[Vision2020] Highway 95 route study

[Dan Carscallen]

Mr. Schmidt and Mr. London,

Having attended Moscow Transportation Commission meetings of late, I
have seen that there *are* plans in the works for a ring road/bypass
system, but it is still in its infancy.  I also attended the
presentation of the Moscow Transportation Study by David Evans and
Associates, which showed no (for lack of a better term) "scientific"
data requiring a bypass/ring road system, citing the cost being
prohibitive in comparison to the actual amount of traffic in and through
Moscow.  The Transportation Commission realized that there is still a
perceived need, as well as taking into account pedestrian and bicycle
traffic, that still leans toward a ring road/bypass idea.  If and when
this system ever comes to fruition, it looks like the City of Moscow and
ITD (as well as other entities) will be cooperating to build the system.

I suggest people go to these meetings to see what's actually going on
before they go firing shots at agencies about poor planning.

DC


-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Dick Schmidt
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 4:11 PM
To: Bill London; thorncreekroadtomoscow at itd.idaho.gov; rbci at cableone.net
Cc: vision2020 at whale2.fsr.net
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Highway 95 route study


It is my understanding that if someone in the IDT had done their job
instead of "forgetting" about an environmental impact statement we would
be seeing dirt being moved south of town.
How come we never hear who the guilty person was who forgot to do his
job and who has probably been promoted to his level of incompetence? I
thought that route had already been decided.

North of town, near the county line,  they are really moving the dirt
and I hope that is the contractor that does the job between here and
Lewiston. I hope they never give another contract to the contractor who
took 2 years to do the 1/4 mile south in the city of Moscow.

I thought I understood that the Moscow City council has already made the
decision to not have a bypass around Moscow because too many business
would lose business. Supposedly a traffic count was taken and there
isn't enough traffic to have a bypass so we will continue to have
logging and chip trucks tearing up the streets of Moscow. Sounds like a
fake deal to me. 

There should be a bypass included in any studies that are done at this
time. Do they think that traffic is going to decrease in the future? Who
is making the decisions...............another bureaucrat who has been
promoted to his/her level of incompetence?

Dick Schmidt
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Bill London 
To: thorncreekroadtomoscow at itd.idaho.gov ; rbci at cableone.net 
Cc: vision2020 at whale2.fsr.net 
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 3:12 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] Highway 95 route study


Ken Helm, Project Manager:

Here we go again.

The Idaho Dept. of Transportation is planning to study the route of a
segment of Highway 95 -- again -- without a serious look at the larger,
cumulative impacts of their decision.  

>From what I could find on your website, your study focuses entirely on
the 7 mile segment of Highway 95 in question.  You do not include the
larger impact.  You do not widen the study to include the vital
discussion of the future of transportation in the Moscow area, including
the issues of whether we will need or want ring roads or a Highway 95
bypass.

The present discussion of the route of Highway 95 and the question of
any future bypass (moving Highway 95 around Moscow) are directly linked.
Logically, we can not discuss this routing issue without first
discussing the bypass issue.  

You have the opportunity to facilitate the larger discussion of
transportation in Moscow (highway route, bypass, and ring road system)
that will enable sound decision-making.  Without that perspective, this
EIS process is incomplete.

Bill London



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