SANDPOINT — There is a shift in the state this year, with a new governor, treasurer and about 25-percent turnover in the Legislature, said Rep. Sage Dixon.

Also as part of that shift, many of the lawmakers have new committee assignments throughout the House and Senate, with Dixon as no exception. For the past two years, Dixon said he has carried the transportation budget as a member of the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee, bringing that first-hand knowledge to North Idaho.

“It’s helpful to have up here, to see where it’s going,” Dixon said. “It also gives us a little bit of a stronger voice.”

Dixon was removed from that assignment for the upcoming session, however, but said he will continue to serve on the transportation committee.

In preparation for the 2019 legislative session, Bonner County’s state legislators joined representatives from the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council and Idaho Transportation Department for a discussion during Tuesday’s Bonner County Area Transportation Team meeting. Dixon, along with Rep. Heather Scott and Senator-elect Jim Woodward attended the meeting.

Dixon said there are projections of an economic dip at the end of 2019, which could affect things going forward, though revenues are still on an upward climb for transportation. However, depending on what happens with Medicaid expansion — there is a currently a lawsuit alleging it is unconstitutional — Dixon said it could impact funding across a multitude of agencies in the state.

“That is something to be aware of, that it could seriously hamper funding going forward,” Dixon said.

While Scott and Woodward are not serving on the transportation committee next session, both said they will advocate for roads and other transportation-related issues in North Idaho when the opportunity arises.

“I’ve been quite impressed dealing with ITD and their leadership,” Scott said. “They run it like a business. It’s the only agency that I’ve seen in government so far that has been run like a lean business. They have been responsive every time citizens call me with problems.”

Woodward will be serving on JFAC and the education committee, though he had hoped to get on the transportation committee. As a contractor, Woodward said he has worked under contracts with the Federal Highway Administration and ITD, as well as county and city contracts.

“I’m always paying attention to our transportation needs, and I will be putting myself in that conversation whenever possible,” Woodward said.

Laila Kral, deputy administrator for the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council, detailed the Local Strategic Initiatives Program, which funds local transportation projects across the state. For the 2018 Strategic Initiatives, LHTAC received 79 applications for a total of $52 million in requests. With approximately $10 million available, 17 projects were funded, including the Ella Avenue overlay in Sandpoint. More than $24 million is available for the 2019 program, and as the application process came to a close last week, LHTAC had received 91 applications for a total of $69.8 million in requests,

“I think it shows the continuing need of local agencies,” Kral said.

The city of Priest River put in a request of $1 million — the maximum amount allowed — for 2019 to help fund its downtown revitalization project. Each agency’s application is scored by LHTAC, and Kral said they will have the list with those scores ready to share with legislators at the beginning of the session in January.

When the legislators added the local strategic initiatives program, Kral said, they also added the Children Pedestrian Safety Program. There is $2 million available, with grants up to $250,000. For the 2018 year, LHTAC received 71 applications, requesting more than $12 million in funds.

“So again, the requests and the need far exceed the money that’s available for that program,” Kral said, adding that LHTAC funded 15 projects, the majority of which were sidewalk improvements.

For 2019, LHTAC received 65 applications, requesting approximately $13 million.

Kral said one “big” focus of local agencies this year is the condition of bridges across the state. There are 2,409 locally-owned bridges in Idaho, she said, and of those, 864 bridges are over 50 years old. On average, she said, 24 bridges are restricted each year, with only 12-16 replaced.

“That is obviously not keeping up with the 24 structures that are being posted or restricted every year,” she said.

Counties and highway districts are leading an effort to find some dedicated funds for local bridge replacement, Kral said.

Jim Coleman, ITD board vice-chairman representing District 1, has been on the board for 12 years and said he has seen some “dramatic” changes. When he first got on the board, he said, the annual appropriation for ITD was around $625 million, and last year a little over $750 million was appropriated for Idaho roads. Coleman said transportation is about $360 million short on an annual basis, just to maintain the current infrastructure across the state.

“Maintaining a highway system is expensive,” Coleman said. “For instance, District 1 is spending around $3 million just on salt to keep the roads safe during the winter.”

With the plow trucks and personnel added in, the winter budget for District 1 is about $13 million.

Coleman also spoke briefly about the GARVEE, or Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle, which allows states to borrow against a portion of their future federal highway appropriations to fund major projects. In 2017, lawmakers authorized $300 million through the GARVEE program, which helped fund two projects in North Idaho, Coleman said.

Damon Allen, ITD District 1 engineer, detailed the North Idaho projects, including a $23 million project on Highway 95 to improve the Granite Hill area between milepost 452.5 and 454.1. Construction on that project is expected between summer 2020 and fall 2021. The other project is a $54.9 million construction of an interchange at the intersection of Highway 53 and Highway 95, and an overpass at Garwood Road, Allen said. Construction on the latter project is expected to begin mid-summer 2019, with completion by winter 2021.

Another North Idaho issue, Allen said, is the slide in Naples. It took time because not only was it still moving, they had to purchase right of way to access the top of the slide and go through environmental approval.

“As soon as it gets dried up this spring, we are going to tackle that project,” he said, adding that the speed has been increased from 35 to 45 along that section to help traffic flow.

There will also be a speed study coming up to analyze the area of Highway 95 between Sagle and the Long Bridge, Allen said.

“There is a lot of discussion on congestion, safety, and how fast we should be driving in there,” Allen said.

A full list of ITD projects can be found at itd.idaho.gov.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.