The Future of Road Repair

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WRW
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BY ISAIAH FRIZZELL With ever increasing traffic due to growth, the wear and tear on public roads, beyond the traffic, has been a hot topic in the Valley. What solutions are on the table at city hall and how can you get involved yourself in the upkeep and maintenance in your community? Here are a few ways to keep your roads and highways clean and what each city is doing about it. Keep it in the Community Blaine County’s Adopt-A-Highway road program has the stated purpose of creating “litter-free Blaine County road rights-of-way by providing an opportunity for volunteer groups to “adopt” sections of county roadways to conduct litter cleanup.” (www.co.blaine.id.us/290/Adopt-A-Road-Program). This program received $1500 from the Fiscal Year 2024 Approved Budget and, in 2023 alone, the community cleared 3 million pounds of litter from the roadways, saving $25 million in labor for the city. The Adopt-A-Highway Program is a proactive way to make roads and the natural environment surrounding them clean and litter free while also keeping an eye on the quality of the asphalt, potholes, and pain points that need to be addressed. Grab a road with your friends and take part in maintaining the balance of the natural beauty surrounding the Valley with the liveable, driveable and enjoyable upkeep of the roads. It’s a great opportunity to get outside for some exercise and life hacking while you life craft it – take photos, make a list with a map of your adopted road and delve into this unique hands-on method for cleanup. It’s a great way to enjoy nice roads and derive satisfaction from community effort. Nothing beats doing it yourself and every year is a DIY year for any scale of project. How It Works Your group adopts a one-mile stretch of road of your preference in location. Blaine County will work with you to sort out who has already adopted what. The adoption lasts two years with a promise to pick up litter a minimum of twice a year for the two years of adoption. Blaine County’s got you covered for 30-gallon yellow contractor trash bags, safety vests and temporary “roadside litter pickup” traffic signs. As an added bonus, “Blaine County will erect a total of two recognition signs with the group name, one sign at the beginning of each adopted road section in each direction.” (www.co.blaine.id.us) Everyone will see your name for posterity and legacy as a community activist with your name in steel signage! You’re responsible for transporting the refuse to the Ohio Gulch or Carey Transfer Station where Blaine County will waive the disposal fee. The application form can be found at the Blaine County, Idaho, website: https://www.co.blaine.id.us/FormCenter/Administrative-Services-16/AdoptARoad-Program-Application-114 . And other volunteer programs can be found at the Idaho Transportation Department’s (IDT) website https://itd.idaho.gov/road-mtce/ . City Commitments You can keep track of the city’s involvement to know your roads. Many people use the 511 app, which can be found at https://511.idaho.gov/#:Alerts along with a comprehensive map of current work zones. We all know about the potholes and cracks. They’re a function of mountain living and seasonal climate fluctuations as ice forms and thaws in the asphalt, buckling and eventually eroding into potholes or cracks. The added traffic of growth from transplants in Blaine County has further encumbered the mountain-town -ize roads. If you’re on X (formerly known as Twitter) you can follow IDT at https://x.com/idahoitd. The most recent update reads “US-20 University Blvd. Exit 332 will be closed for one month starting next Wed, May 29. Detours will be signed at Thorton Exit 328 and Rexburg Main St. Exit 333. The improved Exit 332 is expected to be open by the Fourth of July.” May 28 begins the resurfacing of U.S. Highway 2 starting at its junction with U.S. Highway 95 east to the Montana state line. Now that may impact some for commuting and traveling but what about the plans for Blaine County roads? Great news is that Trail Creek Road, due to the efforts of the Blaine County Road and Bridge Department, will seasonally re-open on Friday, May 24, 2024. Ketchum Many know of Ketchum’s Project Main Street. With the stated mission of “Rebuilding the roadway and improving pedestrian amenities from River to 10th Street, in partnership with Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency and Idaho Transportation Department” (https://www.projectketchum.org/main-street/), Ketchum is continually improving quality of life for pedestrians and motorists alike. The closure from River to 2nd Street, as of this writing, was scheduled to be complete by May 24. The Second Street closure from Main to Leadville was scheduled to reopen by May 21. From 2nd to 4th the construction continues until at least July 3. That’s an ideal date to make way for Fourth of July festivities. Sidewalk construction on the west side between 2nd and Sun Valley Road is scheduled until May 24. You can receive Main Street updates from their newsletter signup page at https://www.projectketchum.org/main-street/ where you can also share your thoughts on the current and future construction. Hailey The Hailey Transportation Master Plan of 2020 continues with improvements to bike lanes and throughways in conjunction with the Urban Renewal Agency (URA). With a budget of $735,695, the city is due for a makeover. For a general inquiry about specific pain points you can submit a form at https://haileycityhall.org/public-works/. The Gateway, Airport and South district are the focus of this initiative along River Street, Downtown and the South district. Input from local business owners and the general public of the community have all been taken into account but, like anything of this scale, persistence and community alignment with needs is of utmost importance to communicate, as again, this is where the rubber meets the road. You can get out there, take photos and submit to the City of Hailey at https://haileycityhall.org/contact/. Bellevue Potholes must be repaired during warm, dry weather and while a heavy fix is not on the agenda for this season, ITD plans to have at least a temporary glue job done no later than October. Hot asphalt plants were set to reopen mid-April. The ‘Bellevue to Broadway Run’ project is addressing the plethora of potholes and cracks in this stretch of SH-75. The project is set to do the following: Widen SH-75 between McKercher Boulevard and Timber Way, and between Birch Street and Fox Acres Road. Plans include center medians, wider shoulders and center turn lanes along SH-75. Improve several intersections along SH-75. Add multimodal infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users. 2024 is the year design plans are to be finalized and right-of-way purchases made. If all goes accordingly, 2025 will see construction begin. There is hope in sight. And as there were multiple stakeholder meetings for feedback, it is incumbent on the community to lodge a complaint or comment. Questions about the project may still be asked via email at info@sh75project.com. General Idaho Metrics To get a precise idea for the scale of ITD’s responsibility – “ITD manages a State Highway System (SHS) of approximately 5,000 centerline miles, or over 12,000 lane miles, plus more than 1,800 bridges. The entire Idaho Transportation Network is more than 60,000 miles with local governments owning the large majority. ITD’s routes carry 55% of the state vehicle miles of travel (VMT) with 25% of all VMT being on the Interstate Highway System network. Within Idaho, there are more than 4,000 bridges; of these 1,835 bridges are managed by ITD. There are 830 bridges and culverts greater than 20-foot in length on the National Highway System (NHS). Of these, 805 are on the State Highway System and there are 25 local bridges and culverts greater than 20 feet in length on the NHS” (itd.idaho.gov). “Idaho uses three measures to quantify performance; these are International Roughing Index (IRI), rutting depth, and Overall Condition Index (OCI). Developed as part of refinements to ITD’s Transportation Asset Management System (TAMS), the OCI is unique to Idaho. Idaho collects pavement performance data on an annual basis. The OCI provides an overall pavement serviceability measure and is the weighted average of many different pavement performance factors. There is flexibility to add other measures that are deemed relevant. The OCI varies between 100 representing the best possible pavement and zero (0) denoting the poorest possible pavement.” “Quantification of distress type is based on extent and severity. These values are input, for each distress type, into an equation that yields an Individual Distress Index (IDI). When each individual distress type has been calculated, all IDI values are then input into the OCI formula to compute the OCI for the pavement section. For each pavement type, two additional indices are computed with the methodology. Rigid pavements have the Slab Index and the Joint Index computed, while flexible pavements have the Structural Distress Index and the Non-Structural Index computed. The main function of these values is to assist in PMS decision tree configuration and treatment selection. A copy of the AgileAssets Pavement Management System Engineering Configuration Document is available upon request.” (itd.idaho.gov) Here are your tax dollars shot straight into systems engineering. But it takes massive data collection and this is where projects like Adopt-A-Highway or simply mapping and taking photos yourself or with your group, getting these to the appropriate offices in your city and emphasizing the need for resurfacing and maintenance is a progressive way to keep the community’s needs at the forefront of your plans. “ITD collects pavement conditions annually on the entire NHS, including both state and local routes. ITD also inspects all the bridges on the NHS. Therefore, ITD continues to acquire condition and performance data on the entire NHS network. ITD communicates condition information to the various jurisdictions owning NHS assets along with any project suggestions from ITD’s internal models. ITD also obtains information on planned projects on NHS roads from each of the jurisdictions which are incorporated into any model runs. Engaged Driving As growth continues in the Valley, and, in fact, in all of Idaho, it’s important to remember to keep your driving engagement at an all-time high. No texting, calling or other distractions should take you from the responsibility of safe driving. This is both an honor and a privilege to make things easier on yourself and others – call it community engagement. Driving at posted speed limits but being flexible enough to move slower, and avoid the current distress in the roads, is crucial. For those interested, SHIFT Idaho is an ongoing mission to improve driving engagement across the state. It all starts in your community and is a proactive mindset for engaging in the flow of traffic. “SHIFT is a movement. It’s a positive attitude about progress. It’s a commitment to change and overcoming behaviors that make the road a dangerous place. SHIFT is an opportunity for all Idahoans to start thinking and talking about what’s appropriate behind the wheel and in the passenger’s seat.” Find more at https://shift-idaho.org/. Growth can be painful but with the right attitude and creative involvement you can radically alter your local landscape for improved quality of life, opportunity and build the community for new friends and minds that offer social and economic advancement. It’s all in your state of mind. A rough Main Street in Bellevue. Photo credit: WRW

Potholes and Projects

BY ISAIAH FRIZZELL

With ever increasing traffic due to growth, the wear and tear on public roads, beyond the traffic, has been a hot topic in the Valley. What solutions are on the table at city hall and how can you get involved yourself in the upkeep and maintenance in your community? Here are a few ways to keep your roads and highways clean and what each city is doing about it.

Keep it in the Community
Blaine County’s Adopt-A-Highway road program has the stated purpose of creating “litter-free Blaine County road rights-of-way by providing an opportunity for volunteer groups to “adopt” sections of county roadways to conduct litter cleanup.” (www.co.blaine.id.us/290/Adopt-A-Road-Program). This program received $1500 from the Fiscal Year 2024 Approved Budget and, in 2023 alone, the community cleared 3 million pounds of litter from the roadways, saving $25 million in labor for the city.
The Adopt-A-Highway Program is a proactive way to make roads and the natural environment surrounding them clean and litter free while also keeping an eye on the quality of the asphalt, potholes, and pain points that need to be addressed. Grab a road with your friends and take part in maintaining the balance of the natural beauty surrounding the Valley with the liveable, driveable and enjoyable upkeep of the roads. It’s a great opportunity to get outside for some exercise and life hacking while you life craft it – take photos, make a list with a map of your adopted road and delve into this unique hands-on method for cleanup. It’s a great way to enjoy nice roads and derive satisfaction from community effort. Nothing beats doing it yourself and every year is a DIY year for any scale of project.

How It Works
Your group adopts a one-mile stretch of road of your preference in location. Blaine County will work with you to sort out who has already adopted what. The adoption lasts two years with a promise to pick up litter a minimum of twice a year for the two years of adoption. Blaine County’s got you covered for 30-gallon yellow contractor trash bags, safety vests and temporary “roadside litter pickup” traffic signs. As an added bonus, “Blaine County will erect a total of two recognition signs with the group name, one sign at the beginning of each adopted road section in each direction.” (www.co.blaine.id.us) Everyone will see your name for posterity and legacy as a community activist with your name in steel signage! You’re responsible for transporting the refuse to the Ohio Gulch or Carey Transfer Station where Blaine County will waive the disposal fee. The application form can be found at the Blaine County, Idaho, website: https://www.co.blaine.id.us/FormCenter/Administrative-Services-16/AdoptARoad-Program-Application-114 . And other volunteer programs can be found at the Idaho Transportation Department’s (IDT) website https://itd.idaho.gov/road-mtce/ .

City Commitments
You can keep track of the city’s involvement to know your roads. Many people use the 511 app, which can be found at https://511.idaho.gov/#:Alerts along with a comprehensive map of current work zones. We all know about the potholes and cracks. They’re a function of mountain living and seasonal climate fluctuations as ice forms and thaws in the asphalt, buckling and eventually eroding into potholes or cracks. The added traffic of growth from transplants in Blaine County has further encumbered the mountain-town -ize roads. If you’re on X (formerly known as Twitter) you can follow IDT at https://x.com/idahoitd.
The most recent update reads “US-20 University Blvd. Exit 332 will be closed for one month starting next Wed, May 29. Detours will be signed at Thorton Exit 328 and Rexburg Main St. Exit 333. The improved Exit 332 is expected to be open by the Fourth of July.” May 28 begins the resurfacing of U.S. Highway 2 starting at its junction with U.S. Highway 95 east to the Montana state line.
Now that may impact some for commuting and traveling but what about the plans for Blaine County roads? Great news is that Trail Creek Road, due to the efforts of the Blaine County Road and Bridge Department, will seasonally re-open on Friday, May 24, 2024.

Ketchum
Many know of Ketchum’s Project Main Street. With the stated mission of “Rebuilding the roadway and improving pedestrian amenities from River to 10th Street, in partnership with Ketchum Urban Renewal Agency and Idaho Transportation Department” (https://www.projectketchum.org/main-street/), Ketchum is continually improving quality of life for pedestrians and motorists alike.

The closure from River to 2nd Street, as of this writing, was scheduled to be complete by May 24.
The Second Street closure from Main to Leadville was scheduled to reopen by May 21.
From 2nd to 4th the construction continues until at least July 3. That’s an ideal date to make way for Fourth of July festivities.
Sidewalk construction on the west side between 2nd and Sun Valley Road is scheduled until May 24.

You can receive Main Street updates from their newsletter signup page at https://www.projectketchum.org/main-street/ where you can also share your thoughts on the current and future construction.

Hailey
The Hailey Transportation Master Plan of 2020 continues with improvements to bike lanes and throughways in conjunction with the Urban Renewal Agency (URA). With a budget of $735,695, the city is due for a makeover. For a general inquiry about specific pain points you can submit a form at https://haileycityhall.org/public-works/.
The Gateway, Airport and South district are the focus of this initiative along River Street, Downtown and the South district. Input from local business owners and the general public of the community have all been taken into account but, like anything of this scale, persistence and community alignment with needs is of utmost importance to communicate, as again, this is where the rubber meets the road. You can get out there, take photos and submit to the City of Hailey at https://haileycityhall.org/contact/.

Bellevue
Potholes must be repaired during warm, dry weather and while a heavy fix is not on the agenda for this season, ITD plans to have at least a temporary glue job done no later than October. Hot asphalt plants were set to reopen mid-April. The ‘Bellevue to Broadway Run’ project is addressing the plethora of potholes and cracks in this stretch of SH-75.
The project is set to do the following:

Widen SH-75 between McKercher Boulevard and Timber Way, and between Birch Street and Fox Acres Road. Plans include center medians, wider shoulders and center turn lanes along SH-75.
Improve several intersections along SH-75.
Add multimodal infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users.

2024 is the year design plans are to be finalized and right-of-way purchases made. If all goes accordingly, 2025 will see construction begin.
There is hope in sight. And as there were multiple stakeholder meetings for feedback, it is incumbent on the community to lodge a complaint or comment. Questions about the project may still be asked via email at info@sh75project.com.

General Idaho Metrics
To get a precise idea for the scale of ITD’s responsibility – “ITD manages a State Highway System (SHS) of approximately 5,000 centerline miles, or over 12,000 lane miles, plus more than 1,800 bridges.
The entire Idaho Transportation Network is more than 60,000 miles with local governments owning the large majority. ITD’s routes carry 55% of the state vehicle miles of travel (VMT) with 25% of all VMT being on the Interstate Highway System network. Within Idaho, there are more than 4,000 bridges; of these 1,835 bridges are managed by ITD. There are 830 bridges and culverts greater than 20-foot in length on the National Highway System (NHS). Of these, 805 are on the State Highway System and there are 25 local bridges and culverts greater than 20 feet in length on the NHS” (itd.idaho.gov).
“Idaho uses three measures to quantify performance; these are International Roughing Index (IRI), rutting depth, and Overall Condition Index (OCI). Developed as part of refinements to ITD’s Transportation Asset Management System (TAMS), the OCI is unique to Idaho. Idaho collects pavement performance data on an annual basis. The OCI provides an overall pavement serviceability measure and is the weighted average of many different pavement performance factors. There is flexibility to add other measures that are deemed relevant. The OCI varies between 100 representing the best possible pavement and zero (0) denoting the poorest possible pavement.”
“Quantification of distress type is based on extent and severity. These values are input, for each distress type, into an equation that yields an Individual Distress Index (IDI). When each individual distress type has been calculated, all IDI values are then input into the OCI formula to compute the OCI for the pavement section. For each pavement type, two additional indices are computed with the methodology. Rigid pavements have the Slab Index and the Joint Index computed, while flexible pavements have the Structural Distress Index and the Non-Structural Index computed. The main function of these values is to assist in PMS decision tree configuration and treatment selection. A copy of the AgileAssets Pavement Management System Engineering Configuration Document is available upon request.” (itd.idaho.gov)
Here are your tax dollars shot straight into systems engineering. But it takes massive data collection and this is where projects like Adopt-A-Highway or simply mapping and taking photos yourself or with your group, getting these to the appropriate offices in your city and emphasizing the need for resurfacing and maintenance is a progressive way to keep the community’s needs at the forefront of your plans.
“ITD collects pavement conditions annually on the entire NHS, including both state and local routes. ITD also inspects all the bridges on the NHS. Therefore, ITD continues to acquire condition and performance data on the entire NHS network. ITD communicates condition information to the various jurisdictions owning NHS assets along with any project suggestions from ITD’s internal models. ITD also obtains information on planned projects on NHS roads from each of the jurisdictions which are incorporated into any model runs.

Engaged Driving
As growth continues in the Valley, and, in fact, in all of Idaho, it’s important to remember to keep your driving engagement at an all-time high. No texting, calling or other distractions should take you from the responsibility of safe driving. This is both an honor and a privilege to make things easier on yourself and others – call it community engagement. Driving at posted speed limits but being flexible enough to move slower, and avoid the current distress in the roads, is crucial.
For those interested, SHIFT Idaho is an ongoing mission to improve driving engagement across the state. It all starts in your community and is a proactive mindset for engaging in the flow of traffic. “SHIFT is a movement. It’s a positive attitude about progress. It’s a commitment to change and overcoming behaviors that make the road a dangerous place. SHIFT is an opportunity for all Idahoans to start thinking and talking about what’s appropriate behind the wheel and in the passenger’s seat.” Find more at https://shift-idaho.org/.

Growth can be painful but with the right attitude and creative involvement you can radically alter your local landscape for improved quality of life, opportunity and build the community for new friends and minds that offer social and economic advancement. It’s all in your state of mind.