Local Highway Technical Assistance Council Joint Senate and House Transportation Committees January

2 Early History  The Legislature has been dealing with Transportation since day one. 1863: 1 st Territorial Legislature passed Council Bill 7 giving County Commissions taxing authority for roads. 1891: Idaho’s 1 st Legislature continued the tradition of improving the road system by funding survey work 1893: The Legislature authorized a basic state road system again using the County Commission model 1913: The Legislature enacted the first vehicle registration (70% to County Commissions to pay off bonds) 1923: The Legislature enacted the first fuel tax at 2 cents per gallon of motor fuel 1925: County share of the distribution of fees was increased to 90 % to repay local bond used to construct state highways : Locals normally covered at least 2/3rds or more of State Highway Construction costs in their County  Source: “Idaho’s Highway History ”; 1985 and “Highway Financial Practices and Trends in Idaho”, S.E. Johnson Director; 1942

3 Recent History of the Local Share of the Highway Distribution Account YearPercent % % % % %

4 Rational Allocation Process  The Legislature has established a rational process over the years to allocate limited public resources  Locals currently receive 38% of the net Highway Distribution Account (Approximately $124 million in 2008)  Independent studies support this split based upon vehicle miles traveled on the state and local transportation system  Cities receive 30% of the local share based on their proportion of population  Counties and Highway Districts receive 70% based on:  10% shared equally to each county, and sub-districts  45% based upon the proportion of registered vehicles  45% based upon the proportion of improved road miles

5 Local Elected Officials  Elected local highway officials are responsible to spend limited public resources efficiently and effectively  They are charged with managing the local transportation system. Most do this using:  Transportation Plans  5 year Capital improvement plans  Pavement Management Plans  They are accountable and must answer to their constituents at the ballot box

6 What is LHTAC doing to help? Promoting Best Management Practices  Created a series of technical manuals on uniform standards and procedures: Examples  Highway and Street Guidelines for Design and Construction  Speed Limits & Speed Zones in Idaho  Use of Public Right-of-Way- Standard approach Policy  Highway Right-of-Way Acquisition Without Federal Funds  Guidelines for Completing the Annual Road and Street Finance Report  Manual on Transportation Plans

7 Best Management Practices, continued…  Partnering with ITD to develop a local roads GIS base map  Providing turn-key pavement management systems to local Highway jurisdictions

8 Best Management Practices, continued…  LHTAC funds and promotes transportation planning including policy objectives, prioritized capital improvement plans, pavement management plans and, regional cooperation.  Local road miles with transportation plans: 84 % of Cities, 86% of Highway Districts and 90% of Counties

9 Best Management Practices, continued…  Providing assistance and training to LHJ’s on how to fill out the Road and Street Finance Report.  Providing training to LHJ’s on a wide variety of topics from basic math to operation of road building equipment through our Technology Transfer Center

10 Preliminary Suggestions for Local Highway Performance Measures  Overall goal-improve 1/20 th of the local paved highway system each year  New Road Construction- Measure: lane miles constructed  New Bridge Construction- Measure: square feet of deck  Road Reconstruction- Measure: lane miles reconstructed  Maintenance, Chip Seal- Measure: lane miles chip sealed  Maintenance, Seal Coat- Measure: lane miles of seal coat  Maintenance, patching-Measure: square feet patched  Gravel Road Grading-Measure: lane miles graded

11 LHTAC Project Selection Process  LHTAC administers 4 programs  Local Federal-aid Incentive program ($10 million dollars annually)  Local Federal Bridge program ($5 million)  Local Off-system Bridge program $3 million)  Local Rural Incentive program ($2.2 million)

12 LHTAC Project Selection Process continued…  State-wide selection process for both programs  Criteria is primarily derived from the 1997 Idaho Transportation Planning Task Force recommendations

13 LHTAC Project Selection Process Continued  State-wide selection process for both programs  Criteria is primarily derived from the 1997 Idaho Transportation Planning Task Force recommendations

14 Questions? Lance Holmstrom, LHTAC Administrator M.U.P Address: 3330 Grace Street Boise, Idaho Phone: (208) Website: LHTAC.org