Re: Highway 95

["Jerry L. Schutz" <jschutz@moscow.com>]

>Greg Meyer said:
>I definitely see a need to evaluate that stretch of
>highway's safety/engineering (current passing lanes, lack of >signage
>and turn lanes, keeping lines painted, SNOW REMOVAL and so >forth) and
>to do so soon. However I am certainly not convinced that the most
>rational use of funds would be to turn the Genesee-Moscow part of >the
>road into a four-laner.
>Greg Meyer


I was at the  Moscow Chamber of Commerce Legislative tour Feb1-3  and that
question was asked of Dwight Bower, Director of ITD.  He explained that the
Moscow-Genesee project (which is scheduled for 2001) is a "funded mandate".
The project is specifically named in TEA21 (Transportation Efficiency Act
for the 21st Century)and the funds cannot be used for some other project.

According to the director,  a list of priorities from ITD was given to Sen.
Kempthorne and some of these projects were added into TEA21.  Originally the
whole project Moscow-Lewiston 4 lanes, was in the bill but in the conference
committee he had to give up half of the project so he gave up the Gen-Lew
piece.  ITD is planning on using other funds to complete the 4-lane project
Genesee-Lewiston and I think it is scheduled by 2002 or 3.

Incidentally, US 95 is now designated as a "Priority Trade Route" or
something like that,  which means there will be more attention to all of
US95.

We may actually see a real Bonners Ferry to Boise highway in our
lifetimes....  There is also talk about straightening out 95 at Indian
Valley to Emmett  but no real money for design.

Jerry L. Schutz