Idaho Transportation Department outlines budget, bonding and project delivery in annual report to committee

Scott Stokes, director of the Idaho Transportation Department, delivered the agency’s annual report to the Transportation Committee and reviewed recent project delivery, funding sources, staffing challenges and the governor’s budget recommendations. Stokes said the department maintains “over 12,000 lane miles of highways, over 1,800 bridges” and reported that ITD’s payout last year exceeded $966,000,000 for planning, design and construction work.

Why it matters: Stokes said recent bonding and strategic transfers have allowed ITD to accelerate a multi-year program of projects. Committee members pressed officials on the size and duration of bond programs, staffing retention, and local impacts of major projects.

Funding and the governor’s proposal Stokes described four primary revenue sources: federal funds (federal fuel and excise taxes apportioned by formula), state user fees (fuel tax and registration fees dedicated to roads), strategic initiative transfers (general-fund transfers for…