the Senate Transportation Committee has talked with
the Mayor and County Commissioners about setting up some meetings prior to
September to get public input. A bypass is estimated at between $20-$30
million.
Senature Frasure will be a candidate for State Treasurer next year so
he may realize there are also voters in N. Idaho--this may have contributed
to his conversion. St. Paul was converted on road to Damascus so this may
have set the prescendent ofthe conversion of Sen. Frasure
A footnote on flooding in the Southern part of the state. We still have
$3.5 million left fromm the N. Idaho floods of last year and budgeted $3 million
for floods making a total of $6.5 million available for the 25% state match
for the 75% federal funds.
Tom Trail, Representative
District 5
Dr. Tom Trail
International Trails
2039 Mt. View Rd.
Moscow, Id. 83843
Tel: (208) 882-6077
Fax: (208) 882-0896
e mail ttrail@moscow.com