August 26 transportation meeting in Boise

What's wrong with this tagline?!

Although Gov. Butch Otter and the Idaho Transportation Board skipped Boise on their round of hearings earlier this summer, they're finally giving capital city residents a chance to be heard. Otter, the ITB, and Sen. Mike Crapo will hold a transportation funding conference on August 26 in Boise at the Boise Centre on the Grove, 850 W. Front Street.

From 9 a.m. to noon, experts will testify on national and local transportation needs and discuss what was heard at the July meetings. The public comment period will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Come ready to voice your support for public transit (and a local option tax to help pay for it); bike and walking paths; and other projects that will help Idahoans reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Can't make the meeting? You can send comments via email to comments@itd.idaho.gov or call Jeff Stratten from the Idaho Transportation Department at 208-334-8005. There's also an online survey at the ITB website. Unfortunately, that survey makes no mention of transit projects - only funding for roads and bridges - so be sure to make your thoughts known in the final question, where comments can be made.

Traffic ... is it endangered?!

Here's a good, snarky video from the folks at U.S. PIRG on the transportation funding choices before Congress (and, for that matter, our state legislatures) next year. Given the prices on the pump, this was apparently made months ago - but that only makes it more resonant now.

Also here's an op-ed by Boisean Tom Rambow on why we owe it to our children and grandchildren to make the best choices.