Submitted by Ken Watts
Over the last few weeks Ken’s Korner has been publishing analysis of documents received from the Idaho Transportation Department regarding US Highway 20 from Ashton to SH 87. Conclusions from the analysis have been reported here. The plan was to continue this process in an effort to inform people about potential changes to this segment of US 20. That plan was turned upside down when Governor Brad Little announced we would be getting a four lane highway. That public statement now brings into question if ITD has circumvented the legal process for making these decisions. The governor has never once come to Island Park and asked us what “we” wanted. Is this representative government? During the first public meeting on this potential highway project, we were told that ITD was “starting from scratch”. This statement was made after there were many complaints about the process used for the Targhee Pass Project on US 20. We are “starting from scratch” was not the truth. Apparently, according to the Governor, we are getting four lanes. If you believe there was a misunderstanding during the Governor’s campaign stop in Ashton last weekend, then read the following quote from ITD’s February 2022 traffic operations report: “Many of the existing US 20 project segments currently meet the recommended minimum standards for LOS (level of service). However, as traffic volumes increase, the LOS of more segments will drop below the minimum standards. In the horizon year of 2050, most segments will not meet the minimum standards for LOS without increasing the number of lanes. Improving the highway to a four-lane configuration will bring the LOS up to, or above, the recommended minimum standards for most of the segments. For those segments that are still estimated to operate below the recommended minimum LOS with the added lanes, minor adjustments to the roadway characteristics, including increasing the free-flow speed and decreasing access density are recommended.” The people of Island Park and Ashton attended ITD’s US 20 alternatives workshop in December 2021, in good faith. We were asked to provide our input, thoughts, and solutions/alternatives. However, according to the Governor and the traffic report, a four lane was already the recommended solution/alternative. The traffic reports were withheld from the public at both public meetings. It was not until February 2022 that ITD posted three traffic studies on their US 20 website. The third report was dated February 2022, but all the data (real data) used in this report and the Passing Lanes report was old. Some data, dated back to 1993, when the speed limit was 55 mph on this section of highway. The important point is that the alternatives workshop would have had far different results if ITD would have fully disclosed the detailed traffic information with the public. They did not! Were we starting from scratch? You decide. Were we deceived? You decide. Were decisions already made? All evidence looks like it, but you decide. The good news is that this project cannot go forward without completing the NEPA process. Now is the time to build coalitions to strongly influence this project and get what Island Park wants for the Caldera. The other good news is, this is an election year. Politicians may want to listen to you. Imagine Island Park, a recreational community, with a four lane, high speed freeway right through the middle! This freeway will allow little access to local businesses. Will they survive? The “longest main street in America” will be gone. Not a pretty picture!
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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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