Landscaped freeway doesn't help us here

| March 23, 2009 9:00 PM

The federal government sent stimulus transportation enhancement funds to Idaho to help counter the deepening recession in North Idaho as well as southern Idaho.

Enhancement funds create local jobs. They build small projects ($500,000 maximum) statewide. Many benefit historic preservation, downtowns, bicycles and pedestrians. Approved projects are waiting for funding, including in North Idaho.

The Idaho Transportation Board decided (without public testimony), and the governor appears to support, spending the whole enhancement budget on one freeway landscaping project in Meridian.

Despite remarks by the governor to The Idaho Statesman, not one enhancement dollar will arrive in North Idaho unless we express our outrage with the decision and ask that the approved projects statewide be funded and built.

Please let the governor and our legislators know that a well landscaped freeway interchange in Meridian doesn’t help our area.

MOLLY O’REILLY

Sandpoint