Highway project key to bright future

With the solid endorsement of Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, Idaho legislators are poised to do something great for their state. We encourage them to support "Connecting Idaho."

Connecting Idaho is the easier to remember name for the state's $1.6 billion, 258-mile road improvement project using GARVEE bonds, a tool to leverage federal dollars for highway projects. As the distance and cost imply, this would be the most ambitious transportation project in state history.

No question, the cost is considerable.

First, if approved as it's now proposed, the last bonds wouldn't be repaid until 2032. Further, bond payments over 26 years would amount to $3.06 billion, including principal and interest. This project, then, would be similar to purchasing a house on a 30-year mortgage. The sale price might be $150,000, but you'll end up paying twice that over the life of the mortgage.

Still, Connecting Idaho deserves the undivided support of the Legislature.

The positive economic impact will be enormous, easily exceeding, we believe, the cost of the project. The state projects creation of 75,200 jobs in construction and services, with all projects geared to Idaho bidders.

Of greater long-term significance, a modern, safe north-south corridor through the state is projected to generate $3 billion in additional revenue from increased manufacturing, business services, recreation/tourism, and agriculture. With Connecting Idaho, leaders have conceived an ideal business recruitment tool for the entire state.

While the project is statewide in scope, North Idaho would be one of the major beneficiaries. The deadly stretch of U.S. 95 from Coeur d'Alene to Sandpoint would be completely modernized, becoming a four-lane, divided highway. When completed, the project would leave a 52-mile multi-lane, high-performance highway from I-90 in Coeur d'Alene all the way to Colburn.

Some of the project's proponents point out that now is the time to make this enormous commitment, since delay will mean similar work will only cost more in the future. But John McHugh, a retired accountant and current Idaho Transportation Board member representing the northern five counties of the state, says there's a more compelling reason.

"If we can build that freeway between Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint 10 years sooner, how many lives will that save?" he asked.

If the recent past is any indication, a lot. According to ITD, there were 598 reported crashes on that stretch of highway between 1999 and 2004. Those crashes resulted in 1,022 injuries, including 168 that left the victims incapacitated, and 33 deaths.

We urge the Idaho Legislature to leverage federal dollars to strengthen the economy, to improve travel and most of all, to save lives.

The Daily Bee