Submitted by Ken Watts
According to the Idaho Transportation Department Board meeting notes, a four lane highway from Ashton to SH 87 would cost up to $700,000,000 in today’s dollars. This is in contrast to an improved two lane that would cost about $100,000,000 according to JUB Engineers and be adequate until 2042. US 20 from Ashton to SH87 is a “seasonal” highway with higher traffic volume June to September. The traffic peaks in July and drops off in mid-August as schools reopen. The traffic volume is higher on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and during holiday weekends. During the day the traffic volume is higher for about 8 hours during the day and tapers off dramatically at night and during the early morning hours. Let’s assume the information above is correct and calculate what percentage of the year that there is higher traffic volume on US 20, Ashton to SH 87. Starting with the higher traffic volume months, we see that the traffic is higher for 33% (4/12) of the year. Now if we look at the higher traffic days, we note that they are 42% (3/7) of the week. Turning to higher traffic hours, we note that the higher traffic hours are about 33% (8/24) of the day. So what percentage of the hours in a year do we have higher traffic volume on US 20? The answer is about 5% (33% X 42% X 33%)!! So ITD wants to spend $700,000,000 to build a four lane, high speed, limited access freeway through the Island Park Caldera to accommodate higher traffic volume for 5% of the year. This is truly insane. This money could be much better spent where the need is greater. ITD continues to put out the false information that higher traffic volume is causing more accidents. Analyze the accident data for yourself. This is not true! We may see a dramatic decrease in traffic volume if Yellowstone National Park implements a reservation system. Couple that with very high fuel prices and the impending recession, and traffic volume will likely decrease in the near term. Our District 31 legislators should ask ITD to pause all planning for this ill-advised project. JUB Engineers documentation shows that upgrading US 20 from Ashton to SH 87 to a “super” two lane will serve the public until 2042. In addition, the environmental damage will be greatly reduced, businesses along US 20 will not be affected, and the Island Park livability environment will be protected. Congestion at Elk Creek, Mack’s Inn, and Island Park Village can be addressed with stop lights. These stop lights could be turned off 95% of the year when traffic volume is lower. Now is the time for business owners along the highway to “stand tall” and be heard before their business is hurt.
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Submitted by Ken Watts.
Let’s look at ITD’s purpose and need statements for US 20 from Ashton to SH 87. They do their purpose and need statements at the project level. So, they address things like congestion, travel time and safety. But let’s look at this highway segment from the 30,000 foot level. What is the purpose and need for this highway segment? Not the project! There are two primary purposes and one secondary purpose for this highway. First, this highway segment provides for tourists to travel to and from Yellowstone National Park/West Yellowstone, Montana. Second, it allows for freight to be moved to and from Montana. US 20 is a freight route. Third, this highway segment allows good and services to be provided to the Island Park area as well as providing access for recreation. The first two purposes/needs provide little economic value to Idaho or Idahoans. Trucks and tourist mostly pass through southeast Idaho and certainly through Island Park. There is marginal economic value, to Idaho and very little to Island Park. The third purpose/need does provide considerable economic value to Idaho and Island Park. Recreation is the economic engine for Island Park. However, this purpose/need does not require a 4 lane freeway and maybe not even a super 2 highway. Why should Idaho taxpayers spend $700,000,000 of their tax money on this highway segment to primarily benefit Montana trucking and the National Park Service/Yellowstone National Park/West Yellowstone, Montana. Idaho would be risking very significant environmental damage while received only a portion of the benefit. Imagine if bridge construction were to damage the fishery. The economic implications would be profound. There is no way to even estimate the damage to the quality of life and livability environment of Island Park. The effect on recreational crossings, ATVs and snowmobiles, caused by a 4 lane freeway would be devastating. ITDs purpose and need statements are totally inadequate. These statements address the highway project and not the real purpose of the route/corridor segment. Idaho should NOT spend $700,000,000 of our highway budget on a highway segment that primarily supports Montana. Is Montana spending $700,000,000 on US 20? The ITD Board should spend Idaho’s road money on highway segments that primarily benefit and serve Idaho and Idahoans. There are many places where this could be done. Submitted by Ken Watts.
The City of Island Park held a working meeting on the US 20 highway project on November 2, 2022. The meeting was attended by the mayor, three city council members, the three 2023 District 31 legislators, a host of people from the Idaho Transportation Department, and ITD contractors. It is very clear that there was no pause in the project by ITD. ITD simply delayed the public meetings by a couple of months to December 5th and 6th and are planning a meeting with Island Park businesses on November 15th. Further evidence that there was no pause in the project is the fact that ITD and its contractors are flying drones over public and private property along US 20. A complaint has been filed regarding this action by a private citizen. The mayor asked what criteria was used to propose a four lane freeway in Island Park. The answer was that was a need for additional capacity based on traffic projections. No data was provided by ITD to support that contention. There was considerable discussion about intersections in Island Park. Much of this discussion was centered on the intersection of Yale-Kilgore Road and US 20 (Elk Creek). ITD said they were willing to implement an interim solution at this intersection if the City and County could agree on a solution. A City council member stated that Brandon Harris (County Road and Bridge) believes that a traffic signal would be appropriate at this location. This interim project could be funded in FY-2028. It is important to note that there are wetlands on both sides of this intersection. ITD stated that any interim solutions would have to be compatible with their longer term plans, presumably a 4 lane freeway. There was some discussion about the need to have 4 lanes at the stop light to allow for “stacking” of traffic. (Room is needed for the vehicles.) This may not be all bad because the 4 lanes at the stop light could act like a passing lane when the light turns green. Councilman Ard pointed out that US Highway 97 south of Bend, Oregon, toward Crater Lake National Park, uses alternating passing lanes (super 2) between commercial areas and 4 lanes with stop lights in the commercial areas. There are many commercial areas and passing lanes. Councilman Ard pointed out that this area is much like Island Park in that it is close to a National Park, and a National Monument, has very heavy recreational traffic, and heavy truck traffic. I have driven this road many times and the configuration works very well. This configuration supports business activity and allows for safe intersections. ITD clearly still supports a 4 lane freeway. They spent some time addressing issues with an alternating passing lanes highway design (super 2). They focused on snow removal and conflicts when traffic merges at the end of the passing lane. This is curious because ITD already plows 8+ passing lanes and JUB Engineers reports that accidents on US 20 in the Caldera are below the State average and well below the national average. ITD stated that winter traffic will reach the levels of summer traffic. An ITD corridor report states that summer traffic volume is 500% higher than winter traffic volume. ITD predicts that traffic will increase about 3% linearly per year. Therefore it would take 167 years (500%/3% per year=167years) before the winter traffic volume equals the current summer traffic volume. ITD did not mention the numerous shortcomings of a 4 lane, limited access, high speed freeway in an environmentally sensitive recreational area. The mayor made it clear that he does not support the freeway concept. Representative Furniss stated the process must be transparent, follow the process, allow input by all, fair, and no voice should be ignored. He further stated that the ITD Board will make the decision. Senator Burtenshaw stated that the Governor came to Island Park to assure transparency. Submitted by Ken Watts
Please vote in the general election on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. The polling places are published in the Island Park News. As we have seen recently, elections have consequences. Sometimes these consequences have a profound influence on our lives. Please consider which candidates will represent you and your interests. Also consider which candidates represent the establishment and state agencies rather than you. Your future is at stake. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives, Scott Bedke during a tour and meeting on US 20 issues. Speaker Bedke is a candidate for Idaho Lieutenant Governor. Speaker Bedke is smart, knowledgeable, and a great listener. He understands the issues and I believe he will be a great representative of our interests. Please consider Speaker Bedke for Lieutenant Governor. |
Making Sense of It All
This blog will help you make sense out of all the information on the website, how it affects IP, our history, and how efforts continue to put IP into various forms of conservation status. Archives
May 2023
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