The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) has four divisions and six budgeted programs: 1) Transportation Services, which consists of Administration, Capital Facilities, and Aeronautics; 2) Motor Vehicles; 3) Highway Operations; and 4) Contract Construction and Right-of-Way Acquisition.
1) The Administration Program develops long-range budgetary plans; develops legislation; operates information systems; provides employee services, financial services, and facilities management; and coordinates research activities. 2) The Capital Facilities Program administers the design, building, and maintenance of department facilities. 3) The Aeronautics Program assists Idaho municipalities in developing their airports and operates Idaho's statewide air fleet. 4) The Motor Vehicles Program manages driver's licenses, vehicle registrations, license plates, and vehicle titles. 5) The Highway Operations Program directs statewide highway maintenance functions and directs highway improvements; administers federal-aid safety improvement projects and safety tasks; protects highways from oversize, overweight, and dangerous usage; manages federal transit grant programs and encourages coordinated transportation services; develops projects to improve state and local highway systems to save lives; and coordinates transportation research efforts. 6) The Contract Construction and Right-of-Way Acquisition Program accounts for the funds necessary for highway construction projects that maintain and improve the state's highway system.
ITD uses a combination of dedicated and federal funds for its mission. Dedicated funds come from gas tax, registration fees, other user fees, sales tax, and cigarette tax. Federal funds Include moneys from the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act., which was enacted by Congress in 2015 and expires at the end of 2020. Following an initial 5% increase in funding overall, FAST increased most of Idaho's highway, transit, and safety program funding at 2% per year through 2020. FAST distributes nearly 93% of all federal highway contract authority to states through formula programs. FAST also created a new highway freight program and required states to establish a state freight plan. FAST streamlined environmental review and permitting processes, which expedites project delivery. It also included corresponding increases in public transportation funding, expanding public-private investment and partnerships, and allowed more state control in safety programs. Congress approved a one-year extension through September 30, 2021. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed into law in December 2021. The IIJA will increase funding for transportation but guidance for the IIJA is still being created. In addition to the federal distribution, the department also receives federal grants from the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Bureau of Land Management, and the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service.